Inova Fairfax Hospital Welcomes First Class of VCU School of Pharmacy Students

Hospital Becomes Site of First Pharmacy School in Northern Virginia

Falls Church, VA – (August 8, 2007) — This month 15 students from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy will settle into their third year classes at a satellite campus at Inova Fairfax Hospital, the site of the first pharmacy school in Northern Virginia.

“Pharmacists will be in even greater demand in the future,” says Michael Clarke, PharmD, assistant dean, VCU School of Pharmacy Inova Campus. “There are no other pharmacy programs in Northern Virginia, and through Inova’s partnership with VCU, we’re proud to be able to offer this program. This incoming class of 2009 seems to be a very enthusiastic and motivated group, and we can’t wait to have them on campus.”

The School of Pharmacy program is designed to accommodate up to 20 students from each of the third and fourth years on the Inova campus. The curriculum will be delivered via two-way video conferencing with their peers and instructors on the Richmond campus. Students will attend two days of orientation to the Inova campus and then begin classes on August 23.

“I’m very excited about starting classes at the Inova campus,” says Michelle Mosteiro, a third year pharmacy student and Fairfax High School graduate. “I’ll still feel connected to the VCU campus in Richmond, but I’ll be with my family here in Fairfax. I’m also looking forward to getting to know some of the students in the medical school.”

In 2005, Inova Health System opened the first regional medical school branch campus in Northern Virginia, the VCU School of Medicine Inova Campus. The curriculum is designed so the students from these two schools will interact and collaborate on projects.

“Inova’s partnership with VCU has been extremely successful,” says Russell Seneca,
MD, associate dean, VCU School of Medicine Inova Campus. “The medical students from the Inova campus have moved on to residencies at prestigious institutions, and we have high expectations that the students at the School of Pharmacy will achieve success as well.”

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit health care system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services including emergency and urgent care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community we serve through excellence in patient care, education and research.