Two pharmacy schools in New York and New Jersey are moving up graduation for some students so they can join the workforce early and help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy in New Brunswick, N.J., is graduating 52 pharmacy doctoral students early. The students have completed all curricular requirements and are eligible to receive their licenses to practice.
The school said it made the choice to graduate students early as a response to increased demand for pharmacists caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Anything we can do to get more pharmacists and pharmacy technicians into the workforce, especially in hard-hit areas like New Jersey, will be extremely beneficial to the public’s ability to endure and recover from this pandemic," said Joseph Barone, PharmD, dean of the pharmacy school.
D'Youville College School of Pharmacy in Buffalo, N.Y. is graduating 31 of its pharmacy doctoral students early, according to The Buffalo News.
The school is giving a $1,000 graduation bonus for housing to students who are graduating early to help fight COVID-19.