Never in our lifetime has the visibility of pharmacists been greater than during the worldwide health crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

When many other businesses were closed, pharmacies stayed open. Pharmacists filled prescriptions, offered counseling, distributed coronavirus tests, and administered vaccines as soon as they were available.

By one estimate, community pharmacists and their teams provided in excess of 270 million individual vaccine doses between December, 2020, and September, 2022, accounting for nearly half of all coronavirus vaccine doses administrated in the United States during that time period.

While the important role they play in promoting and protecting community health remains the same, the United States is now facing a serious shortage of pharmacists.

Several of the country’s largest national pharmacy chains have recently reduced their hours, in large part because of staffing challenges. Surveys of independent pharmacies also have consistently shown they struggle with finding qualified workers.

This is a serious problem, but one we at the University of Toledo are well-prepared to address.

Our nationally ranked Doctor of Pharmacy Program has the lowest tuition in the state while providing a high-quality education that prepares graduates to immediately begin making a difference in their communities.

In each of the last five years, UToledo pharmacy graduates have scored at or above the national first-attempt pass rate averages for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination. UToledo pharmacy graduates also enjoy a 98 percent job placement rate within three months of graduation.

A pharmacy college that’s housed within a university that also offers degrees in medicine and nursing, students at UToledo have a unique opportunity for interprofessional education that prepares graduates to function as part of an integrated health-care team.

Our students also benefit from access to our academic medical center and the longstanding clinical relationships we have established with a multitude of community partners.

In their final year of pharmacy school, students spend nine months training and working within our community, practicing their profession in a broad range of settings including community pharmacy, inpatient pharmacy, and managed-care organizations.

Many of our students continue their training by completing residency programs and provide care in specialized areas such as oncology, transplant, trauma or pediatrics.

Students have found success and built leadership skills outside the classroom and clinic as well.

Last year, a team of UToledo students placed first out of more than 100 pharmacy schools from across the nation in a pharmacy knowledge quiz competition hosted by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

At that same national meeting, UToledo was honored for having the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Outstanding Student Chapter of the year.

For those who want to improve the health of their communities, pharmacy is a wonderful career with strong starting salaries and a range of employment options.

Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, making community pharmacies one of the most visible and accessible touchpoints within the health-care ecosystem.

At their core, pharmacists are medication experts. They play an indispensable role in confirming patients are getting the proper dose, understanding potential side effects, and ensuring any newly prescribed drugs are safe to take alongside other prescription or over-the-counter medications and supplements.

The importance of pharmacists as partners in the overall health and well-being of a community continues to grow.

Pharmacists are now serving at the interface of medication use and public health. They are a trusted voice, often serving as the first step for preventative, primary, and urgent care.

In educating the next generation of health-care providers, The University of Toledo is changing lives — not only for our students but for our community, which can grow and flourish in better health.

Pamela Heaton, PhD, is dean of the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

First Published March 25, 2023, 4:00 a.m.