Pharmacy School Opening Decision Anticipated in May

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is aiming to decide in May whether or not to open a school of pharmacy.

If approved, MCW expects the starting date would be either in 2017 or 2018, John R. Raymond, Sr, MD, MCW’s president and CEO, told The Milwaukee Business Journal.

Back in September 2014, MCW announced it was considering opening a pharmacy school potentially in Green Bay or Central Wisconsin. The school was evaluating whether it should offer several specialty tracks in areas such as genomics and personalized pharmacy, oncology, mental health, and research.

Citing an American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy forecast, the school noted a potential shortage of 157,000 pharmacists nationwide by 2020, as well as a particular demand for pharmacists in Wisconsin.

MCW added that Wisconsin pharmacists are not distributed evenly among small communities and medically underserved urban communities.

“We believe MCW is well-positioned to develop innovative approaches to address Wisconsin’s shortage of pharmacists,” Dr. Raymond said in a school press release. “MCW successfully responded to our state’s projected shortage of physicians through the development of regional medical school campuses in Green Bay and central Wisconsin. MCW would bring that same commitment to innovation in pharmacy education.”

Dr. Raymond said a May 29, 2015, board meeting will address the feasibility of opening a pharmacy school.

“It's no secret that I would like to broaden our educational offerings,” Dr. Raymond told The Milwaukee Business Journal.