LECOM Announces New Branch School of Pharmacy for Bradenton, Florida Campus

Introduces new dean to head the pharmacy school
(watch the video for this announcement)

Bradenton, Florida – The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) announced plans to open a branch of the School of Pharmacy in 2007 at LECOM Bradenton, in Manatee County, Florida.  At a press conference in Lakewood Ranch, LECOM introduced Gary M. Levin, Pharm. D., BCPP, FCCP as dean of Florida’s first branch campus pharmacy school with a full, on-campus curriculum.

LECOM has identified a growing need for new pharmacists in Florida, the southeastern United States, and across the country.  Florida is one of nine states leading the nation in demand for new pharmacists.  Four of those states are also in the southeast.

“We want to prepare highly qualified, ethical and caring generalist pharmacy practitioners to meet the present and future pharmaceutical care needs of a diverse society,” said LECOM School of Pharmacy Dean Donald Tuttle, Pharm. D. “We’re looking for students who want to provide excellent health care for Florida and the surrounding states.”

The LECOM Bradenton School of Pharmacy will operate as a branch campus of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, which opened in Erie, Pennsylvania in 2002 and has graduated two classes of pharmacists.  As dean of the Bradenton Branch Campus of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, Dr. Levin will report to Dr. Tuttle at the Erie Campus.

“I am honored and excited for having been selected to lead Florida’s next School of Pharmacy to meet the student-centered mission of LECOM,” Dr. Levin said.  “Pharmacy is one of the greatest and most respected professions.  It provides many career choices for our graduates, so they can remain challenged and rewarded through their service to our communities.” 

Dr. Levin comes to LECOM Bradenton from Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacy Practice.  He held the same position at South University School of Pharmacy in Savannah, Georgia and earned his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in Gainesville, Florida. He is a Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist, and an elected Fellow in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy

The new dean will begin building a team of faculty and staff to meet the educational needs of the first year students.  “I am committed to recruiting a faculty that is enthusiastic about delivering an innovative and collaborative curriculum,” Dr. Levin said.

 LECOM will add faculty as the number of classes and enrollment grow.  The College will create 32 new faculty and eight new staff positions at the branch campus.

The Bradenton Branch Campus of the LECOM School of Pharmacy begins accepting applications today to enroll 78 students in the first class.  Enrollment will grow to 120 students per class within four years.  The Florida school will have a four-year professional curriculum leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.  Students will also receive pharmacy practice experience at local hospitals, clinics, physician offices and community pharmacies. 

The School of Pharmacy currently has agreements with nearly 50 community and institutional practice sites to take pharmacy students.  The School of Pharmacy will also approach another 49 Florida hospitals and clinics that are affiliated with the third-year and fourth-year clinical training for the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has the largest medical school enrollment in the country. LECOM opened the Bradenton campus in 2004 to meet the growing demand for physicians and pharmacists in Florida and surrounding states. The opening of the Bradenton Branch of the school of pharmacy will more than double the College’s pharmacy school enrollment.

LECOM is accepting students for LECOM Bradenton early next year for classes in the fall of 2007.  Students interested in applying should visit the LECOM School of Pharmacy web site at http://my.lecom.edu  or call (814) 866-6641 for admissions information.