New partnership with Keck Graduate Institute brings accessible Doctor of Pharmacy pathway for Cerritos College students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 29, 2024
Media Contact: Aya Aoki; Public Relations and Communications
NORWALK, Calif. - August 29, 2024 - Cerritos College has established a new partnership with Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) to offer a Community College to Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) pathway. The pathway provides Cerritos College students with a direct and accelerated route to KGI’s PharmD program, along with various application benefits.
Students can earn their PharmD in as little as six years through this pathway. The first two years will be at Cerritos College, where they will complete all the required coursework, and the remaining four years will be at KGI's School of Pharmacy. This partnership allows students to enter the workforce sooner and with reduced college expenses.
Beginning in the fall of 2025, Cerritos College students aspiring to become pharmacists will have the opportunity to transfer to the PharmD program at KGI, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Student benefits include expedited application review and fee waiver, priority scholarship consideration, and access to KGI’s summer prerequisite courses.
Cerritos College is committed to strengthening educational partnerships that offer accessible and equitable pathways for its students. In addition to collaborating with KGI, the college has partnered with National University since 2018 to offer tuition discounts and exclusive scholarships.
"We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Cerritos College by launching this innovative, accelerated pathway into our distinguished PharmD program at Keck Graduate Institute,” said Matt Madrid, vice president of admissions and enrollment management at KGI. “This collaboration offers students a fast track to in-demand careers that make a significant impact on the health and well-being of their communities. With this opportunity to complete all prerequisite courses at Cerritos College, these talented students can seamlessly join our PharmD program, where they will gain the hands-on experience and education needed to excel as healthcare and industry leaders.”
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for our Cerritos College students to move seamlessly from their associate degree into a doctoral program in pharmacy at Keck Graduate Institute,” said Dr. Elizabeth Riley, dean of the health occupations division at Cerritos College. “This accelerated program will allow students to save time and money, and move quickly into a high-paying healthcare career, enhancing their economic mobility and changing the trajectory of their lives.”
For more information about the Cerritos/KGI PharmD pathway, please visit https://www.kgi.link/cc-to-pharmd or email goto@kgi.edu.
About Keck Graduate Institute: Keck Graduate Institute is a pioneering graduate institution that provides focused graduate education in programs that combine all facets of biotech, healthcare, and research. Our mission is to propel forward-thinkers to the forefront of biotech and healthcare transformation. With our expertise, KGI graduates emerge as industry-ready professionals with practical skills, strategic acumen, diverse perspectives, a collaborative spirit, and global influence that lead to better patient care and solve real-world problems.
About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers nearly 300 degrees and certificates in nine divisions. Annually, more than 5,000 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 21,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.
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