Western University of Health Sciences
College of Pharmacy
Program Description1:
Western University's PharmD program offers an innovative curriculum encompassing both academic and experiential learning. The first year integrates the pharmaceutical sciences foundation blocks with laboratory and practice components. Pharmacy practice experiential training begins with the Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiential I (IPPE-I) course , which runs for the entire duration of the first year of study. The first year course consists of two 4-week (4 days/week) clerkships (160 experiential hours, 4 credit hours) that expose the student to community pharmacy practice in two different settings. Every student will complete both components by the end of their first year. During the morning sessions, students are in the classroom studying the pharmaceutical sciences. In the afternoon, they participate in a clinical practice foundation sequence, which focuses on learning and practicing skills related to pharmacy practice.
During the second year and the first half of the third year, course work is delivered in blocks, each of which covers a therapeutic area related to disease states that affect particular organ systems (e.g., GI/liver, renal/pulmonary, endocrine/reproductive systems) or treatment regimens (e.g., infectious disease, oncology). This period encompasses 16 blocks, each approximately three weeks long, with a break between blocks. This total immersion in a subject allows students to focus on one subject before moving on to the next.
The second year IPPE course (IPPE-II) is scheduled during the summer between the second and third years. It consists of a 4-week (5 days/week, 40 hrs/week) clerkship (160 experiential hours, 4 credit hours) that exposes students to institutional pharmacy practice. Moreover, Western University students gain an additional one-half year of advanced experiential training while still graduating in four years. In total, Western University provides 52 weeks of advanced experiential education compared to an average of 42 weeks at other colleges of pharmacy. The clinical training component (IPPE, APPE and AE) comprises 76 credit hours, which is 43% of the curricular requirements. Admission to the College of Pharmacy is a highly competitive process.
While grades are an important measure of academic qualification, they do not, by themselves, guarantee success as a student at Western University's College of Pharmacy or later as a pharmacist. In addition to thorough academic preparation, the college is looking for individuals who also have a good working knowledge of the profession and Western University. Successful applicants also display excellent communication skills and can demonstrate that they are compassionate, dedicated, dependable individuals with good judgment.
During the second year and the first half of the third year, course work is delivered in blocks, each of which covers a therapeutic area related to disease states that affect particular organ systems (e.g., GI/liver, renal/pulmonary, endocrine/reproductive systems) or treatment regimens (e.g., infectious disease, oncology). This period encompasses 16 blocks, each approximately three weeks long, with a break between blocks. This total immersion in a subject allows students to focus on one subject before moving on to the next.
The second year IPPE course (IPPE-II) is scheduled during the summer between the second and third years. It consists of a 4-week (5 days/week, 40 hrs/week) clerkship (160 experiential hours, 4 credit hours) that exposes students to institutional pharmacy practice. Moreover, Western University students gain an additional one-half year of advanced experiential training while still graduating in four years. In total, Western University provides 52 weeks of advanced experiential education compared to an average of 42 weeks at other colleges of pharmacy. The clinical training component (IPPE, APPE and AE) comprises 76 credit hours, which is 43% of the curricular requirements. Admission to the College of Pharmacy is a highly competitive process.
While grades are an important measure of academic qualification, they do not, by themselves, guarantee success as a student at Western University's College of Pharmacy or later as a pharmacist. In addition to thorough academic preparation, the college is looking for individuals who also have a good working knowledge of the profession and Western University. Successful applicants also display excellent communication skills and can demonstrate that they are compassionate, dedicated, dependable individuals with good judgment.
Pre-requisites:
A bachelor's degree is currently not required, but preference is given to those who have it. In addition, the following courses are required prior to matriculation as of 12/2010 on the school's website:
