The UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program continues to achieve full accreditation status through Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The PharmD degree entails at least two years of pre-pharmacy courses followed by four full-time years of professional study that provide an educational foundation for a career in pharmacy. The program prepares the pharmacist, as a therapeutic drug manager, to be a member of the health-care team working with physicians, non-physician providers, and other allied health professionals. Our challenging PharmD program promotes excellence and integrity in our graduates making them among the most sought-after in the country.

Curriculum

The PharmD Program Courses and Curriculum consists of basic biomedical sciences, clinical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmacy practice. The coursework is integrated with patient-centered practice experiences and is capped by a 9-month experiential program, with its focus centered on educating entry-level practitioners capable of providing pharmaceutical care. Professional students may select approved elective courses to enhance their educational program through specialized courses and experiences. The curriculum contains courses in the following areas:

• Pharmaceutical, Clinical Sciences, and Biomedical Sciences consisting of Pharmacology, Physical Pharmacy, Pharmacy Calculations, Pathophysiology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacogenomics, and Pharmacotherapy;
• Professional Practice consisting of Pharmaceutical Care Skills, Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmacoepidemiology, Pharmacy Informatics, Drug Literature Evaluation, Biostatistics, Disease Management, Ethics, Pharmacy Law, Pharmacy Management, Pharmacy Compounding Laboratory, Physical Assessment, Communication, and Portfolio;
• Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) throughout the first three professional years; and an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiential (APPE) year consisting of required and elective/selective six week rotations.

PharmD Combined Degree Programs

Combined Degree programs, including a PharmD/MBA, PharmD/MPH, PharmD/JD, a PharmD/PhD, and a PharmD/MS are also available at UB SoPPS. These programs allow students to complete two degrees in a shorter time than if the two degrees were obtained separately. Prospective candidates must submit separate applications and be admitted according to the procedures and standards of the individual schools. Learn more about our PharmD Admissions process.

Core Competency and Outcomes

To achieve the mission of the SoPPS PharmD program, students must develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable them to competently perform these functions. The following outcomes reflect the terminal skills that all UB PharmD graduates should be able to demonstrate upon program completion.  

Patient/Pharmaceutical Care

Provide high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care that is appropriate and effective, in cooperation with patients, prescribers, and other members of the inter-professional health care team.

• Promote health and wellness and disease prevention.
• Provide pharmaceutical care and services within the full spectrum of the profession which includes, but is not limited to, providing Medication Therapy Management (MTM), vaccinations, and drug therapy monitoring in the full range of practice domains (e.g., inpatient, ambulatory, and community practice).
• Provide culturally competent pharmaceutical care and demonstrate cultural competence when interacting with patients, families and other members of the health care team.
• Appropriately address patient-specific and population-specific needs and issues in the provision of patient care.

Medical and Science Foundations

Demonstrate mastery of the core knowledge and skills corresponding to established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge.  This includes competency in those areas specifically supporting high quality pharmacy practice (e.g., pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacology, pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, and pharmaceutical care). 

• Demonstrate the ability to use critical analysis and problem solving skills to appropriately apply existing and evolving science to the provision of high quality, evidence-based pharmacy services and patient care.

Practice Based Learning and Improvement

Evaluate practice and care, and promote continuous improvement in one’s own patient care and pharmacy services.

• Demonstrate appropriate self-calibration skills and a commitment to the lifelong learning needed to provide high quality care.
• Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies to enhance the quality of care and services.
• Effectively utilize information, informatics and technology to optimize learning and patient care. 

Inter-personal and Communication Skills

Demonstrate effective interpersonal written and verbal skills with patients, families, the public as well as other health care providers, adapting to socioeconomic and cultural factors as well as situational-applications as appropriate. 

• Effectively educate families, patients, caregivers, and other HCPs.
• Function effectively in a team.
• Act in a consultative position for other members of the health care team, regulatory agencies and policy makers.

Professionalism

Evidence exemplary professional, ethical and legal behaviors, complying with all federal, state and local laws and regulations related to pharmacy practice.

• Demonstrate effective self-calibration skills and a commitment to life-long learning.
• Contribute to the training of pharmacy students/future colleagues, and the growth and success of professional colleagues, and the profession.
• Demonstrate the respect for patient privacy and autonomy, as well as sensitivity and responsiveness to diverse patient populations.
• Demonstrate a high degree of integrity, truthfulness, and fairness.
• Demonstrate initiative, reliability and follow-through in fulfilling commitments.

Systems Based Practice and Management

Demonstrate an awareness of, and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, effectively utilizing systems and systems of care to provide cost-effective, optimal care.

• Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care as appropriate; this includes the ability to apply pharmacoeconomic principles to health outcomes and patient care.
• Effectively manage medication use systems.
• Prioritize patient safety and public health.
• Advocate for quality patient care and optimal health care or public health systems.
• Work on interprofessional teams to enhance quality and safety.
• Participate in identifying system errors.