At a recent meeting of the Iowa Pharmacist Tracking System Advisory Council, data was presented that showed that the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy’s reach continues to grow across the state. The college is now represented in 95 of Iowa’s 99 counties, and represents nearly half of all the state’s pharmacists. There is at least one UI College of Pharmacy graduate in 72 percent of the communities with at least one pharmacist, and half of all Iowa’s independent pharmacists are UI graduates.

Pharmacists are taking on an increasingly visible and important role in healthcare, and are among the most trusted group of healthcare professionals according to a recent Gallup survey. As the magnitude of the role of a pharmacist increases, new models of education and training are key. At the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, students are engaged in a rigorous doctor of pharmacy program, which increasingly encompasses practical experiences, patient care and communication, drug-therapy management, and critical thinking. Additionally, more and more pharmacists are choosing to complete a post-graduate residency program to better serve the complex healthcare needs of patients.

College of Pharmacy Dean Donald Letendre commented, “This new data reflects a positive trend that we have been aware of for some time. Our alumni have a great passion for their profession, for the people they serve, and their home state of Iowa.”