Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) - Direct Entry
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Key Information
Campus location
Boston, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
6 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 36,060 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
Request info
* applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; applicants are encouraged to apply early, as space is limited
** year 1-2: $36,060/year | years 3-6: $42,390/year. This program offers merit-based scholarships up to a maximum of $18,000 per year
Introduction
As a pharmacist, you are part of patients’ daily lives and pivotal healthcare moments. This program educates students to become practicing pharmacists, critical thinkers, and responsible healthcare professionals.
This full-time, six-year direct entry Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program includes a two-year pre-professional phase that combines the liberal arts, communications, and basic sciences followed by a four-year professional phase that focuses on the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice. And, because the program is direct-entry, you don't need to reapply at the end of the pre-professional phase. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside professional experts through clinical experiences in our immersive laboratories and through clinical rotations covering inpatient medicine, institutional pharmacy, ambulatory care, and community pharmacy at more than 1,000 partners across the country.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
This program offers merit-based scholarships up to a maximum of $18,000 per year.
Curriculum
Year I-Fall
- Biology I: Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Chemical Principles I (w/ lab)
- Introduction to the Major
- Expository Writing I
- Precalculus OR Calculus I
Year I-Spring
- Biology II: Biology of Organisms (w/ lab)
- Chemical Principles II (w/ lab)
- Expository Writing II
- Introduction to Psychology or
- American Culture, Identity, and Public Life
- Calculus I or Calculus II
Year II-Fall
- Medical Microbiology (w/ lab)
- Organic Chemistry I (w/ lab)
- Introduction to Psychology or
- American Culture, Identity & Public Life
- Foundations of Physics I OR Distribution Elective
- Introduction to Pharmacy
- Calculus II
Year II-Spring
- Organic Chemistry II
- Introduction to Interpersonal Communication for Health Professionals
- Statistics
- Foundations of Physics I or Distribution Elective
- Anatomy and Physiology for Pharmacy
- Distribution Elective
Professional Years III-VI
Year III (First Professional Year)-Fall
- Introduction to Practice Management I (w/ lab)
- Physiology/Pathophysiology I
- Medical Biochemistry I
- Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems
- Pharmaceutical Calculations I
- Introduction to Healthcare Delivery or Distribution Elective
Year III (First Professional Year)-Spring
- Physiology/Pathophysiology II
- Medical Biochemistry II
- Introduction to Practice Management II (w/ lab)
- Pharmaceutical Calculations II
- Dosage Forms Laboratory
- Research Methods in Pharmacoepidemiology
- Introduction to Healthcare Delivery or Distribution Elective
Year IV (Second Professional Year)-Fall
- Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience I
- Drug Literature Evaluation
- Medicinal Chemistry I
- Pharmacology I
- Therapeutics I
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Year IV (Second Professional Year)-Spring
- Virology and Anti-infectives
- Therapeutics II
- Pharmacokinetics I
- Medicinal Chemistry II
- Pharmacology II
- Clinical Application of the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process
Year V (Third Professional Year)-Fall
- Healthcare Ethics OR Professional Elective
- Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience II
- OTC Drugs / Self-Care
- Advanced Practice Management I (w/ lab)
- Advanced Therapeutics I
- Advanced Therapeutics Seminar I
- Pharmacokinetics II
Year V (Third Professional Year)-Spring
- Healthcare Ethics OR Professional Elective
- Advanced Practice Management II (w/ lab)
- Advanced Therapeutics Seminar II
- Advanced Therapeutics II
- Pharmacy Law
- Professional Elective
Year VI (Fourth Professional Year)
- Advanced Pharmacy Experience Program Rotations
- NAPLEX Review Modules and Board Review
Sixth Year
(Fourth Professional Year)
During the final year of study, PharmD students earn 36 credit hours by completing 36 weeks of advanced experiential rotations. The rotations start as early as May and run consecutively through late November or December. The rotations resume in January and finish in May.
Students are required to complete rotations in internal medicine, institutional pharmacy practice, ambulatory care, and community pharmacy practice. Additionally, students complete two elective rotations from areas such as administration, cardiology, community practice, critical care medicine, drug information, emergency medicine, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, nephrology, oncology/hematology, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, poison information, and psychiatry.
Elective rotations chosen by the student are reviewed by the coordinators of experiential education to determine whether the rotations provide appropriate emphasis and balance to the student's overall program. Scheduling of the rotations is completed by the Office of Experiential Education and may be modified at the discretion of the coordinator(s).
Students must also successfully complete online NAPLEX review modules and regularly scheduled assessments (i.e. RxPrep) during the 6th year as a condition for graduation. Although no credits or grades are assigned, students will be required to achieve a minimum score on assessments. Students must also attend a required Board Review during the last week of the final APPE rotation and complete a mandatory diagnostic exam.
5-Year Accelerated PharmD Pathway
Students in the Boston PharmD program may elect to apply for the 5-Year Accelerated PharmD Pathway and complete the professional phase of their degree in three years (instead of four) by transferring to the Worcester or Manchester campus after the initial two years of pre-professional study in Boston. Interested students are eligible to apply in the spring of the second year of the program, provided they have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and submit an internal application of intent. (Students with these qualifications will receive a guaranteed interview at the campus of their choice).
The five-year pathway features a year-round, concentrated curriculum in the professional phase. Upon transferring to the Worcester or Manchester campus, students will enroll in eight classes during the Fall P1 year and complete the PharmD curriculum in a total of 8 semesters that include two summer terms. The transfer process is seamless— MCPHS ‐ Boston students will maintain their existing scholarships.
Program Tuition Fee
English Language Requirements
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