The three-year agreement will allow students who graduate from North Central Michigan College with an Associate of Science Biology degree to transfer to Ferris State University for its Pre-Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy, or Doctor of Optometry degree programs.
Ferris State University and North Central Michigan College have come together to create an agreement that will open doors to healthcare and medical degrees for community college students. Under this three-year agreement, students who graduate from North Central Michigan College with an Associate of Science Biology degree will be eligible to transfer to Ferris State University for its Pre-Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy, or Doctor of Optometry degree programs. The agreement will provide more opportunities for students in rural Northern Michigan to earn healthcare and medical degrees, and will make healthcare more accessible for these rural areas’ residents.
According to an article on Ferris State University’s website, President Bill Pink is quoted as saying of the partnership and the benefits it will have on the community, “I love that we can look to our community college partners and say, ‘We want your students here, but not just here, but in two of our signature programs for this university — our College of Pharmacy and our College of Optometry.’ These are two programs that we know when students finish, they not only go into jobs, they go into career paths, and that's what feeds your family for a lifetime.”
The agreement provides transfer opportunities for students who earn an Associate of Science Biology degree from North Central Michigan College. These students can continue on to study within the Ferris State University Pre-Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy programs, or in its Michigan College of Optometry for the Doctor of Optometry degree program. Students who transfer into these degree pathways will also have the opportunity to earn a Pharmaceutical Science degree or Vision Science bachelor’s degree, though these bachelor degrees are not required to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree or the Doctor of Optometry degree, respectively.
Stephen Durst, the College of Pharmacy Dean, said, “The College of Pharmacy, as one of the University's oldest programs, prides itself as an 'institution of opportunity' consistent with the philosophy of the university's founder. Strong relationships, such as this agreement, gives North Central Michigan College students a defined route to continue their education at Ferris State and have the assurance they will be able to pursue a rewarding career in pharmacy. We look forward to supporting these students as they build on their academic experiences, develop the knowledge and skills to become pharmacists, and prepare to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the state's patients and communities.”
Daniel Taylor, the Dean of the College of Optometry, added, "At Michigan College of Optometry, we are committed to educating the optometrists of the future to serve the eye care and health care needs of the population. We are strategically positioned to influence communities of health care need throughout Michigan. We are excited to work with North Central Michigan College to prepare students in the northern Michigan region to become excellent eyecare providers."
Both pharmacists and optometrists are in demand in Northern Michigan, which is experiencing a shortage of both.
Brent LaFaive, dean of Nursing, Health Sciences and Public Safety, said, “I've been a nurse for 32 years, all in Northern Michigan. The biggest challenge I see in our communities is people leaving, young people leaving, and not coming back. We have a growing population, but it's in the older population. They deserve to have health care. The younger people deserve to have job opportunities. These are job opportunities that we do have in our area that allow people to live in what is an expensive area to live. These two pathways allow students to have at least a longer stay in Northern Michigan. Hopefully, come here, get those degrees, and move back and serve the people that they grew up with.”
For more information about Ferris State University, visit the school’s website.