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College of Pharmacy

The pharmacy profession is concerned with a wide variety of activities, from developing new drug products to caring for patients. An important concept in the delivery of pharmacy services is medication therapy management—the responsible provision of drug therapy to achieve defined outcomes that improve patients' quality of life. These outcomes include preventing, arresting, or curing a disease, and/or eliminating or reducing its symptoms.

In order to carry out these activities, pharmacists specialize in the science of drugs and drug information.

The dispensing of medications and information at the corner pharmacy is just one aspect of the profession. Pharmacists work in many health care settings, engaging in research, clinical practice, teaching, and counseling. Along with their training in science and drug preparation, they learn the business and communication skills necessary for their multifaceted careers.

Demand for qualified pharmacists is high. Iowa's pharmacy students study with professors who, in many cases, are pioneering the development of new drugs and are defining the appropriate use of others to solve chronic health problems. They also enjoy advanced research facilities, including those of Iowa's drug research and manufacturing area, where experimental drugs are produced for testing and licensing by manufacturers before being introduced worldwide.

The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

College Organization

The College of Pharmacy's faculty and programs are organized in two academic departments, each with two divisions. These units provide course work for the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum and for the college's graduate programs.  

PHARMACY PRACTICE AND SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Faculty in the Pharmacy Practice and Science Department provide expertise and education in the professional practice of pharmacy. They specialize in a wide variety of clinical pharmacy practices; conduct research on patient and population outcomes related to medication therapy; and provide instruction in the pharmacist's professional role and the safe, effective use of medications.

The department offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy curricula in pharmaceutical socioeconomics, which encompasses the behavioral, economic, social, and administrative sciences; elements of pharmacy practice; and health services research. It offers course work through its Applied Clinical Sciences Division and its Health Services Research Division.

Applied Clinical Sciences Division: Teaching and research in this division focus on the delivery of care and related services to patients and the education of student and resident pharmacists in practice settings. Courses are offered in pharmacotherapy, communication and practice skill development, clinical problem solving, and patient care. Professional practice mentoring and education are provided in introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

Health Services Research Division: Teaching and research in this division involve economic, social, behavioral, and administrative components of pharmacy practice and medication use. Courses are offered on the health care system, practice management, the professional and business aspects of pharmacy practice, and on learning and applying economic and social psychological theories to the study of health services and medication use.

To learn more about the department and its two divisions, visit the Pharmacy Practice and Science Department web site.

PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS DEPARTMENT

Faculty in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics Department provide expertise and education in clinical pharmaceutical sciences, medicinal and natural products chemistry, and pharmaceutics. Their interests include dosage form development and performance, industrial and manufacturing pharmacy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and the chemistry of drugs and their action on human systems. The department offers courses through its Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Division and its Pharmaceutics and Translational Therapeutics Division. 

Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Division: Course work in this division relates to understanding the chemistry of drugs and their action on human systems, principles of drug discovery and drug design, natural product chemistry, and biotechnology and genomic strategies for producing new drug molecules. The division's curricula for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs provide abundant opportunities for interface with researchers in other areas, including medicine, pharmacology, biochemistry, chemistry, and pharmaceutics.

Pharmaceutics and Translational Therapeutics Division: This division prepares students to become leaders in developing and evaluating drugs, drug products, and drug delivery systems. It offers two M.S. and Ph.D. subtracks: the pharmaceutics subtrack, which focuses on characterization of pharmaceuticals and their component materials, development of delivery systems for optimal human or veterinary use, and the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of drug actions and interactions; and the clinical pharmaceutical sciences subtrack, which focuses on investigating drug therapy outcomes in patients and identifying factors responsible for specific drug actions in individual patients, related patient groups, and large patient populations. The division also offers multidisciplinary opportunities with programs in chemistry, engineering, biomedical science, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. Its national and international collaborations enhance the breadth of research activities available to students. 

For more about the department and its two divisions, visit the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics Department web sites.

Professional Program (Pharm.D.)

• Doctor of Pharmacy

The College of Pharmacy collaborates with the College of Public Health to offer the joint Master of Public Health/Doctor of Pharmacy (M.P.H./Pharm.D.) program.

Doctor of Pharmacy

The Doctor of Pharmacy program prepares students for careers in pharmacy.  It provides professional education in a number of areas, including pharmaceutical technology, biopharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry and natural products, pharmaceutical socioeconomics, pharmacotherapy, patient care, clinical and hospital pharmacy, and aspects of biotechnology.

The program requires four years of full-time study preceded by at least two years of pre-pharmacy study in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at The University of Iowa or at any accredited community or liberal arts college in the United States or Canada. Graduates of the program are qualified to take the Iowa Board of Pharmacy examination that is required for licensure as a pharmacist.

The Pharm.D. requires satisfactory completion of required courses, including at least 12 s.h. of professional electives and 20 s.h. of general education courses; a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 2.00; and a pharmacy g.p.a. of at least 2.00. The pharmacy grade-point average is computed from grades earned in all required courses that students have completed while enrolled in the College of Pharmacy, excluding general education electives and professional electives.

Students must earn a grade of C-minus or higher in transfer courses applied to the Pharm.D.

Rules and regulations concerning academic probation, pass/nonpass, credit by examination, maximum schedule, second-grade-only option, waiver or substitution of courses, cancellation of registration, drop date, and correspondence study are provided in the College of Pharmacy section of the ISIS Student Handbook and in the College of Pharmacy Student Handbook.

The Tippie College of Business, the Carver College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences contribute to the education of pharmacy students by providing instruction in the physical sciences, basic medical sciences, business, the humanities, and social sciences.

The College of Pharmacy provides students with the highest possible quality in the professional experiential program. Faculty and adjunct faculty serve as preceptors, providing introductory and advanced practice experience at institutions and pharmacies in Iowa, nationwide, and around the world.

Professional Curriculum

In addition to the specific courses listed here, students must complete 20 s.h. of general education courses chosen from behavioral, social, humanistic, and business disciplines.

FIRST YEAR

Students must complete one semester of 046:001 Introduction to Pharmacy Practice during the first professional year. They also complete 046:004 Student Pharmacist Professionalism throughout the first, second, and third professional years.

First Semester 

Second Semester 

SECOND YEAR

Students must complete 046:002 Introduction to Community Pharmacy Practice and 046:008 Introduction to Hospital Pharmacy Practice during the second professional year. These practice experiences are delivered in set time blocks over the winter break or during the summer before or after the P2 year.

First Semester 

Second Semester

THIRD YEAR

Students must complete one semester of 046:003 Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Practice during the third professional year.

First Semester

Second Semester 

FOURTH YEAR: ADVANCED PHARMACY PRACTICE ROTATIONS

During the fourth year, students are required to complete eight advanced pharmacy practice rotations. All students must complete the first four rotations listed below (24 s.h.); they also must complete an additional four rotations of their choice (24 s.h.).

All of these (24 s.h.):

Four of these (24 s.h.): 

PROFESSIONAL ELECTIVES

Pharm D. students must complete 12 s.h. of professional electives, which they may choose from the following list.

Joint M.P.H./Pharm.D.

The College of Pharmacy and the College of Public Health offer the joint Master of Public Health/Doctor of Pharmacy program. The joint M.P.H./Pharm.D. requires 42 s.h. of graduate credit in addition to the requirements of the Pharm.D. degree. Students who complete the program are granted both degrees.

The M.P.H./Pharm.D. program helps students develop expertise in public health related to pharmacotherapy, health promotion, disease prevention, and medication safety. Its graduates may work in areas of interest common to pharmacy and public health, such as spread and treatment of disease, community health, and immunology; bioterrorism, terrorism, and preparedness; genetics; insurance; managed care; family and juvenile health; and protection of special populations. Employment opportunities are available in hospitals and clinics and with health care providers; private practice; insurance and managed care organizations; local, county, state, and federal government; public health governmental agencies; and colleges and universities.

Separate admission to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the joint degree program.

See "Joint M.P.H./Pharm.D." in the Master of Public Health Program section of the Catalog to learn about curriculum and admission requirements for the joint program.

Admission

Application deadline for the Pharm.D. program is December 1.

Students admitted to the College of Pharmacy are required to submit a $250 admission acceptance fee. The fee is applied to tuition for the student's first semester of enrollment in the college. The deposit is not refunded to applicants who do not enroll in the College of Pharmacy.

The college-level course work outlined below is the minimum academic requirement for admission to the College of Pharmacy. The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), a personal statement, personal interviews, and two letters of reference are required for admission. Students must have an overall cumulative g.p.a. of at least 2.50 to be considered for admission.

Fulfillment of these requirements does not ensure admission to the college; the admission committee selects the best-qualified applicants. Questions concerning satisfaction of degree requirements should be directed to the College of Pharmacy Office of Academic Affairs.

Rhetoric: 4 s.h (010:003 Rhetoric) or 6 s.h. of transfer credit in English composition and rhetoric and 3 s.h. in speech

Human anatomy: 3 s.h. (060:110 Principles of Human Anatomy)

General biology: 8 s.h. (002:010 Principles of Biology I and 002:011 Principles of Biology II)

General chemistry: 8 s.h. (004:011 Principles of Chemistry I and 004:012 Principles of Chemistry II)

Organic chemistry: 6 s.h. (004:121 Organic Chemistry I and 004:122 Organic Chemistry II)

Mathematics: 3-4 s.h. of a satisfactory differential and integral calculus course (22M:016 Calculus for the Biological Sciences)

Microbiology: 4 s.h. (061:112 Pharmacy Microbiology)

Microeconomics: 3-4 s.h. (06E:001 Principles of Microeconomics)

Physics: one year of high school physics or one semester of college-level physics with a lab (029:008 Basic Physics)

Human physiology: 3 s.h. (027:130 Human Physiology)

Statistics: 3 s.h.

General education electives: at least 12 s.h.

Each student must complete 20 s.h. of general education courses in order to graduate. Courses in moral reasoning or ethics, communications, computer science, and business are recommended. Courses in the behavioral and social sciences and the humanities are acceptable. Courses in physical education skills, applied music, and studio art are not acceptable.

Students must earn a grade of C-minus or higher in transfer courses applied to the Pharm.D.

Financial Support

All second-, third-, and fourth-year pharmacy students are encouraged to apply for College of Pharmacy scholarships. Applications are available each April from the College of Pharmacy Office of Academic Affairs. Students complete a single application form in order to be considered for all scholarships. Award amounts vary. The Awards and Recognition Committee selects the best-qualified applicant for each scholarship.

Seymour M. Blaug Memorial Award: for a pharmacy student with above-average academic achievement.

Ilse O. Buckner Scholarship: for a pharmacy student who maintains satisfactory academic progress; nonrenewable, financial need is considered.

Burroughs-Wellcome Scholarship Fund: for a student of the committee's choice.

Class of 2008 Scholarship: criteria to be determined.

Class of 2009 Scholarship: criteria to be determined.

Class of 2010 Scholarship: criteria to be determined.

David and James Carlson Scholarship: for two pharmacy students interested in clinical or hospital practice; preference given to students from north of U.S. Interstate 80 and west of U.S. Interstate 35 who show financial need.

Jordan and  Jana Cohen Doctor of Pharmacy Scholarship: for a pharmacy student in good academic standing; based on merit and need; renewable.

Vernon Conzemius Scholarship: for a pharmacy student who demonstrates financial need; preference given to students in the upper half of their class.

Ben M. Cooper Memorial Award: for an academically outstanding pharmacy student; preference is given to students from Scott County, Iowa; financial need is considered.

CVS Scholarships: for five pharmacy students in good academic standing who are interested in community pharmacy.

John and Margo Daniel Scholarship: preference given to a student from Webster County, Iowa.

Don and Sue Dunshee Scholarship Bequest to Teeters Memorial Scholarship

Alice Coxon Gates Scholarship: for a pharmacy student in good academic standing.

Max Eggleston Scholarship: for a student who has completed one year; preference is given to students from Iowa; based on financial need.

Lori A. Grimes Memorial Scholarship: based on financial need; renewable.

Gary Hadley Scholarship: for a student of the committee's choice.

Dick and Brenda Hartig Scholarship: for a student who demonstrates financial need; preference is given to students from Dubuque, Waukon, Dyersville, and Iowa City, Iowa; and Galena and Stockton, Illinois; based on financial need.

Thomas D. Hill Scholarship: for a pharmacy student in good academic standing.

Janet Hinderliter Scholarship: for a P3 or P4 student with a g.p.a. of at least 3.00 and demonstrated involvement in campus and community affairs.

Frances T. and Charles Holub Memorial Award: for a third-year pharmacy student; financial need is considered; renewable once.

Iowa Pharmacy Foundation Scholarships: for selected pharmacy students who are residents of Iowa and who demonstrate outstanding academic ability; financial need is considered.

Kuever Scholarship Fund: for a pharmacy student from Iowa who is in good academic standing.

Ernest Kyle Memorial Scholarship: for a student of the committee's choice.

Ronald Madden Scholarship: for an Iowa high school graduate in good academic standing.

Charles J. Malecek Pharmacy Scholarship: for a student of the committee's choice.

Lloyd E. Matheson and Randal P. McDonough Honorary Scholarship: for a student who demonstrates financial need.

Virgil R. McCutchan Memorial Scholarship: for a deserving pharmacy student.

McQuery Brothers Scholarship: for a deserving pharmacy student.

Carleton Mikkelsen Scholarship: for the top P4 student based on final P3 grade-point average; in case of a tie, the committee chooses the recipient.

Miller-Ruegnitz Scholarships: based on financial need, non-renewable.

NACDS Scholarship: for a student interested in community pharmacy.

Petersen Linder Scholarship: for a pharmacy student in excellent academic standing who has outstanding leadership skills; based on financial need.

Pharmacists Mutual Scholarship: committee choice

Quad Cities Area Pharmacists Association Scholarships: for students who demonstrate financial need; preferably one student from Iowa and one from Illinois.

Sattler Family Scholarship: for a student of the committee's choice, alternates with the Carver College of Medicine.

Scherling Prize: for a student who demonstrates superior academic achievement in organic chemistry.

Hal Schimmelpfenning Scholarship: for a high school senior from Sigourney, Iowa.

Gordon H. Sheffield Scholarship: for a P3 or P4 student from Iowa; preference given to a student who demonstrates leadership and financial need.

Joel and Janet Shields Gift

ShopKo Scholarship: preference given to students who reside or have resided in a state where Shop-Ko is located.

Shutt Pharmacy Scholarship: preference is given to Iowa residents; based on financial need.

H. Curtis Snyder Award: for a pharmacy student in good standing.

Supervalue Scholarship: for a student in good academic standing who is employed in a community pharmacy setting.

Wilber J. Teeters Scholarship: for a pharmacy student who has completed at least one year in the college; financial need is considered.

Teeters/Wahl Scholarship: for pharmacy students based on outstanding academic ability, U.S. citizenship, and financial need.

John Stanley Thor Memorial Award: for a pharmacy student in good standing.

Colonel Thomas C. Veach Class of 1952 Scholarship Fund: preference given to a student interested in compounding or industrial pharmacy.

Wal-Mart Scholarship: for a P3 or P4 student with high scholastic standing who demonstrates strong leadership, desire to enter a community pharmacy practice, and financial need.

Louis C. Zopf Memorial Award: for a pharmacy student who is academically qualified; financial need is considered.

John D. Zuelke Scholarship: for a pharmacy student (preferably P3 or P4) from Wapello County, Iowa.

Graduate Programs

• Master of Science in pharmacy
• Doctor of Philosophy in pharmacy

The College of Pharmacy offers graduate programs in four areas: clinical pharmaceutical science, medicinal and natural products chemistry, pharmaceutical socioeconomics, and pharmaceutics.

Advanced study in the pharmaceutical sciences prepares students for research, teaching, and administrative positions in the pharmaceutical industry, in colleges and universities, in government agencies, and in health-related institutions and organizations.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog. Academic requirements for maintaining graduate registration are determined by the Graduate College and by the individual divisions of the College of Pharmacy.

For more information about graduate study, visit the College of Pharmacy web site.

Facilities and Resources

Pharmacy Building

The Pharmacy Building is located on the University's Health Science Campus, in close proximity to the Carver College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Nursing, and College of Public Health. Also nearby are University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Bowen Science Building, and the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.

The Pharmacy Building is a five-story structure designed to provide modern facilities for a comprehensive program of pharmacy education. In addition to classrooms and auditoriums, there are well-equipped separate laboratories for instruction at the professional and graduate levels.

The college operates small and large classrooms with state-of-the-art technology. The student practice lab is a technologically advanced licensed pharmacy that provides real and simulated practice experiences. The Banker Student Activity Center provides quiet individual and small-group study environments and houses College of Pharmacy Student Organizations offices.

The building also houses a fully supported Instructional Technology Center (Pharmacy ITC) in the Learning Resource Center. The ITC provides state-of-the-art desktop workstations and laptop computers are available for student checkout. Both desktop and laptop computers have secure connections to the University network for online drug information searching and printing.

University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals

University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, develops pharmaceutical dosage forms and has manufactured clinical supplies in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices since 1974. University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals has clients worldwide, including pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, medical departments, and government agencies. Its staff works closely with clients and pharmaceutics faculty members to produce virtually every type of pharmaceutical dosage form, supplying new pharmaceutical agents for use in clinical trials and other research. The facility combines the former Center for Advanced Drug Development and Division of Pharmaceutical Service. For more information, visit the University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals web site.

Division of Drug Information Service

The Division of Drug Information Service publishes the IDIS (Iowa Drug Information Service), a bibliographical database that provides full-text access to specialized information related to drugs and drug therapy. IDIS reaches subscribers throughout the world. The division also is home to the Iowa Drug Information Network, which serves a network of community pharmacies and family practice sites with drug information resources, educational programs, and direct-response consultations that support the pharmaceutical care initiatives at the network's sites. In addition, the Division of Drug Information Service plays an important educational role for pharmacy students by providing both didactic and experiential teaching in drug information. The division is located on the University of Iowa Research Park campus.

Courses

Students must be enrolled in the College of Pharmacy to take the college's courses. Undergraduate and graduate students in other majors must have the instructor's consent to take College of Pharmacy courses.

For Undergraduates

For Pharm.D. Students

Pharmacy Practice and Science
 

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics

For Graduate Students

Pharmacy Practice and Science

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics