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BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy is an integral component of the Academic Health Sciences Center at ETSU which also includes James H. Quillen College of Medicine, the College of Public Health, the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences and the College of Nursing. Gatton College of Pharmacy is physically located on the grounds of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Mountain Home) in Johnson City. The college of pharmacy’s professional program, leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.), is designed to prepare pharmacists to work in a variety of professional arenas, with emphasis on rural and underserved communities.
History
For many years, pharmacists in Northeast Tennessee and the Southern Appalachian region had been encouraging East Tennessee State University to develop a pharmacy school. To the pharmacists practicing in this area, it seemed to be a natural fit since the university had a division of health sciences including a college of medicine, college of nursing, college of allied health and college of public health. The state’s only pharmacy school, the University of Tennessee, was located in Memphis, over 550 miles away. Most of the students in this region were choosing to attend private schools or pay out-of-state tuition in order to stay close to home.
In 2004, a group of concerned citizens, including regional pharmacy leaders, approached the leadership of East Tennessee State University and Dr. Paul E. Stanton, Jr., president of the university, to once again consider the establishment of a college of pharmacy. Dr. Stanton developed a working group that was led by Dr. Ron Franks, who, at that time, was serving as both the dean of the college of medicine and the vice president for health affairs. Given the fact that the state’s only public college of pharmacy was itself underfunded, it was obvious that to approach the legislature for the state of Tennessee to fund a second college of pharmacy would be impractical. This Steering Committee developed a model of a private college of pharmacy (funded through donations and tuition) that would reside in a state institution and become part of the Division of Health Sciences.
Governor Phil Bredesen challenged citizens in the region to raise $5 million in ninety days in order to show support of this initiative. The community raised $5 million in 58 days. That show of financial support and initiative resulted in the approval of the East Tennessee State University College of Pharmacy by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in 2005. The primary donor for the college of pharmacy was Mr. Bill Gatton, a local automobile dealer with a history of supporting educational efforts. The college was named in honor of Mr. Gatton in 2007.
In 2023, the college made history again when efforts by local legislators to secure funding for the college, the Tennessee General Assembly last year approved $2.5 million in annual funding for the college - the first state assistance for the college since its founding in 2005. And that funding translated directly into savings for students with lower tuition for in-state and out-of-state students, as well as additional scholarship funds.
Accreditation
East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 190 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60603-3410, (312) 664-3575, fax (866) 228-2631, website www.acpe-accredit.org. The ACPE accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites.
Membership
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Diversity
The Gatton College of Pharmacy and East Tennessee State University strive to develop an environment where the value of diversity among students, faculty and staff is accepted, encouraged and embraced. Diversity encompasses differences in race, creed, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disabilities, veteran status or sexual orientation. The individual characteristics, talents and contributions of all people are valued and recognized for the unique contribution they make to the college.
Vision
The vision of the Gatton College of Pharmacy is to provide an exceptional experience to train the next generation of pharmacists to elevate healthcare in the region.
Mission
The mission of Gatton College of Pharmacy is to develop progressive, team-oriented pharmacists that improve healthcare, focusing on rural and underserved communities.
Values
The Gatton College of Pharmacy embraces the educational philosophy and values of East Tennessee State University and is committed to its core values of Service, Integrity and Innovation.
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