Today, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of a new century and on the brink of an extraordinary new era for Pharmacy.  While it is a time to look back and celebrate our exceptional accomplishments as a profession and as a College, it is also a time to look forward to the many exciting challenges and opportunities that lie before us and to chart a course that provides a framework for making critical decisions for general program directions and organizational priorities that will serve to guide us in the years ahead.

The explosion in our knowledge of biology in particular, chemistry, technology and clinical practice, has moved Pharmacy from the ranks of making and dispensing of drugs to the hub of science and health care.

Advances in molecular and structural biology now allow us to consider the mechanism of action as well as the structure of enzymes, hormones, transporters and receptors.  The advent of the genomic era marks the beginning of the time when we will be able to tailor drugs to individual patient needs.  These advances, considered in light of the enormous progress made in computer graphics, data mining, the use of microarrays, high throughput screening, and combinatorial chemistry herald the beginning of a new era in research, treatment options and clinical pharmacy care.

The Strategic Plan is not intended to be a blueprint that lines out the precise details of programs, structures or activities because there are many alternative means for implementing the outlined programmatic and organizational priorities.  Rather, implementation of the Plan will be a step-by-step interactive process that will involve continued interchange among the members of the College as well as consultation with our external stakeholders.  In this way we will be able to take a fresh look at the issues affecting Pharmacy and adjust our priorities accordingly.  Moreover, this will provide an opportunity for us to assess our progress and to make refinements as needed.

There is no doubt that this Plan is an ambitious undertaking for the College of Pharmacy.  I urge each of you as stakeholders to get behind the Plan and make it come to life by sharing, debating, and implementing its ideas.  Every one must be challenged to "dream the dream," or the vision for Pharmacy cannot be realized. 

Svein Øie, PhD
Dean

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