Overview

The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy offers a traditional Doctor of Pharmacy degree, a non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy degree (for practitioners who already have a BS in Pharmacy) and a dual Doctor of Pharmacy/Master of Business Administration degrees program in conjunction with the University's Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. The Doctor of Pharmacy program is a competency based curriculum emphasizing pharmaceutical care. The program's purpose is to prepare entry-level pharmacy practitioners with competencies in the areas known as the Shenandoah Twelve:

  1. Communication
  2. Using Scientific Explanation in the Practice of Pharmacy
  3. Problem Prevention and Solving
  4. Dispensing of Pharmaceuticals
  5. Providing Pharmaceutical Care to Individual Patients
  6. Providing Pharmaceutical Care to Patient Populations
  7. Social and Professional Interaction and Teamwork
  8. Personal, Ethical and Legal Judgment
  9. Personal and Professional Growth
  10. Management Skills
  11. Advancement of Pharmacy and Health Care
  12. Promotion of Good Health and Public Welfare

The traditional Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum is comprised of 142 semester credit hours spanning 8 semesters in 4 academic years, and it is both horizontally and vertically integrated.

First Professional Year (P1)

The first professional year is comprised of 36 semester credit hours in 19 courses. The P1 year is highly integrated and designed to build upon the prerequisite coursework and provide foundation for the rest of the professional curriculum. A key portion of the P1 year is the Integrated Basic Health Science (IBHS) lecture and laboratory courses sequence, which accounts for 14 semester credit hours. The IBHS course sequence is a progressive approach to the standard method of taking several courses in parallel. IBHS uses a systems approach to integrate the contents of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology to explain sequentially how molecules and cells function to explain human biology and physiology. IBHS also maintains a strong pharmacology focus by introducing relevant diseases and drugs for each human organ system. Pharmacy applications and case-studies are also discussed throughout the IBHS course sequence in order to reinforce and apply course material. Other foundational coursework in the P1 year includes Pharmaceutics I (pharmacy calculations), Pharmaceutics II (physical pharmacy and biopharmaceutics), Psychosocial Aspects of Disease, and Essentials of Pharmacogenomics. Introduction to Pharmacy Practice offers opportunities to learn about information systems in addition to learning about pharmacy practice options. Service Learning and Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences provide students an opportunity to perform community service in the Northern Shenandoah Valley and interact directly with patients.

Second Professional Year (P2)

The second professional year is comprised of 34 semester credit hours in 16 courses. In the P2 year curriculum, student knowledge of drug information and skills managing drug information inquiries are strengthened through participation in the Drug Literature Evaluation, Research Methods, and Biostatistics courses. Additional foundation courses taught in the P2 year include Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics III (OTC). The Integrated Pharmaceutical Care and Science (ICare) courses sequence begins the spring semester of the P2 year. ICare consists of nine modules of sequenced and integrated courses spanning three semesters focusing on the pathophysiology of common diseases, as well as the chemical, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs used to treat these diseases, and the therapeutic management of patients. The ICare modules in the P2 year include Respiratory, Renal, and Cardiovascular. The students also take six semester credit hours of electives during the P2 year (three credits each semester). Students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree must complete a general elective from a select list of the University's undergraduate courses offered during the fall semester.

Third Professional Year (P3)

The third professional year is comprised of 36 semester credit hours in 19 courses. A major portion of the P3 year is the ICare lecture and laboratory courses sequence, which accounts for 17 semester credit hours. The ICare modules in the P3 year include Infectious Disease, Gastrointestinal/Nutrition, Endocrine/Reproduction, Neurosensory/Psychiatry, Musculoskeletal and Hematology/Oncology. Professional Practice Management I and II, and Pharmacy Law provide students with management skills and laws governing pharmacy practice. Finally, three semester credits hours of professional elective(s) complete the P3 coursework.

Fourth Professional Year (P4)

The fourth professional year, our Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience, consists of seven specific course rotations totaling 35 semester credit hours, plus a 1 credit senior practicum project. The rotations or clerkships are scheduled in five week units (semester credit hours correspond weeks of the rotation) totaling thirty-five weeks in duration. The main objective of the fourth professional year is to allow students to study in a supervised work environment applying knowledge, skills and attitudes of classroom education received on campus. Ultimately this experiential education component allows the student to learn and demonstrate the provision of pharmaceutical care.

Dual degree Doctor of Pharmacy/ Master of Business Administration Program

The dual degree Doctor of Pharmacy/ Master of Business Administration Program is offered in conjunction with the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. For more information on this program, please refer to the PharmD/MBA.