Working Professional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.) Program

Why should I choose the University of Florida's working professional format?

The program is comprised of nine semesters of study covering body system disorders. Each semester consists of three full days of group interaction, multimedia faculty lectures viewed by the student, competency-based clinical practice assessments, course material accessible through the Internet, and communication to faculty, professors, and fellow study group members via email.

Our nine-semester, multi-dimensional program consists of the following components:

• Three (3) group interaction/clinical days per semester in your local area.
• Expert video presentations that you view when most convenient to your schedule.
• Longitudinal patients are used in most of the courses. It is one of the several ways that clinical requirements are completed. Students complete a number of clinical practice assessments throughout the program; these are flexible and compatible with busy work schedules.
• Internet-based curriculum with frequent e-mail interactions between professors and students.
• You will benefit from the long heritage of academic excellence of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy by being exposed to some of the finest experts in the world.

The Pharm.D. degree and the Multi-Model Delivery System By 2005 all entry-level pharmacists will hold the PharmD degree. While most working professional PharmD programs just bridge the degree gap, the advanced content of the University of Florida program complements your practice experience for a higher level of competence and autonomy. With a focus on proactive disease state management, you will learn a consultative approach to identifying drug-related problems and systematically applying drug knowledge to resolve and prevent these problems.

You access your coursework online anytime and anywhere with occasional opportunities to meet with a small learning community of your peers and a professional facilitator at convenient regional sites. Readings, DVD/CD multimedia presentations, group discussions, and local clinical practice assessments comprise a highly interactive and engaging distance learning experience. With unprecedented completion rates that exceed 92%, you will be able to complete this 3-year program on time and continue to take care of your work, family, and personal responsibilities.

Doctor of Pharmacy

Program Length

You can complete our program in as little as three years (9 semesters, 3 courses per year).

Enrollment Status

Pharmacists may enroll in the Working Professional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program as either degree-seeking or non-degree seeking students:

Degree-seeking students have applied to and been officially accepted into the program by the College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee. Students in this status have all of the rights and privileges of any University of Florida student as described in the University catalog. All credits earned are applied to the completion of the degree.

Non-Degree seeking students have not been officially accepted into the program by the Admissions Committee. Pharmacists often use this status to begin their study while finalizing the admissions process. Pharmacists may be a non-degree seeking student for only ONE semester. During this one semester, the student must complete the application process and be admitted to the Working Professional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program in order to continue to take pharmaceutical care courses. The pharmaceutical care course taken as a non-degree seeking student will be counted toward the Doctor of Pharmacy degree upon admission to the program.

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the program is limited to pharmacists holding U.S. licensure, with a preference at this time to graduates of B.S. in Pharmacy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

The successful applicant must be practicing and preferably have access to patients.

To earn the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, the student must be accepted into the program by the Admissions Committee.

Financial Aid

Loans

Currently, there is no federal financial aid available to students in the WPPD program. However, there are some private lending institutions that lend money to non-traditional students to cover educational expenses. One of these organizations is P.L.A.T.O. If you would like information about obtaining a loan through P.L.A.T.O., call (800) GO-PLATO.

Scholarships

The McKesson Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship granted by the McKesson Drug Company for one student enrolled in the Working Professional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program. The scholarship will be administered by the College of Pharmacy Financial Aid and Awards Committee. To be considered, you must have been most recently practicing in a community pharmacy setting, you must be a Florida resident and you must have a business working relationship with the McKesson Drug Company. The selection will be based primarily on financial need.

Click here to request more information about the Working Professional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program

Accreditation

The program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and governed by the policies, procedures, and mandates of the State of Florida Board of Education, the University of Florida and College of Pharmacy.