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The U.S. is facing a critical shortage of pharmacists and other health care professionals, according to the health policy and consulting firm   

This shortage is evident in both workforce trends and educational pipelines. The number of students pursuing a degree in pharmacy has fallen 35% in the last 10 years. This decline has lowered the number of students accepted into pharmacy schools over the same period of time.  

Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects up to 14,000 pharmacist job openings annually over the next decade. In fact, just in the first three quarters of 2023, pharmacy job postings surged to 60,882. 

The demand for professionally educated pharmacists may never be higher. This is why Cedarville University鈥檚  equips students with academic and clinical excellence and provides students with practical strategies to minimize educational debt. 

鈥淧harmacy school is expensive, and students often enter without fully understanding the nature of educational debt,鈥� said Dr. , Dean of the School of Pharmacy. 鈥淏ut not all debt is bad debt. If managed well, it can be an investment that yields a lifetime of impact and income.鈥� 

To support students in this journey, the School of Pharmacy provides financial stewardship training throughout the program. Students receive guidance during both the early and final years of their education, learning practical strategies for budgeting, managing debt and making wise financial decisions. They also have opportunities for one-on-one support to develop personalized plans for reducing financial burden. 

Beyond internal support, actively engages with external partners who provide meaningful financial assistance. One such partner, Walgreens, offers tuition support for pharmacy interns. Companies like Rite Aid, CVS and Walmart are implementing similar programs. These partnerships allow students to gain valuable work experience while receiving tuition remission or direct scholarship aid. 

Cedarville鈥檚 holistic approach emphasizes intentionality. Students are encouraged to think strategically about their finances from the very beginning, whether it鈥檚 through applying for scholarships, seeking paid internships or exploring federal loan forgiveness programs. 

One standout example is a recent graduate who is now serving as a missionary pharmacist in a sensitive area of Africa. By maximizing scholarships and working intentionally throughout his undergraduate and pharmacy education, he was able to graduate with minimal debt.  

Reflecting on his experience, the missionary shared: 鈥淚n order for scholarship applications to work well, you must write good essays, have good grades, be involved in extracurriculars and be able to interview well if that is required. Altogether I had a success rate of roughly 40% on all applications, totaling more than $100,000.鈥� Through high academic achievement and consistent work as an intern, he was able to pursue his missional calling immediately after graduation. 

In another case, a Cedarville student partnered with the Indian Health Service (IHS), which covered the entirety of their pharmacy school loans in exchange for several years of service. Others have benefited from the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives remaining federal student loans after 10 years of qualifying employment and payments. 

鈥淢any of our students feel called to serve, whether locally or globally,鈥� Dr. Bates added. 鈥淩educing or eliminating their debt burden gives them the freedom to follow God鈥檚 leading without financial barriers standing in the way.鈥� 

From stewardship training to strategic partnerships, Cedarville University鈥檚 School of Pharmacy is not just preparing students for a career; it鈥檚 helping them step into their calling with confidence and financial clarity. 

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation鈥檚 top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.