SUNY Oneonta and UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Announce Partnership for Future Pharmacist Students

BUFFALO, N.Y./ONEONTA, N.Y. - SUNY Oneonta and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have formed a new collaborative agreement providing qualified SUNY Oneonta students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctor of pharmacy degree in seven years, rather than eight.

The collaborative 3+4 agreement guarantees space for qualified SUNY Oneonta biology majors in UB’s PharmD program, offering a streamlined path to a pharmacy degree. By accelerating program completion, the initiative helps students save time and money while addressing the growing demand for pharmacists.

“SUNY Oneonta is excited to secure this exciting new opportunity for our students,” said Tracy Allen, Dean of SUNY Oneonta’s School of Sciences. “Working together, SUNY Oneonta and the University at Buffalo can proactively and efficiently address a workforce need, improve the health of our communities and provide relevant educational experiences for our students.”

“The 3+4 PharmD partnership will leverage SUNY Oneonta’s biology major as strong preparation for success in a rigorous program and facilitate a streamlined approach to support students in their academic pathway to UB’s PharmD program,” said Tami LaPilusa, director of the Office of Health Careers at SUNY Oneonta.

The program will guide students to complete three years of undergraduate study at SUNY Oneonta, then apply to the UB pharmacy program. Once accepted, students will have their first-year pharmacy courses applied toward completion of their bachelor’s degree at SUNY Oneonta. Rather than taking four years to complete a bachelor’s degree and another four years to complete the doctor of pharmacy degree, students will complete both programs in seven years. The pharmacy program will guarantee spaces each year for qualified SUNY Oneonta students.

Reflecting on the new partnership, Gary Pollack, PhD, dean of the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, affirmed, “The UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences values its relationship with SUNY Oneonta, and this agreement further strengthens our connection. We are excited to welcome the talented and exceptional students of SUNY Oneonta into our PharmD program.”