Latest news with #PharmD
Business Wire
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
PBIRx Announces Strategic Hiring Amidst Continued Growth and Client Acquisitions
MILFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PBIRx, Inc., a leader in pharmacy benefit consulting and auditing, is proud to announce the addition of several highly experienced pharmacy benefit professionals, part of the firm's continued strategic expansion. This ongoing commitment to hire exceptional team members reflects PBIRx's mission to provide clients with best-in-class service and customized programs, tailored to meet their unique culture and pharmacy benefit needs. PBIRx has expanded its team to keep pace with ever-growing client retention and an expanding customer base of mid-to-large size self-funded employer groups. New employees have been strategically added throughout the organization. a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, exemplifies discipline, integrity, and a collaborative spirit which are cornerstones to the lasting relationships and trust she builds across cross-functional teams. Patti is a seasoned Senior Account Consultant with over 20 years of experience in the pharmacy benefit industry working with large self-funded and union clients. She has a strong foundation in healthcare project management and a results-driven mindset. Patti leverages PBIRx's cutting-edge technology to deliver strategic solutions that improve outcomes for clients and stakeholders alike. Gabrielle Breger, PharmD is a board-certified specialty pharmacist, committed to advancing clinical excellence and innovation in the pharmacy benefits space. As a Senior Clinical Consultant with a proven track record of delivering customized pharmacy benefit solutions, Gabby draws on extensive experience as a clinical pharmacist and strategic healthcare consultant. At PBIRx, she leverages her clinical expertise and data-driven insights to optimize pharmacy benefit management strategies and improve patient and financial outcomes. Julian Nadolny joined PBIRx with over 27 years of experience in the health insurance field, including as a major carrier underwriter for a pharmacy benefit consultant large commercial group. PBIRx values Julian's in-depth knowledge and expertise in Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D, including Med D/RDS and Employer Group Waiver Plans (EGWPs). In his current role as PBIRx Senior Account Consultant, Retiree Specialist, Julian utilizes his wealth of expertise to guide clients and their members through the complexities of the pharmacy benefit. Additionally, PBIRx has expanded its team to keep pace with ever-growing client retention and an expanding customer base of mid-to-large size self-funded employer groups. New employees have been strategically added throughout the organization, providing valuable support and skilled solutions in the areas of customer service, technical support, data management, and software engineering. 'This is an exciting time for PBIRx as we continue to grow our highly skilled and experienced team of pharmacy benefit consultant professionals,' said Patricia Sirowich, PBIRx Founder and President. 'We are laser focused on providing our client partners with consulting expertise resulting in significant pharmacy benefit savings through tailored strategies and knowledge of several PBM differences.' Our mission is to create optimal healthcare outcomes while minimizing overall healthcare costs. PBIRx is not a PBM. Since its founding as the first pharmacy benefit consulting and auditing firm in 1993, PBIRx has saved clients over $500 million, providing transparency and combating excessive profits of PBMs and pharmaceutical manufacturers. As a client advocate and educator, PBIRx's primary goal is to manage pharmacy benefit costs for clients with a major sensitivity to their diverse cultures and needs. PBIRx has earned the SOC 2 Type 2 report, demonstrating our commitment to the highest standards of security and providing third-party attestation that our security controls are robustly designed to protect customer data and mitigate risk. We are proud to be recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company and a certified Woman Owned Small Minority Business Enterprise.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pharmacy colleges in Telangana push for direct fee reimbursement to students amid dues
Hyderabad: Pharmacy aspirants eligible for fee reimbursement may have to pay the entire course fee upfront in the 2025–26 academic year as colleges, waiting for the state to clear pending dues, want the govt to transfer funds directly to students instead of institutions. The move comes after the govt failed to clear reimbursement dues for the past four years, leaving many private pharmacy colleges in a financial crunch. College managements say they can no longer afford to wait for payments and are asking students to pay the full fee at the time of admission, with the option to claim the money back from the govt later. There are about 70,000 students enrolled in B Pharm, Pharm D, and M Pharm courses across 113 pharmacy colleges. 'Of the total students, 65% to 70% of them are eligible for fee reimbursement. How are we supposed to survive when the majority are not paying fees for years together?' questioned K Ramadas, honorary chairman, Telangana State Pharmacy Colleges Managements Association, adding that starting this year, they want the govt to release fee reimbursement or scholarship to students directly. 'We don't want to be in the middle and wait for years to get our fees,' he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cinnamon: The Greatest Enemy of Blood Sugar Magazine Glyco Learn More Undo As per managements, the govt must clear dues of about Rs 550 crore to pharmacy colleges in Telangana. The fee for B Pharm is between Rs 31,000 and Rs 1.2 lakh per year, and for Pharm D the fee is between Rs 68,000 and Rs 1.3 lakh, and for M Pharm, it is Rs 1.1 lakh per annum. While students from SC and ST categories get full reimbursement, other eligible candidates, such as BCs, get minimum fees. 'Because of the pending dues, we are unable to pay our teaching and non-teaching staff on time. This is resulting in many talented employees leaving their teaching careers and moving towards other jobs. Keeping the current situation in mind, we want students and their parents and the govt to implement our new proposal—paying directly to students,' said Pulla Ramesh Babu, general secretary of the association, adding that the govt should release pending dues in two to three instalments. Last year, about 9,000 students joined B Pharm first year and about 1,700 joined Pharm D first year. Officials from the Telangana Council of Higher Education, meanwhile, said that managements can make an appeal, but can't take any decision. 'This is a policy decision that needs to come from the govt,' said V Balakista Reddy, chairman, TGCHE.
Los Angeles Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy
Driven by a commitment to achieve excellence since 1955, the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy trains pharmacists to excel as problem-solvers, innovators and leaders in their careers. By choosing University of the Pacific's three-year accelerated doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, students become part of our legacy of excellence and leadership. The skill set and clinical experience gained from our PharmD program open new doors to the many settings where pharmacists play a key role -- from hospitals to pharmaceutical research and development. Through each component of our PharmD curriculum, students learn how to become a pharmacist who leads with excellence. From the first semester, students develop patient-care skills that are integrated throughout the PharmD curriculum, exposing them to the administrative, pharmaceutical, social, behavioral and clinical science aspects of the field of pharmacy. This combination allows students to develop a solid foundation of practical training by gaining patient care experience across a wide variety of settings. The School is home to a robust interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that supports PharmD students. Through IPE, students engage in case-based learning, simulations, peer teaching, telehealth simulations and innovative gaming techniques such as escape room scenarios. They also apply teamwork skills and learned concepts in interprofessional practice experiences during their Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy is committed to the success of our students. To ensure that each of our PharmD graduates are prepared for their careers, we offer a first-of-its- kind, immersive three-week residential California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination (CPJE) and North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) preparatory program. This comprehensive program is designed to build on students' strengths through targeted practice sessions and engaging reviews and complements other available resources. In their third year, all students also complete 'Rx Prep' to begin early preparation for licensure exams. At Pacific, students have the opportunity to work alongside faculty members on cutting-edge research. Current projects focus on novel drug delivery systems, innovative drug design and forward- thinking approaches to patient care. Our faculty have also earned international recognition for their research on diabetes and consumer products. While pursuing their PharmD, students can customize their education through two distinct and dynamic pathways: clinical pharmacology and entrepreneurship. The clinical pharmacology pathway prepares students with a comprehensive understanding of clinical drug development and equips them to contribute to evidence-based decision-making in drug therapy and development. The entrepreneurship pathway provides future scientists with a strong foundation in pharmaceutical business operations and the entrepreneurial skills needed to launch and lead ventures focused on novel drug products and medical devices. The School's dual-degree programs combine the clinical training of the PharmD with immersive research through the Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences Program, preparing PharmD/MS and PharmD/PhD graduates for high- demand roles in industry and academia. Learn more and apply today at University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy Berit Gundersen, PharmD 1851 1955 530 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Pathways:Clinical pharmacologyEntrepreneurship Dual-degrees:PharmD/MSPharmD/PhD 3 years In 2024, following a rigorous review, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) granted Pacific's doctor of pharmacy program an eight-year reaccreditation. 2025-26: $235,784 Final application deadline: June 6, 2025 Tony Williams, Director of RecruitmentOffice of Pharmacy Admission209.932.3600pharmdadmission@
Los Angeles Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Top Pharmacy Schools Ranked by Degrees Awarded in California
Business by LA Times Studios presents a list of pharmacy schools currently operating in California. This list is ranked by the number of degrees awarded in 2024. Pharmacy schools are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, a nonprofit agency that oversees schools offering PharmD degrees. California has 14 accredited programs, which is the most for any state in the country. Data for the list was provided by the programs themselves with some data compiled from accreditation reports. The University of Southern California Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is the largest program operating in the state, as ranked by the number of degrees awarded last year. The pharmacy program was founded in 1905 and became the first school in the country to offeraPharmD degree program in 1950. It was renamed to its current name with a $50-million donation in 2022 for student scholarships, faculty recruitment and biomedical research. The newest school to launch a program in California is UC Irvine, which announced a pharmacy school in 2020. The first class entered in fall 2021 and matriculates this year. However, some schools have had difficulty enrolling students. The pharmacy program at California Health Sciences University in Clovis closed to new students and had its last class graduate in 2024. On the following pages, you'll also find in-depth profiles of California pharmacy schools that offer specialized programs and a diverse student body. Overall, the 14 pharmacy schools in California had more than 1,100 students graduate with a PharmD degree last year.
Business Wire
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Walgreens Debuts PharmStart to Strengthen the Tech to Pharmacist Pipeline
DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens, the nation's largest independent community pharmacy provider, has teamed up with Guild, the leading talent development company, to launch PharmStart, a first-of-its-kind, fully funded online education program designed to help eligible team members meet the prerequisite requirements for pharmacy school. The program aims to eliminate barriers to pursuing a PharmD degree, tapping into a new pool of talent while also addressing critical challenges in the pharmacist talent pipeline. Walgreens Debuts PharmStart to Strengthen the Tech to Pharmacist Pipeline. Share PharmStart will begin with an initial cohort of more than 300 team members across six states: Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kentucky. The program is now accepting applications for eligible Walgreens pharmacy technicians and other eligible front-line positions who are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist. Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer at Walgreens, who began his career at Walgreens as a front-of-store team member, understands firsthand the early stressors involved in considering a PharmD pursuit. 'Becoming a pharmacist was a lifelong dream, but the cost of tuition always loomed in the back of my mind. Today, we're continuing to chip away at those financial burdens, ensuring team members can pursue their passion for pharmacy without the burden of debt being a barrier to success.' In collaboration with the Walgreens Deans Advisory Council, PharmStart was created in response to a survey of pharmacy technicians, which highlighted that the financial burden of tuition for prerequisite course fees and time constraints are significant obstacles in pursuing a PharmD degree. Through the partnership with Guild, all tuition costs are handled directly through the platform and eligible team members will have access to personalized support along the journey including with application assistance, enrollment, education and career coaching. 'Teaming up with Walgreens to launch PharmStart marks a transformative step to strengthen and grow the pharmacist talent pipeline,' said Bijal Shah, CEO of Guild. 'Walgreens is setting a new standard for what talent development can look like—investing in their own team members through a first-of-its-kind, stackable pharmacy education pathway. By eliminating financial hurdles and offering flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere, we're empowering pharmacy technicians to elevate their careers.' In addition to PharmStart, Walgreens has introduced several initiatives to support aspiring pharmacists on their journey to a PharmD degree. The Walgreens Pharmacy Educational Assistance Program (PEAP) offers up to $40,000 in tuition assistance, easing the financial burden of pharmacy school; the Walgreens Student Loan 401(k) Match Program—part of the Retirement Savings Plan—helps team members paying off student loans earn their full match, even if they can't contribute 4%. Walgreens treats a portion of loan payments like 401(k) contributions, helping reduce debt while building retirement savings. Bridging the gap from technician to pharmacist with an opportunity to grow with PharmStart, Walgreens is paving the way for eligible pharmacy technicians to overcome financial and time constraints. This initiative is the latest example of how Walgreens is advancing the pharmacy profession and positioning community pharmacy as a practice setting of choice. About Walgreens Founded in 1901, Walgreens ( has a storied heritage of caring for communities for generations, and proudly serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across its approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and leading omni-channel platforms. Walgreens has approximately 220,000 team members, including nearly 90,000 healthcare service providers, and is committed to being the first choice for retail pharmacy and health services, building trusted relationships that create healthier futures for customers, patients, team members and communities. Walgreens is the flagship U.S. brand of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail leader. Its retail locations are a critical point of access and convenience in thousands of communities, with Walgreens pharmacists playing a greater role as part of the healthcare system and patients' care teams than ever before. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy provides critical care and pharmacy services to millions of patients with rare disease states and complex, chronic conditions. About Guild Guild partners with employers to build the talent they need today — and the workforce that can take on tomorrow. In partnership with employers like Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, Target, and healthcare systems like UCHealth, Guild helps to identify untapped talent and fuel organizational growth. Through Guild Talent Advantage™, Guild offers a versatile set of education and skilling offerings, actionable talent insights for employers, and personalized coaching for employees, translating learning investments into sustainable talent pipelines that propel businesses forward. For more information, visit
