Walgreens in ‘first-of-its-kind’ program to strengthen pharmacist pipeline

Walgreens said the program aims to eliminate barriers to pursuing a PharmD degree.

Walgreens has launched an innovative program to help its employees pursue a career as a pharmacist.

The pharmacy retailer has teamed up with talent development company Guild to launch PharmStart, a “first-of-its-kind,” fully-funded online education program designed to help eligible team members meet the prerequisite requirements for pharmacy school. Walgreens said the program aims to eliminate barriers to pursuing a PharmD degree, tapping into a new pool of talent while also addressing critical challenges in the pharmacist talent pipeline.

The PharmStart program will begin with an initial group of more than 300 Walgreens associates across six states: Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kentucky. The program is now accepting applications for eligible Walgreens pharmacy technicians and other eligible front-line positions who are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist.

“Becoming a pharmacist was a lifelong dream, but the cost of tuition always loomed in the back of my mind,” said Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer at Walgreens, who began his career at the company as a front-of-store team member. “Today, we’re continuing to chip away at those financial burdens, ensuring team members can pursue their passion for pharmacy without the burden of debt being a barrier to success.”