Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)

The IPPE program is divided over the first three years of the PharmD curriculum and includes real life pharmacy practice experiences. 

SPPS students are required to complete >300 IPPE hours, with at least one‐half of this requirement (>150 hours) balanced between the community (>75 hours) and inpatient (>75 hours) settings. To qualify as an IPPE, the experience must expose the student to contemporary U.S. practice models and include direct patient care activities with a licensed pharmacist at the site.

Before beginning P4 rotations, a minimum of 300 hours of IPPE activities must be completed. The IPPE program offers the student the opportunity to observe and develop professional skills in major areas of contemporary pharmacy practice including:

• Observation and delivery of patient care services, including disease management, patient education and pharmacotherapeutic consultation;
• Prescription processing, including community, ambulatory and inpatient aspects;
• Development of pharmaceutical care plans for patient specific problems;
• Continued development of skills in drug information/informatics and pharmacy consults;
• Development of student’s verbal presentation abilities within the medical-pharmacy arena;
• Introduction to basic pharmacy administration in the community and hospital environments;
• Provision of consultation with other health care professionals regarding patient care or drug-related issues

While at an IPPE rotation site, students must abide by the rules, regulations and policies of the facility.  Students may not be financially compensated for activities performed during their rotations.  

All students must maintain updated immunization records as well as liability insurance as outlined by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to engage in IPPE rotation sites experiences.