Being the number 1 basketball or football team is a big deal. It takes a lot of hard work. Athletic programs are justifiably proud of such an accomplishment. But becoming the number one medical, pharmacy or law school is a far greater challenge.
We are extremely proud of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy for achieving this amazing level of distinction. Want to learn why U.S. News & World Report ranked this program # 1? Here is a link that will provide the details. Watch the video to get a sense of how this happened and who helped make it possible.
I (Joe) have been honored to be associated with this extraordinary School of Pharmacy as an adjunct assistant professor since 1986. I have served on the Board of Visitors of the School since 1989. I have observed the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy evolve into the best overall pharmacy program anywhere, not just in the U.S. but in the world.
The research is extraordinary. Investigators are studying the basic biology of cancer and developing new medications that will make a difference. When it comes to nanotechnology and drug delivery there are no other programs that can approach the excellence of the research team that is hard at work on this concept. The wave of the future is individualized therapy and the Center for Pharmacogenomics is leading the way. This barely scratches the surface of the many talented scientists working in laboratories at the School.
Teaching is also a priority. I have observed this program change in so many dynamic ways over the last few decades that it is breathtaking. I can say unequivocally that their new model of education is unprecedented in the health sciences. Students are provided the tools to think critically in ways that other professional schools can only begin to imagine. And service to the community and to patients is paramount.
Bottom line: The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy earned its Number 1 rank the old-fashioned way. A dedicated team of researchers, faculty and staff worked very hard for a very long time to achieve this milestone. Kudos to this dedicated group and to the University of North Carolina for creating an environment that led to such an amazing accomplishment!
