The Doctor of Pharmacy program offers a small class size
(student/faculty ratio of about 6:1) and is based on a 3-year accelerated,
year-round curriculum. The program seeks
to provide students with a strong foundation in the pharmaceutical,
social/administrative, and clinical sciences. The program emphasizes the
provision of high quality patient-centered care and medication therapy
management, the development of skills for lifelong learning, and opportunities
for multi-cultural development. The
faculty, through its teaching, mentoring, and scholarship, work to maximize
student potential and to contribute to the advancement of the profession by
preparing highly trained, culturally-competent, articulate, and caring
pharmacists who are potential leaders and innovators in pharmacy practice and
research.
There are two major components of the
program: the didactic and the experiential components. The didactic component consists primarily of
classroom and laboratory experiences in the first two professional years (SP-1
and SP-2 years). The didactic content is delivered as a modular system in which
students concentrate on one content area at a time.
- The SP-1 and SP-2 years are divided
into two terms, a fall term and a spring term. Each term is divided into two-week
blocks; an assessment will be given on the Friday at the end of the block. A
student who does not pass the assessment on the first attempt takes a
reassessment the following Monday. A student, who does not pass the
reassessment, may be allowed to remediate the course at the end of the term.
- The didactic material in the SP-1 year
is predominantly composed of integrated basic science modules, with clinical
correlates, and administrative science modules.
This includes 18 sequential assessment blocks plus five courses taught
throughout the term or year.
- The curricular content in the SP-2 year
focuses on integrated clinical science modules with basic science correlates,
and additional administrative science topics. The didactic portion of the SP-2
year consists of 18 sequential assessment blocks, and four courses taught
throughout the year.
The experiential component begins in the SP-1 year, with
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs). Students participate
in community and institutional pharmacy preparatory classes throughout the fall
and spring terms. At the end of each term, they have three weeks of
full-time field experience. In the SP-2 year IPPEs are patient-centered
where students follow specific patients and evaluate their progress.
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) start in the summer following
the SP-2 year and continue throughout the SP-3 year. During APPEs students
increase their professional skills as they take part in eight rotations in
traditional and specialized practice settings. The Professional Seminar
capstone course allows students to pull together elements of their entire
educational experience through student presentations, case-studies, and a board
review.