Wichita ? Kansas University is working to open a pharmacy school in Wichita, partly in response to a shortage of pharmacists across the country.

Plans are being drawn to add on to the university’s existing medical school in Wichita, said S. Edwards Dismuke, dean of the KU School of Medicine-Wichita.

The biggest obstacle to the school opening is finding an estimated $4 million to fund it. Dismuke said many new buildings at Kansas universities have been funded by private money, which will be sought, but the university is also hoping to get some money from the state.

Kenneth Audus, dean of the KU School of Pharmacy in Lawrence, said Wednesday that a Wichita school was being pursued in part because the nation was expected to be short 150,000 pharmacists by 2020.

And, he said, graduates of existing medical schools in Wichita have been willing to work in parts of Kansas with shortages of other professionals, so it is hoped pharmacy graduates would do the same.

The school would require five faculty members and some staff and would admit 20 students a year at first, Dismuke said. In Lawrence, 105 students enter the School of Pharmacy each year.

Dismuke said enthusiasm for the pharmacy school has been widespread at the university and among pharmacists.

Opening a pharmacy school would increase growing health care education offerings in Wichita, which already offers schools for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dental hygienists and physical therapists.

Wichita State University’s College of Health Professions, which trains dental hygienists, physician assistants, nurses and physical therapists is working with Via Christi Regional Medical Center and GraceMed Health Clinic to start an advanced training program for dental school graduates.