Asbury University to Partner with University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

September 1, 2023

Asbury University is pleased to announce an agreement with the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP) to guarantee its students up to five seats per year in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program, ranked as the No. 6 pharmacy school in the nation (U.S. News & World Report, 2020). Effective fall 2023, the 3+4 program offers a pathway for students to finish their Bachelor of Arts in Biology – Pre-Pharmacy (at Asbury) and their Doctor of Pharmacy degree (at UKCOP) in seven years.

“We are thrilled to partner with Asbury University on this 3+4 program, which provides aspiring pharmacists with an accelerated pathway to their Doctor of Pharmacy degree,” said Jason Edwards, director of enrollment management at UKCOP. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to fostering excellence in healthcare education and preparing students for successful careers in pharmacy. By offering up to five seats per year in our competitive, nationally renowned Pharm.D. program, we look forward to welcoming exceptional students from Asbury and empowering them to make a meaningful impact in pharmacy and patient care.”

“This is an example of the important ways that Asbury University continues to prepare individuals to engage in service to the professions, society, individuals, and their cultures while advancing the work of Christ to the nations,” said Asbury University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sherry Powers.

Asbury Professor of Chemistry and Health Professions Advisor Dr. Bruce Branan worked closely on developing this agreement for Asbury students to complete 72 credit hours that fulfill the three-year pre-pharmacy requirements for admission into the UKCOP Pharm.D. program.

“Pharmacy offers a wide variety of career choices in research, hospital, compounding, regulatory, and community venues, among many others,” Branan said. “Pharmacists are critical members of the healthcare team, and I am optimistic that we will see greater numbers of Asbury students going into this important field.”

Two noteworthy Asbury alumni working as pharmacists include Dr. Kathie Heid ’01 Fawbush and Dr. Thomas Carroll ’10, both of whom completed their Pharm.Ds. at UKCOP.

Fawbush is a pharmacist at Walmart in the Chattanooga, Tenn., area.

“I always have believed that pharmacy is my vocation,” Fawbush said. “I enjoy training new technicians, celebrating with them when they become certified, and finding cost-saving alternatives to expensive medications for patients. I can see how the Lord has put things in place throughout my career, with Asbury and UK helping me reach my goals.”

Carroll works at Norton Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

“Asbury was critical in preparing me for pharmacy school at UK,” Carroll said. “The Asbury biology curriculum was challenging and enriching for me and helped me to be well-prepared for the rigors and challenges of my pharmacy career. What I enjoy most about my job is working directly with nurses, physicians, and patients to make decisions regarding medication therapy.”

With an 88 percent acceptance rate into medical school, the Shaw School of Sciences offers 14 majors and six minors, including biology, chemistry, and physics: https://www.asbury.edu/about/offices/schools/science-health-math/. The Walt and Rowena Shaw Collaborative Learning Center offers 11 laboratories, with spaces dedicated to eDNA research, cell and molecular biochemistry, ecology and environmental science, physics, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, instrumentation, biology preparation, chemistry preparation, and collaborative innovation.