LECOM 2+3/2+4 Early Acceptance Pharmacy

Program Description

Gannon University, in affiliation with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy, offers three early acceptance programs (EAP) for qualified students to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from LECOM after two, three, or four years of undergraduate study at Gannon University. Students enrolled in these programs are conditionally guaranteed acceptance by the LECOM School of Pharmacy as early as the senior year of high school.

The 2+3/2+4 EAP is available to exceptional students who have the maturity and intellectual capability to enter pharmacy school after completing only two years of undergraduate study, attaining at least 54 credit hours required by LECOM and an additional 18 credit hours from Gannon’s Liberal Core. After completing their undergraduate education at Gannon University, students matriculate to one of two campuses – an accelerated three-year pathway at the Erie, Pennsylvania, campus – a traditional four-year pathway at the Bradenton, Florida, campus – or a four-year Distance Education Learning Pathway (DE). Students in the 2+3/2+4 program will not earn a Gannon University undergraduate degree.

GU Undergraduate Entry Requirements

• Completion of four years of science courses at the high school level (biology and chemistry courses are required, while physics is highly recommended)

• Completion of four years of math courses at the high school level

• Cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale

• Class rank in the top 25% of your high school class

• Evidence of academic and personal potential and a desire to become a pharmacist

• Satisfactory admissions interview with LECOM

Program Admissions Process

Students applying to this program are encouraged to apply by November 1 for priority consideration. From the qualified applicant pool, a maximum of ten (10) students is accepted to the three pharmacy programs in that LECOM matriculation year. Guaranteed acceptance to the program will not be granted until all requirements listed below have been satisfied. LECOM will make all admissions decisions on provisional letters after the completion of the EAP admissions cycle, which opens on May 1 and closes the following April 1.

• Students who wish to be considered for one of the LECOM pharmacy affiliation programs with Gannon University must complete the following.

• Apply to one of Gannon University’s LECOM Early Acceptance Pharmacy programs (the 2+3/2+4 OR the 3+3/3+4 OR the 4+3/4+4) and be successfully accepted to the University.

• Apply to LECOM’s Early Acceptance Program using this link https://lecom.my.site.com/apply/ where you create your account. Select the appropriate Pharmacy Program from the drop-down menu. List Gannon University as one of the top three schools you are interested in attending.

• Once approved to participate, attend an information session held through a ZOOM format conducted by a LECOM representative.

• Complete a satisfactory admissions interview with LECOM through a video recording format.

• Your file is processed through LECOM’s Pharmacy Admissions Committee that determines the Provisional Letter of Acceptance. Notification typically occurs within 60 business days (12 weeks) of the interview.

• To accept the offer, you must deposit at Gannon to receive your Gannon email address (typically a few days later). Update your LECOM account with your Gannon email address. These actions confirm your enrollment to attend Gannon and your intent to attend LECOM. LECOM contacts the Director of Pre-Health Programs who confirms your deposit and subsequent enrollment.

• LECOM mails your Provisional Letter of Acceptance and emails a PDF copy to the Director of Pre-Health Programs.

Gannon University students interested in any of the EAP pharmacy programs must meet the minimum high school GPA requirements OR have completed at least one semester as a full-time student at Gannon and have a post-secondary cumulative overall GPA of 3.2 or higher and a cumulative science (not including Math) GPA of 3.0 or higher. If all these are met:

• Those interested in the 2+3/2+4 program must submit an EAP online application no later than November 1 of their first semester at Gannon University. They must be enrolled in the EAP prior to starting the second semester of their first year of study.

• Those interested in the 3+3/3+4 program must submit an EAP online application no later than February 1 of their first year of study at Gannon University.

• Those interested in the 4+3/4+4 program may apply to the EAP up until they have completed their junior year of study at Gannon University. They must apply before the April 1 closing date of that cycle.

LECOM School of Pharmacy Entry Requirements

After two (minimum 54 credit hours), three (minimum 90 credit hours), or four (minimum 120 credit hours) years of undergraduate study, the participant is conditionally guaranteed an offer of admission to the LECOM School of Pharmacy if the following requirements are satisfied and deadlines are met.

• Grades are submitted through the LECOM portal by February 1 and July 1 of each year of enrollment before LECOM matriculation

• LECOM’s progressive GPA requirements are met or exceeded after review in February and July of each year and as of September 1 of the matriculation year

• Cumulative overall GPA of 3.2 or higher after each semester and by the time of application

• Cumulative science GPA (not including Math) of 3.0 or higher after each semester and by the time of application

• Semester course loads of 15 or more credit hours

• The School of Pharmacy will accept AP credits for English and Behavioral Science courses if the student scores three (3) or higher on the AP exam. The School of Pharmacy may accept AP credits for a math or science course if the student scores a four (4) or five (5) on the AP exam. When AP credits are accepted by LECOM, a replacement course applicable to the field of pharmacy or a course of similar academic rigor must be taken.

• Minimum grade of C in all courses required by LECOM, and these must be taken at Gannon. A C-minus or D is not acceptable, and the course must be retaken. Students who fail any class while enrolled in the EAP will be withdrawn from the EAP. Credit for Pass/Fail courses will not be accepted.

• Once enrolled at the affiliate school, all remaining required LECOM classes must be taken at the affiliate school the student is enrolled in. Classes taken at non-affiliate schools after enrolling at an affiliate school will not count towards the required classes. LECOM reserves the right to accept transfer credits from non-affiliated schools to fulfill LECOM requirements on a case-by-case basis

• Be enrolled in the EAP at Gannon for at least two consecutive academic years immediately preceding LECOM matriculation. An exception to this policy is made for a student interested in the Pharmacy 2+3 / 2+4 track. See above for deadlines.

• All coursework must be completed by July 1 of the year of LECOM matriculation

• Good standing with Gannon University

• Demonstrated leadership potential and commitment to the pharmacy profession

• Shadowing a pharmacist is highly recommended but not required

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident or international applicants with an F-1 VISA

• Attend LECOM On-Campus Day at either the Erie, PA, or Bradenton, FL, campus the year prior to LECOM matriculation. If you plan to attend either of these campuses for pharmacy school, it is highly recommended that you attend your campus of choice.

• Successful criminal background check, including drug and alcohol screening

• Meet and agree to the School of Pharmacy Health and Technical Standards for Admission

• Apply to your campus of choice (Erie, PA; Bradenton, FL; or Distance Education [DE] using PharmCAS. All required information must be directed to your campus of choice. The application process can be started in June of the year prior to matriculation but must be submitted by September 1 of the year prior to LECOM matriculation. The PharmCAS verification process must occur no later than September 1 of the year prior to LECOM matriculation.

• Letters of recommendation from two Gannon physical science (biology, chemistry, physics) faculty must be uploaded to PharmCAS using the ‘Letters by Liaison Evaluator Portal’ by July 1 of the year prior to LECOM matriculation.

• Official transcripts showing final grades for all coursework taken from all post-secondary institutions attended by the matriculating student must be received by the LECOM Office of Admissions no later than June 1 of the year of LECOM matriculation.

• Any additional requirements as outlined through the affiliation agreement between Gannon University and the LECOM School of Pharmacy and the EAP Student Policy Manual; students accepted to the program will have access to all requirements specified in the agreement through the Director of Pre-Health Programs at Gannon University.

• Each academic year, the LECOM School of Pharmacy will admit up to ten (10) students total for these pharmacy affiliation programs. Additional students may be considered on an individual basis and at the discretion of LECOM.

• Students admitted to this program will forfeit their conditionally guaranteed seat if they apply to any other pharmacy schools.