Purdue University will allow 144 pharmacy students to graduate early in an effort to help mitigate a potential shortage of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The West Lafayette, Ind.-based university approved the decision April 9, allowing students to graduate about a month early.
Purdue University is one of the first in the nation to certify its entire class of fourth-year pharmacy students.
The students can now pursue their licensure exams.
The certification also allows the pharmacy students to enter the healthcare field early, as they are eligible to work as graduate pharmacists until they are licensed.
"I've already received inquiries from a health system about making our graduates available in case they face likely workforce issues as the pandemic intensifies here in Indiana," said Purdue University College of Pharmacy Dean Eric Barker, PhD. "Having additional trained clinical pharmacists, even graduate pharmacists, will become increasingly important."