Search

College of Pharmacy

Professional Program (Pharm.D.)

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

Doctor of Pharmacy

The Doctor of Pharmacy program prepares students for work as pharmacists. 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 national licensure examination required by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners.

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 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 
046:001 Introduction to Pharmacy Practice 1 s.h.
046:050 Pharmacy Practice Lab I 2 s.h.
046:103 Fundamentals of Evaluating Clinical Research 1 s.h.
046:123 Pharmaceutics I: Solutions 4 s.h.
099:162 Biochemistry for Pharmacy Students 4 s.h.

Second Semester 
046:001 Introduction to Pharmacy Practice (if not taken first semester) 1 s.h.
046:051 Pharmacy Practice Lab II 2 s.h.
046:122 Social Aspects of Pharmacy Care 2 s.h.
046:124 Pharmaceutics II: Solids and Semi-solids 4 s.h.
046:128 Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry I: Biotechnology and Chemotherapy 3 s.h.
071:180 Pharmacology for Pharmacy Students I 3 s.h.

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 experiences will be delivered in set time blocks over the winter break or during the summer before or after the P2 year.

First Semester 
046:002 Introduction to Community Pharmacy Practice 3 s.h.
046:116 Pharmacy Practice Lab III 2 s.h.
046:131 Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry II: Pharmacodynamic Agents 3 s.h.
046:138 Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics 3 s.h.
046:149 Introduction to Therapeutics/Special Population 2 s.h.
046:154 Endocrinology, Ophthalmology, Women's and Men's Health Therapeutics 2 s.h.
071:181 Pharmacology for Pharmacy Students II 4 s.h.

Second Semester
046:008 Introduction to Hospital Pharmacy Practice 2 s.h.
046:106 Clinical Practice Skills I: Theory and Application 2 s.h.
046:117 Pharmacy Practice Lab IV 2 s.h.
046:132 Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry III: Medicinal Neurochemistry 3 s.h.
046:155 Respiratory and Dermatologic Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:156 Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:170 Clinical Pharmacokinetics 3 s.h.
Professional electives 3 s.h.

THIRD YEAR

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

First Semester
046:003 Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Practice 1 s.h.
046:107 Clinical Practice Skills II: Critical Patient Analysis 2 s.h.
046:115 Drug Literature Evaluation 2 s.h.
046:118 Pharmacy Practice Lab V 2 s.h.
046:129 Pharmaceutical Economics and Insurance 3 s.h.
046:158 FEN, GI, and Renal Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:159 Rheumatology, Immunology, Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation Therapeutics 2 s.h.
Professional electives 4 s.h.

Second Semester 
046:003 Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Practice (if not taken first semester) 1 s.h.
046:004 Student Pharmacist Professionalism 1 s.h.
046:104 Pharmacy Law and Ethics 2 s.h.
046:108 Clinical Practice Skills III: Applied Patient Management 2 s.h.
046:119 Pharmacy Practice Lab VI 2 s.h.
046:139 Pharmacy Management and Marketing 2 s.h.
046:164 Neurology/Psychiatry Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:165 Infectious Disease Therapeutics 2 s.h.
Pharmacy socioeconomics selectives (two courses) 4 s.h.
Professional electives 5 s.h.

FOURTH YEAR: ADVANCED PRACTICE EXPERIENCES

During the fourth year, students are required to complete eight advanced-practice rotations. Four of the rotations are required, the other four are elective. Students choose elective rotations from a list of professional experiences; see "Rotations" below.

046:178 Hospital Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:179 Community Pharmaceutical Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:180 Acute Care Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:181 Elective: Family Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
Four elective rotations (4 s.h. each) 16 s.h.

ROTATIONS 
046:136 Elective: Academic Rotation 4 s.h.
046:140 Elective: Ambulatory Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:142 Elective: Compounding/Complimentary Alternative Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:143 Elective: Critical Care Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:161 Elective Drug Information Rotation 4 s.h.
046:178 Hospital Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:179 Community Pharmaceutical Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:180 Acute Care Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:181 Elective: Family Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:182 Elective: Pediatrics Rotation 4 s.h.
046:183 Community Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:184 Elective: Psychiatry Rotation 4 s.h.
046:185 Elective: Neurology Rotation 4 s.h.
046:186 Elective: Surgery Rotation 4 s.h.
046:187 Elective: Nuclear Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:188 Elective: Pharmacy Practice Underserved Population Rotation 4 s.h.
046:189 Elective: Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:192 Elective: Long Term Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:193 Elective: Home Health Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:194 Elective: Managed Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:196 Ambulatory Care Rotation 4 s.h.
046:197 Elective: Hematology/Oncology Rotation 4 s.h.
046:199 Elective: Research Rotation 4 s.h.
046:300 Elective: Emergency Medicine Rotation 4 s.h.
046:301 Elective: Hospital Management Rotation 4 s.h.
046:302 Elective: Infectious Disease Rotation 4 s.h.
046:303 Elective: Medication Use Evaluation Rotation 4 s.h.
046:304 Elective: Pharmacy Industry Rotation 4 s.h.
046:305 Elective: Pharmacy Regulatory Rotation 4 s.h.
046:307 Elective: Veterinary Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.
046:308 Elective Advanced Community Pharmacy Rotation 4 s.h.

PROFESSIONAL ELECTIVES 
046:005 Dean's Pharmacy Forum I 1-2 s.h.
046:006 Dean's Pharmacy Forum II 1-2 s.h.
046:011 PDAs and Electronic Drug Information Sources 2 s.h.
046:012 Survey of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences 1-2 s.h.
046:018 Journey Through Illness 1 s.h.
046:101 Pharmacy Projects 1-3 s.h.
046:105 Alternative and Complementary Medicine arr.
046:121 Substance Abuse 3 s.h.
046:126 International Perspectives: Xicotepec 3 s.h.
046:127 Pharmaceuticals Management for Underserved Populations 3 s.h.
046:135 Perspectives in MNPC Research 1 s.h.
046:144 Elective: Insurance and Reimbursement 2-3 s.h.
046:146 End-of-Life Care for Adults and Families 2-4 s.h.
046:157 Quantitative Research Methods in Pharmacy 4 s.h.
046:169 Introduction to Pharmacogenomics 2 s.h.
046:171 Nonprescription Pharmacotherapy 2 s.h.
046:173 Parenteral Products and Technology 2 s.h.
046:174 Pharmacy Service Development 3 s.h.
046:176 Immunization Theory and Practice 2 s.h.
046:198 Elective: Hospital Pharmacy Practice Management 2 s.h.
046:211 Total Synthesis of Natural Products 3 s.h.
046:215 Current Medicinal Chemistry 3 s.h.
046:219 Analytical Biochemistry 3 s.h.
046:227 Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Seminar 1-2 s.h.
046:253 Elective: Economics and Treatment Choice 2 s.h.
046:255 Social Aspects of Pharmacy Care 2 s.h.
046:256 Elective: Marketing and Healthcare 2 s.h.
046:357 Topics in Community Pharmacy Management 2 s.h.
046:377 Health Disparities and Cultural Competence 2-4 s.h.

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

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

The Pharm.D./M.P.H. 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 can be admitted to the joint degree program.

Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree or a minimum of 120 s.h. of undergraduate course work; an undergraduate cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00; one semester each of college algebra and biology; transcripts of all college course work; scores (preferably at or above the national median) on the Graduate Record Exam or the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT); and three professional recommendations (University of Iowa recommendation forms are required).

Contact the College of Pharmacy and the College of Public Health for details.

Curriculum

Students in the Pharm.D./M.P.H. program must complete M.P.H. core courses, practicum, and public health electives in addition to courses required for the Pharm.D.

M.P.H. CORE COURSES

Students must earn a B or higher on each core course. Students may repeat core courses to achieve this standard.

All of these: 

170:101 Introduction to Public Health 3 s.h.
171:161 Introduction to Biostatistics 3 s.h.
172:101 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 3 s.h.
173:140 Epidemiology I: Principles 3 s.h.
175:197 Environmental Health 3 s.h.

One of these: 

174:102 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System 3 s.h.
174:200 Introduction to Health Care Organization and Policy 3 s.h.

M.P.H. PRACTICUM

The practicum is a fieldwork experience in which students show proficiency in applying academic principles in community settings. Students must have completed or be enrolled in all six M.P.H. core courses before registering for the practicum. A poster presentation or a final written report with oral presentation is required. The practicum constitutes the final examination for the M.P.H.

The setting for the 200-hour Pharm.D./M.P.H. practicum must have both public heath and pharmacy components. 

170:299 M.P.H. Practicum Experience 3 s.h.

M.P.H. ELECTIVES

Students select electives totaling 9 s.h. from one of the following public health areas: biostatistics, community and behavioral health, epidemiology, health communication, health policy and administration, occupational and environmental health, public health genetics, or an approved M.P.H. focus area (aging studies; global health; maternal, child, and family health; or nutrition and exercise). Electives are chosen in consultation with the student's advisors in the College of Pharmacy and Public Health.

COURSES THAT COUNT TOWARD BOTH DEGREES

The following required courses from the Pharm.D. curriculum also count as credit toward the M.P.H.

046:129 Pharmaceutical Economics and Insurance 3 s.h.
046:154 Endocrinology, Ophthalmology, Women's and Men's Health Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:156 Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2 s.h.
046:165 Infectious Disease Therapeutics 2 s.h.
PHARM.D. REQUIREMENTS

The joint Pharm.D./M.P.H. program requires students to complete the professional curriculum of the Pharm.D. program (see "Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)" earlier in this section).

Students must be enrolled in the College of Pharmacy in order to take College of Pharmacy courses.

Admission to the Pharm.D.

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: 8 s.h., or 6 s.h. of transfer credit in English composition and rhetoric, and 2-3 s.h. in speech (010:001 Rhetoric I and 010:002 Rhetoric II, or 010:003 Accelerated Rhetoric)

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 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:  for a pharmacy student in good academic standing, financial need and exhibits leadership.

David and James Carlson Scholarship: for pharmacy students interested in clinical or hospital practice; financial need is considered.

Jordan and  Jana Cohen Doctor of Pharmacy Scholarship:  for a pharmacy student in good academic standing and shows financial need.

Vernon Conzemius Scholarship: for selected pharmacy students.

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

John & Margo Daniel Scholarship:  preference for a student from Webster County, Iowa.

Alice Coxon Gates Scholarship: for an Iowa resident with a commitment to pharmacy.

CVS Scholarship: for a student in good academic standing who is interested in community pharmacy.

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.

Gary Hadley Scholarship:  committee choice

Dick and Brenda Hartig Scholarship: preference is given to students from Dubuque, Waukon, Dyersville, Iowa City, Galena, or Stockton, Iowa; based on financial need.

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

Janet Hinderliter Scholarship:  P3 or P4 student with a minimum 3.00 grade point average with a demonstrated involvement in campus and community affairs.

Frances T. and Charles Holub Memorial Award: for selected third-year pharmacy students; financial need is considered.

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

Johnson County Pharmacists Association Scholarship: for any student member of JCPS with a grade-point average of at least 3.00.

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

Ernest Kyle Memorial Scholarship: for a pharmacy student from Iowa who is in good academic standing.

Ronald Madden Scholarship: for an Iowa high school graduate with a B or higher average in high school.

Charles J. Malecek Pharmacy Scholarship: for a selected pharmacy student.

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

Carleton Mikkelsen Scholarship: for the top P4 student based on final P3 grade-point average.

Miller-Ruegnitz Scholarships: based on financial need.

NACDS Scholarship: for a student who is 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:  demonstrated financial need; preferably one student each from Iowa and Illinois.

Sattler Family Scholarship:  committee choice, alternates with the college of medicine.

Scherling Prize:  superior academic achievement in medicinal and natural products chemistry.

Gordon H. Sheffield Scholarship:  P3 or P4.

ShopKo Scholarship: preference is given to students from Iowa who are interested in a career with ShopKo and who are from Burlington, Dubuque, Fort Madison, Mason City, Sioux City, or Pamida; financial need is considered.

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:  good academic standing, must be currently 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 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: preference given to a P3 or P4 student from Wapello County, Iowa.
Copyright 2009 The University of Iowa. All rights reserved.
Updated September 2009