By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – When Francisca Biann ’27 made the decision to enroll in Notre Dame of Maryland University’s traditional undergraduate program in fall 2023, her long-term goal was always to stay through graduate school to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the School of Pharmacy. A new initiative which launched during Biann’s first semester on campus is allowing her to complete that process in a span of only six years.
The 2+4 Program provides students with an opportunity to earn two degrees – a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a focus on pharmaceutical science and a Pharm.D. degree – in an accelerated timeline which saves two years of tuition costs. After completing the last of her required prerequisite courses this spring, Biann will be on track to matriculate into the School of Pharmacy to begin her third year at NDMU.
“I wanted to become a pharmacist so I could be the go-to person to help patients understand and use their medications safely,” Biann said. “There is a high demand for pharmacists, and there are many growth opportunities. The accelerated 2+4 program and the small class sizes are what drew me to attend Notre Dame. I really liked the convenience of being able to earn my undergraduate and graduate degrees at the same institution.”
The program’s curriculum is designed based on the first two years of the Bachelor of Arts in Pharmaceutical Sciences program, and students receive academic support and advising from the School of Pharmacy throughout their time as undergraduates. Sherry Moore M’20, assistant director for experiential education and Biann’s advisor, helped her land a job as a pharmacy technician at a local CVS last summer. Biann has also received assistance from her advisors this semester with registering for PharmCAS, the national admissions portal for pharmacy schools, to initiate the School of Pharmacy’s application, which is a required step in the admissions process.
“Ms. Sherry Moore, Ms. Norah Moturi, and the whole pharmacy team are so easy to reach out to,” Biann said. “Ms. Moore always stays in contact with us to make sure we are on the right track. The support has been very beneficial to me, and I feel like the transition into applying for pharmacy school is going quite smoothly.”
Esther Omisore ’28 is in the midst of her first semester at Notre Dame, and she is part of the second group of students to participate in the 2+4 program. Omisore narrowed her undergraduate search to a pair of schools which offered accelerated pharmacy programs, and two key benefits inspired her to choose NDMU as the spot to continue her academic journey.
“Notre Dame was close to home for me, and I also liked that it was a smaller school,” she said. “I felt like I could receive individualized learning and connect more with my professors compared to the other school I was looking at.”
The individualized support offered at NDMU has already proven to be beneficial for Omisore during her first two months on campus. She meets weekly with Professor Moore to ensure that her coursework is going smoothly, and she is also receiving assistance as registration begins for her spring semester classes.
“Ms. Moore is the best,” Omisore said. “She is very proactive, and she’s a great person to go to whenever I have any kind of issue.
“I’ve had that kind of experience with all of my professors here,” she continued. “Everyone is always willing to help, and I’ve never felt nervous reaching out to ask a question. The sense of community on campus has been really endearing to me.”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.