Overview

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is awarded after successful completion of four years of professional study. Two years (62 semester credits) of pre-professional education is required for admission, followed by four years of professional studies. The curriculum is designed such that courses integrate information, building upon one another, and encompass both didactic and experiential learning. An integrated course model will be used to provide the foundations of drug actions. In this model, physiology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology are integrated to allow the student to see a broad view of how the physiochemical properties of medications interact with human physiology. The courses will be taught by system (i.e., cardiovascular, neurological, renal, etc.). Medications and human physiology pertinent to each system will be team-taught by faculty in their respective areas. Starting in the second year, an integrated course will be used to provide the foundations of the application of drug therapy to disease. Also taught by system (i.e., cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, etc.), the pathophysiology and application of drug therapy will be team-taught by faculty in their respective areas. Running throughout the first three years of the curriculum will be professional courses intended to provide the student with an opportunity to integrate and apply information and to work in small groups to complete projects and assignments, develop critical thinking skills, and foster collaboration. These courses will also provide early laboratory work in compounding and an opportunity for further development of both verbal and written skills. The curriculum also provides students with a broad range of introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences over the last three years of the professional curriculum. These experiences are student-centered, activity-based, outcome-oriented and they are designed to develop attitudes, values, and skills that foster the effective delivery of pharmaceutical care.

About the Program

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program requires the equivalent of two years (62 semester hours) of pre-professional education at an accredited college or university. Application may be made after completion of 30 semester hours of coursework. Minimum course requirements are:

Grades below “C” cannot be accepted toward completion of these requirements. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 is required for both cumulative and science courses. All science courses (Chemistry, Biology, and Physics) must include a laboratory with each lecture. All pre-professional coursework must be completed prior to matriculating into the School of Pharmacy.

Application Procedures

• Applicants must complete a PharmCAS application.
• Applicants are required to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). PCAT scores cannot be more than five years old and should be taken in October, but no later than January, of the year prior to application for admission to the School of Pharmacy.
• Applicants must complete an interview.
• The School of Pharmacy will consider applications when all credentials, fees, and test scores have been received by St. John Fisher College. Admission will be on a “rolling” or periodic schedule.

All applications and documentation must be received by March 1 in order for the applicant to be considered for admission in the fall of that same year.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2011–12 academic year is $31,770 per year plus a $250-per-year professional student fee and a $150 Wellness Center fee.* Acceptance Fee: a $1,500 acceptance fee is required to hold an accepted student applicant’s place in the entering class. The fee will be deducted from the tuition payment due on registration day but is not refundable in case of withdrawal.

*P4 students are exempt from the Wellness Center fee.

Program Requirements

Course Sequence

First Professional Year

Fall

Spring

Second Professional Year

Fall

Spring

Summer

Third Professional Year

Fall

Spring

In addition to these required courses, all students must also complete six credit hours of electives during the second and third years of the curriculum.

Fourth Professional Year

Advanced practice experientials in the fourth year will consist of seven six-week rotations. Required rotations will include internal medicine, ambulatory care, community practice, and hospital practice. Elective rotations could include pediatrics, drug information, infectious disease, ICU/critical care, emergency medicine, advanced hospital practice, managed care, psychiatry, geriatrics, hospice, nutrition, kinetics, or any other approved elective.

Graduation Requirements

To receive the Pharm.D. degree from St. John Fisher College, a student must:

• Successfully complete all prerequisite coursework for admission.
• Successfully complete all pharmacy coursework and professional requirements (Continuing Professional Development, professional meetings, and volunteerism requirements) at the Wegmans School of Pharmacy.
• Have a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average for all classes taken in the School of Pharmacy.
• Satisfy all financial and library obligations to the College.
• Be approved by the faculty for graduation.
• Regardless of academic achievement, a student on disciplinary probation may not graduate from St. John Fisher College until the probation has been removed.