The internship program gives pharmacy students an additional opportunity for practical patient care at OhioHealth hospitals around the state, in a flexible, remote manner.
Ohio Northern University has formed a partnership with OhioHealth to give students in the Raabe College of Pharmacy hands-on patient care experience in a unique, remote internship program. Students work remotely on the university campus at the Robertson-Evans Pharmacy Building while performing intern roles at OhioHealth locations for medication reconciliation. Students will be able to put their skills into practice in a remote and flexible manner, allowing them to gain work experience around their classes and work or other responsibilities, preparing them for pharmacy work following graduation.
According to an article on Ohio Northern University’s website, Beth Prier, who serves as the director of pharmacy operations for OhioHealth, was quoted as saying of the internship program, “Through this unique internship program, pharmacy students gain hands-on experience while making a real difference for our patients—providing essential medication reconciliation services that support safe, high-quality care across our hospitals. We are investing in a future generation of pharmacists who may decide to stay with OhioHealth post-graduation.”
The program was developed when Charles McCluskey, who is the system vice-president and chief pharmacy officer of OhioHealth, approached Stuart Beatty, the dean of the Raabe College of Pharmacy, about creating a new opportunity for pharmacy students to gain experience through patient care. The resulting remote internship program is a talent pipeline for the hospital system to hire graduates who received direct patient care experience in their own hospitals. Students are hired as interns following their second year of pharmacy school, and they can continue interning through their P-5 year. After they graduate they may receive an offer of full-time employment or a PGY-1 residency.
McCluskey said, “Pharmacists have an immense impact on patient care. Through early and ongoing engagement with pharmacy interns, we hope to accelerate their journey to becoming essential contributors to patient outcomes. The program provides a new student learning experience while giving OhioHealth access to pharmacy intern talent to support the growth of our medication reconciliation program.”
The remote internship program began in the Fall 2025 semester with two second-year and two third-year pharmacy students working as interns in medication reconciliations following a competitive application process. The interns remotely verify medication histories for patients who are admitted into emergency rooms, which eases responsibilities from other hospital workers, ensuring patients receive the highest level of care. The interns receive extensive training regarding medication verification during the summer.
Jenny Ohler, an OhioHealth pharmacist, is the on-site program administrator and supervises the interns. She said, “Students are learning about medications and how to communicate with patients and healthcare professionals. By making sure that patients’ medication lists are correct, the interns are ensuring that doctors receive up-to-date information in order to make informed decisions. Our goal is to hire approximately four new interns each year, and eventually have a cohort of 12 interns enrolled in the program.”
For more information about Ohio Northern University, visit the school’s website.