That's according to the Utah Medical Education Council, which three years ago urged the state and the university to develop options for expanding the state's only pharmacy school.

So it came as some surprise to the council, the university and the Utah Pharmacists Association that, on Thursday, the governor and his economic development team welcomed a fast-growing Las Vegas-area pharmacy school to South Jordan.

The University of Southern Nevada, formerly the Nevada College of Pharmacy, was founded in 1999 by Charles Rosenberg, former dean of Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif. In 2001, Rosenberg and two Western colleagues taught the inaugural class of pharmacy students in rented classrooms. In January 2004, the school was accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, the national governing body for pharmacy schools, including the U.'s.

Today, Southern Nevada has more than 300 students, at least 30 full-time faculty, and, starting in fall 2006, a Utah campus. The school has a 15-year lease for a 117,000-square-foot building under construction just off Interstate 15 at 10900 South, part of the River Park Corporate Center.

The first class will contain 40 or 50 students. Eventually, the school hopes to employ 100 instructors and staff, graduate 80 Utah students a year, and add a bachelor's of nursing program, said Rosenberg, the school's president.

Utah's shortage of pharmacists combined with a plethora of eager applicants - the school already attracts dozens of students to its Henderson, Nev., campus - made the state an easy target, Rosenberg said.

The state's economic development arm, EDCUtah, did what it could to match school officials with influential members of the business community to sit on the board of directors.

"We introduced them to resources, showed them real estate and helped convince them Utah was the right place," said Stephanie Frohman, the agency's vice president of business development.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. attended Thursday's groundbreaking, along with South Jordan Mayor Kent Money. Reid Barker of the Utah Pharmacists Association was there, too, although he wasn't officially invited.

"I'm behind any move that can get us more pharmacists," Barker said, "but they don't have much of a track record. They've only had two or three graduating classes.

"I'm not trying to be critical. I just don't know anything about their business practices or their curriculum, except that they have an accelerated program, cramming it into three years, and charge $30,000 a year."

Most pharmacy schools are four-year programs. The accelerated schedule is to allow graduates "an extra year of income potential," Rosenberg said.

Given the lack of pharmacists - by 2010 the country will need to add 80,000 to 100,000 to keep pace with demand - a pharmacist can make $80,000 to $100,000 right out of college. And, if the U. is any indication, 95 percent of those trained here, stay here.

No wonder EDCUtah encouraged the move - that and it supports Utah's life sciences cluster, Frohman said. She started talking to developers and school officials in February. The state didn't bring other pharmacy groups or educators into the fold because Southern Nevada didn't request it, she said.

If they had, Frohman and others would have learned that while EDCUtah was assisting Southern Nevada, the U. is seeking support to expand its pharmacy program. Last spring, health educators presented the Board of Regents with a list of options from increasing the residency program to adding more slots and renovating facilities.

Contacted Thursday, school officials were surprised to learn the governor's office was involved in recruiting the competition.

"I did not know that," said Kim Wirthlin, the school's vice president for government relations. "If the state came to us tomorrow and said here's $1 million to expand, we'd be jumping for joy.

"We're watching the health profession shortages very carefully," said Wirthlin. "We're all talking about this."

Even if they aren't talking to each other.

lfantin@sltrib.com

* The University of Southern Nevada: Founded 1999

* Degrees offered: MBA, doctor of pharmacy

* Accredited: The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, January 2004

* Henderson, Nev., campus: 300 students, 130 faculty

* South Jordan campus: Opens fall 2006, 50 students

* Annual tuition: $30,800 plus fees