August 24, 2020
The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy was excited to welcome a class of approximately 130 talented PY1 students in early August.
Beginning this year, the School is launching a new 1+3 curricular model where all PY1 students will begin their course of study in Chapel Hill. After their first year in Chapel Hill, students interested in living and learning in Asheville, particularly if they have a strong interest in rural health or ambulatory care, will be offered the opportunity to transition to the School’s Asheville campus for the remainder of their education.
“This 1+3 curricular model presents new opportunities for us to leverage the strengths of Western North Carolina and build upon our successes with the Rural Health Scholars Program,” said Mollie Scott, regional associate dean on the Asheville campus. “Asheville is known for its innovative practice models in ambulatory care, and we are excited to offer an additional course of study for students who are interested in this career path. Having all students complete their PY1 together will allow students to become acclimated to the rigorous program and develop strong relationships with their classmates before making a final campus selection.”
Faculty met in July to discuss and vote on the 1 + 3 educational model, which received overwhelming support. The School will now submit a formal proposal to UNC’s provost for final approval and continue to develop and outline the details of the new model.
“We remain fully committed to the students, staff, and faculty based in Asheville as well as to the growth of the campus and feel there are tremendous opportunities yet to be explored in pharmacy practice and research in collaboration with our strategic partners in the mountains. In speaking with these amazing PY1 students, it’s clear that they are excited about the opportunity to experience both the Chapel Hill and Asheville campuses,” said Angela Kashuba, dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. “Our partnership with UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC remains strong, with significant growth potential.”