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ACRO Announces Agreement with University of Florida College of Pharmacy for Reduced Tuition Benefit
Employees of ACRO Member Companies Eligible
June 23, 2010 – Washington, DC –The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO), which represents the CRO industry globally, today announced an agreement with the University of Florida College of Pharmacy(UFCoP) to provide tuition-free enrollment in up to two Online Master of Science in Pharmacy courses.
Under the agreement, ACRO members enrolled in the Online Master of Science in Pharmacy degree program can apply for waived tuition for the first and ninth course within this 30-credit program, which requires nine 3-credit courses and three 1-credit seminars. Space is limited and applicants must meet the normal UF graduate school admissions criteria. Initially, the program is open only to employees in North America.
“ACRO members signify the leaders in the clinical research industry and we are pleased to offer this valuable member benefit exclusively for their employees,” said Doug Peddicord, Ph.D, ACRO Executive Director. “This unique opportunity provides a significant educational benefit for ACRO membership that will augment the considerable expertise that already exists amongst our members.”
The two-year, part-time Online Master of Science in Pharmacy program offers a concentration in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy with tracks in: Pharmacy Regulation & Policy; Applied Pharmacoeconomics; Clinical Research Regulation & Ethics; Patient Safety & Risk Management; Forensic Pharmacy; Drug Regulatory Affairs; Institutional Pharmacy Leadership; and a 3-year UF-MSPharm / Stetson University-MBA option.
University of Florida professor and program director David Brushwood, R.Ph., J.D., sees the arrangement as an ideal way to strengthen the current level of regulatory expertise industry-wide and to help develop emerging leaders of tomorrow.
“The most efficient research is ethical and consistent with regulatory guidelines,” said Brushwood, who founded the online program in 2006, developed from curriculum in the College’s longstanding residential programs.
“Applying a thorough understanding of pharmacy regulations and policies to all aspects of clinical research helps eliminate waste and redundancy,” Brushwood said. “Pharmacy policy education allows the results of our work to quickly and efficiently benefit those who need it most.”
ACRO members include: Covance; ICON; Kendle; PAREXEL; PharmaNet; PPD; Quintiles; RPS; Chiltern; Clinical Research Management; Global Research Services; and PRA International.
You may become a fan of ACRO and the UF Online MSPharm on Facebook and follow ACRO on Twitter @ACROhealth.
About ACRO
The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) represents companies whose focus is clinical research. The association provides an active voice for the global CRO industry, which provides specialized services that are integral to the development of drugs, biologics and medical devices. Through its member companies, ACRO helps improve the quality, efficiency and safety of biomedical research. ACRO member companies employ approximately 70,000 professionals worldwide and annually conduct more than 9,000 clinical trials involving nearly two million participants in 115 countries. For more information, please visit www.www.acrohealth.org.
About the UF Online MSPharm Program
Since its inception in 1923, the UF Master of Science in Pharmacy degree program has stood for excellence, leading the way in academic innovation. In 2006, the program was expanded to include distance learning, enabling pharmacy industry professionals from across the country access to high-quality education and credentials in areas of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy.
The Online MSPharm program is a 30-credit, non-thesis plan of study requiring 27-28 credits in the form of online classes held live at set days and times twice weekly for seven weeks. Online courses are held using the Elluminate Live! online learning system and are scheduled during evening hours. The remaining 2-3 credits are taken in the form of two-day, 1-credit weekend seminars held on campus in Gainesville, Fla., each fall and spring. Of the three total required seminar credits, one can be taken in the form of a nine day online seminar held each July. The Online MSPharm program can be completed in two years of part time study.
For more information about the UF Online MSPharm program, visithttp://pharmreg.dce.ufl.edu or contact program director David Brushwood, R.Ph., J.D., at [email protected].