By RACHEL CREE SHERMAN

The Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) has opened a satellite campus at 261 Mountain View Drive in Colchester offering the only four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree in Vermont.

ACPHS was founded in Albany, NY in 1881. Under the leadership of President Jim Gozzo, the college has expanded its core program in pharmacy to include bachelor’s degree programs in pharmaceutical sciences, health and human sciences and biomedical technology, the latter with concentrations in cytotechnology and clinical laboratory sciences. It also offers a certificate program in cytotechnology, the microscopic study of cells for evidence of diseases such as cancer.

A master’s degree program in pharmaceutical sciences is the most recent addition. The bachelor’s and master’s programs are only available at the Albany campus at this time, although they may be added at the Vermont campus in the future. Students must have completed at least two years of college coursework before applying for admission to the satellite campus in Vermont.

Robert Hamilton is associate dean and chief administrative officer at the Colchester campus.

“As one of three states in the country without a pharmacy program, we saw Vermont as a logical place to expand,” Hamilton said. The other two states without such a program are Delaware and Alaska.

“The college also matches two of Vermont’s targeted areas for growth – education and health care – making the decision to open a campus here a win-win for everyone,” said Hamilton.

ACPHS has a 15-year lease on 47,000 square feet of space on Water Tower Hill. The college has more than 200 employees overall, including 17 in Vermont.

The college plans to enroll 70 students each year for the next three years and expects to reach approximately 300 students by the 2012-13 academic year. At that time, the total enrollment figure will be reevaluated to determine the optimal number for the college going forward.

The Vermont mailing address for the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is 261 Mountain View Drive, Colchester, VT 05446. The telephone number is 1.888.203.8010. The Web site is www.acphs.edu.???????????????????????????????