Doctor of Pharmacy

Mailing Address: 
Chicago Campus:
College of Pharmacy
Office of Student Affairs
833 S Wood St., Room 154 (MC 874)  
Chicago, IL 60612-7230 
(312) 996-7242

Rockford Campus:
College of Pharmacy
Room A220
1601 Parkview Ave.
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 395-5736  

Contact Information: 
 
pharmacy.uic.edu/programs


Introduction

Established in 1859 and consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally, the UIC College of Pharmacy is renowned for seamless integration of its educational programs, pharmacy services, and research. With campuses in Chicago and Rockford, the college prepares the next generation of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, and pharmacy leaders.

Doctor of Pharmacy Degree

Prior to entering the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree at UIC, a prospective student will have to complete the required pre-pharmacy prerequisite course work at any regionally accredited college or university. After completing the prerequisite course work, the PharmD degree can be earned by completing four years of professional education at the UIC College of Pharmacy. 

Accreditation

The University of Illinois Chicago Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 190 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, Illinois 60603-3410, (312) 664-3575; fax: (312) 664-4652.

Admission

Admission to the college is selective and highly competitive. Admission criteria include demonstrated academic ability, good moral character, proficiency and clarity in both written and spoken English, strong potential for professional outlook and behavior, evidence of leadership and maturity, and complete mental and physical competence to perform all tasks regularly expected of a registered pharmacist. 

Admission Pathways

The UIC College of Pharmacy offers various pathways prospective students can take for admission into the PharmD program offered in Chicago and Rockford.  See the College of Pharmacy website for more information about each pathway.

  • Regular Admissions—Apply for admission after completing the pre-pharmacy prerequisite coursework at any regionally accredited college or university.  

  • Transfer Admissions—Apply for admission if currently attending another ACPE-accredited pharmacy school and seeking to possibly transfer to UIC from that school.
  • Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA)—Apply directly from high school through UIC's Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions initiative.
  • State Affiliate Programs with Illinois Universities or Colleges—Attend one of the UIC College of Pharmacy's state affiliate partner universities or colleges and apply to the State Affiliate Program.
  • International Affiliate Programs—Apply for admission when associated with one of our International Affiliate Partnerships.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the PharmD Program, prospective students must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 18 required pre-pharmacy courses (semester) with a C- grade or better by the end of the summer semester of the admission year. All required pre-pharmacy courses must be taken on a graded basis.  Pre-pharmacy courses may be taken at the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, see the Preprofessional Studies section of the catalog, or at any regionally accredited college or university and must be completed by the end of the summer semester the year the applicant wishes to matriculate.  The required pre-pharmacy course work is listed below.
  2. Have cumulative, required pre-pharmacy course work, and combined science/math course work grade point averages of 2.50/4.00 or better. Repeated classes must be calculated into the cumulative and the combined science/math course work grade point averages, but not the required pre-pharmacy course work grade point average.
  3. Complete a PharmCAS application.
  4. If an International applicant, demonstrate English competency.  (See the College of Pharmacy website for more information.) 
  5. If invited, complete a UIC Supplemental Application.
  6. If selected, participate in an onsite admission interview and assessment of written and verbal communication skills.
Pre-Pharmacy Requirements Minimum Semester Courses Minimum Quarter Courses
Communication
Written communication 1 1
Verbal communication 1 1
Additional (written or verbal) 1 1
Life Sciencesa
General biology with laboratory 2 3
Anatomy and physiology 2 2 or 3
Microbiology with laboratory 1 1
Physical Sciencesa
Inorganic chemistry with laboratory 2 3
Organic chemistry with laboratory 2 3
Physics 1 1
Biochemistry 1 1
Mathematics/Statistics
Calculus 1 1
Statistics 1 1
Social or behavioral sciencesb 1 1
Humanitiesb 1 1
Total Coursesc 18 21 or 22
a

If science courses were taken more than five years prior to admission application, students must have their transcripts evaluated by a College of Pharmacy admissions counselor.

b

Students completing an undergraduate degree at UIC must complete the General Education requirements. Students should consult the General Education section and their college/department sections of the catalog for more information on fulfilling these requirements.

c

Each course must be a minimum of 3 semester or 4 quarter credit hours.

Matriculation Requirements

If selected for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program, prospective students must be willing:

  1. To provide verification of immunity status as dictated by the university's immunization and clinical education requirements;
  2. To be in possession of a valid Illinois pharmacy technician license in good standing at all times or such licenses as required by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR);
  3. To provide one’s own transportation to off-campus pharmacy practice experience sites;
  4. To be in compliance with HIPAA requirements;
  5. To agree to and abide by the college's policy on audio/video recordings of curricular content for distance education; and
  6. To meet any other matriculation requirements, such as criminal background checks and drug screenings.

Failure to comply with the conditions above, and any other conditions set forth in the College of Pharmacy Matriculation and Continued Enrollment Policies, will result in refusal of further registration for course work.

Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Requirements

To earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UIC, students need to satisfactorily complete didactic course work, introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE), and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE). These degree requirements are outlined below.

Summary of PharmD Hours
Total core hours (excluding IPPE and APPE)78
Total professional elective hours13
Total experiential hours (IPPE and APPE)42
Total Hours133

Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
PHAR 410 Integrated Physiology 3
PHAR 411 Introduction Pharmacy Practice 4
PHAR 422 Fundamentals of Drug Action 4
PHAR 431 Pharmaceutics I - Pharmaceutics Principles, Drug Delivery Systems, and Calculations 3
PHAR 435 Pharmacokinetics 3
PHAR 465 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 1 0
Electives a 0-1
 Hours17-18
Spring Semester
PHAR 412
Introductory Pharmacy Practice (IPPE): Community
or Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE): Hospital
2
PHAR 423 Fundamentals of Drug Action II 4
PHAR 432 Pharmaceutics II – Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Calculations 2
PHAR 438 Introduction to Drug Information (weeks 1-5) b 1
PHAR 461 Pharmacy and the U.S. Healthcare System (weeks 6-15) b 2
PHAR 501 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 1: Self Care 3
PHAR 502 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 2: GI/Endocrine 3
PHAR 466 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 2 0
Electives a 0-1
 Hours17-18
Second Year
Fall Semester
PHAR 412
Introductory Pharmacy Practice (IPPE): Community
or Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE): Hospital
2
PHAR 433 Pharmaceutics III – Complex Dosage Forms and Calculations 2
PHAR 462 Social and Behavioral Pharmacy (weeks 1-10) b 2
PHAR 463 Personal and Professional Development 2
PHAR 464 Patient Safety (weeks 11-15) b 1
PHAR 503 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 3: Renal, Electrolytes, and Nutrition 3
PHAR 504 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 4: Immunology/Respiratory 4
PHAR 467 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 3 0
Electives a 0-2
 Hours16-18
Spring Semester
PHAR 414 Introductory Pharmacy Practice (IPPE): Introduction to Patient Care 2
PHAR 434 Pharmaceutics IV – Drug Delivery Systems Design and Calculations Competency 2
PHAR 439 Pharmacoepidemiology and Biostatistical Reasoning (weeks 1-5) b 1
PHAR 440 Evidence-Based Medicine (weeks 6-15) b 2
PHAR 505 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 5: Cardiovascular 4
PHAR 506 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 6: Infectious Diseases 4
PHAR 468 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 4 0
Electives a 0-3
 Hours15-18
Third Year
Fall Semester
PHAR 507 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 7: Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pain 4
PHAR 508 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 8: Special Topics 3
PHAR 515
Patient Care: Institutional/Hospital
or Patient Care: Ambulatory Care/Community
2
PHAR 520 Applied Pharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacogenomics 3
PHAR 565 Pharmacoeconomics and Payment 2
PHAR 469 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 5 0
Electives a 0-4
 Hours14-18
Spring Semester
PHAR 509 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 9: Hematology and Oncology 3
PHAR 510 Pathophysiology, Drug Action, and Therapeutics (PDAT) 10: Advanced Disease Management 3
PHAR 515
Patient Care: Institutional/Hospital
or Patient Care: Ambulatory Care/Community
2
PHAR 566 Management and Informatics 2
PHAR 567 Pharmacy Law and Ethics 3
PHAR 470 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement fo Students (PhLAMES) 6 0
Electives a 0-5
 Hours13-18
Fourth Year
Fall and Spring Semesters
(and Third Year Summer Semester)
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences—APPE (7 x 6-week APPEs, 4 credit hours each) c 28
PHAR 471 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 7 0
PHAR 472 Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) 8 0
Four APPE courses are required (Community, Hospital, Ambulatory Care, and Medicine). The remaining three APPE courses are selected from a list of APPE options in consultation with program advisors.
 Hours28
 Total Hours133

Academic policies related to the College of Pharmacy curriculum are available on the College of Pharmacy website.

Advising and Mentoring

The Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) required course series aims to advance students’ professional and character development in pharmacy school by getting them involved in mentoring and participating in co-curricular activities.

Student Organizations

Student organizations are available at both the Chicago and Rockford campuses. Joining student organizations can provide students with a number of opportunities to grow as student pharmacists outside of the classroom, such as:

  • Getting to know fellow pharmacy students at the UIC and across the US;
  • Gaining experience working with real patients while participating in health fairs, blood drives and other events;
  • Giving back to the community;
  • Building networks with professionals and alumni; 
  • Developing leadership skills.