Powering Pharmacy Careers: Saint Joseph’s Dual Degrees and Certificates Give Graduates an Edge

When Nicole Asmar, BS ’24, PharmD ’26, begins her fellowship this summer at Genmab, a global biotechnology company, she will be working on the side of pharmacy most people never see – far from the pharmacy counter and deep in the world of clinical strategy and drug development.

She credits one thing above all else for getting her there: a graduate certificate in Drug Discovery and Development, which she pursued alongside her Doctor of Pharmacy.

“The certificate gave me a lot to talk about during interviews,” says Asmar. “I’m going to be able to apply things I learned that most of my colleagues haven’t even had the chance to see yet.”

For Asmar, the certificate didn’t just open a door. It opened her eyes to a profession far broader than she had imagined when she first started in Saint Joseph’s Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. 

“I was always interested in how medications work and how they came to be,” says Asmar. “But, I never really got to learn how they are discovered.”

That gap – between the drug on the shelf and the decade of science that put it there – is what drew Asmar to Saint Joseph’s graduate certificate in Drug Discovery and Development. Asmar will be the first student to graduate with the credential this spring.

The timing couldn’t be better. Over the next decade, more than 140,000 pharmacy jobs are expected to open nationwide. These positions will not only demand pharmacists to care for patients in community pharmacies, hospitals and clinics, but also professionals equipped to lead clinical trials, manage pharmacy teams and navigate an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.

Asmar’s certificate is just one of several new graduate certificates available to PharmD students. Beyond certificates, pharmacy students can pursue a new dual PharmD/MBA or dual PharmD/MS through the Erivan K. Haub School of Business, completing both degrees simultaneously, online or on-campus, in two to three years. 

“As pharmacists, if we’re going to be leaders, we have to understand the business aspect of the healthcare system,” says Edward Foote, BS ’87, PharmD ’91, FCCP, dean of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and professor of pharmacy. “These programs do just that, helping us prepare the leaders of tomorrow.”

For Zachary Cavanaugh, PharmD ’27, his professional future is still taking shape. One thing, however, is clear: He wants to be a leader. Saint Joseph’s new graduate leadership certificate turned out to be a natural fit.

“I never really became the true leader I wanted to be during my undergraduate experience,” says Cavanaugh. “I learned that being a good manager isn’t just about delegating work, but helping other people succeed. It means asking your team, ‘How can I help you?’”

That lesson was confirmed during a rotational experience at a local community pharmacy, where Cavanaugh watched firsthand how a strong leader shapes a team.

“There were always one or two people whom everyone looked to for answers,” says Cavanaugh. “If I want to manage a team someday, I need to have people skills. I need to help the people around me be better.” 

For Foote, the programs come down to differentiation. 

“No matter what profession you’re in, it’s about how you set yourself apart and make yourself more competitive,” says Foote. “These programs allow students to explore different areas and hone their skills. They test a different side of their brain.”

For more information on the new PharmD dual degree programs, visit sju.edu/degree-programs/pharmd-mba-ms-dual-degree or sju.edu/departments/philadelphia-college-pharmacy/pharmd-graduate-certificate.