WATERLOO - The University of Waterloo has welcomed the first class of 92 pharmacy students to Canada's newest pharmacy program and the only one that lets candidates gather significant work experience under a co-operative education system.

"There are a few national benchmarks associated with the launch of this new program," says Jake Thiessen, director of the school of pharmacy and of UW's new health sciences campus. "As well as being Canada's only co-op program for pharmacy, this is the first vanguard class of pharmacy students in more than 20 years. It's also the largest first class ever in Canada."

UW offers one of only two co-op pharmacy programs in North America. The students will learn the many facets of the pharmacy profession through 16 months of practical experience, extending throughout their four years of study. The students go out on their first co-op terms in September 2008, following two terms of academic study. International co-op experiences are encouraged.

The pharmacy students, who began studying on Jan. 7, come from across the country. Women make up about 60 per cent of enrolment and 40 per cent of all students already hold a degree.

The student selection process includes personal interviews, conducted by panels of practicing pharmacists. Selection criteria focus as much on interpersonal skills, leadership abilities and creativity as on academic excellence.

UW requires that applicants have at least two years of university study, which is more than other comparable programs. This difference creates room for required studies in such areas as business, entrepreneurship, patient safety and health informatics. It also allows professional practice courses to move into the first year, and enables students to pursue electives in areas of personal interest.

"This program emphasizes the breadth of careers graduates can pursue with a pharmacy degree," says Thiessen. "Our curriculum will also incorporate community service learning, where students take an active role in understanding and meeting community needs, while learning more about ethics, cultural competency and professionalism in a real-world environment."

On Jan. 9, the UW students were welcomed to the profession with a white coat ceremony. The ceremony is a tradition in many health profession programs, particularly pharmacy and medicine. The white lab coat is symbolic of the tremendous responsibility that pharmacists have as health-care providers.

The students jointly took a pledge of professionalism. The white coats were presented to students by practicing pharmacists who had served as team leaders in the interview process.

Speakers at the event included representatives from the Ontario Pharmacists' Association, Ontario College of Pharmacists and the Region of Waterloo Pharmacists' Association, as well as from UW.