JoLaine R. Draugalis, R.Ph., Ph.D., FASHP, FAPhA, Dean
1110 N. Stonewall Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1223
Phone: (405) 271-6598
FAX: (405) 271-3830
Internet: http://pharmacy.ouhsc.edu
The College offers the doctor of pharmacy as the sole entry-level professional degree. The doctor of pharmacy degree program of the University of Oklahoma is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Graduates of the program are qualified to sit for the pharmacist licensure examination in all 50 states.
The doctor of pharmacy curriculum balances the basic sciences, which are fundamental to learning new concepts, and the clinical sciences, which are essential for delivering comprehensive pharmaceutical care. The College strives to educate professionals who understand the need for life-long learning. Offering an excellent student to faculty ratio, the College provides personalized instruction to students in a broad array of professional courses and a number of student professional organizations and an active student government.
The doctor of pharmacy program provides the clinical training and experience required of entry-level positions in all areas of contemporary pharmacy practice. About one-half of the pharmacy graduates today select a career in community pharmacy and one-third practice in hospitals or related health-system agencies. The remaining graduates choose from diverse opportunities in pharmaceutical industry, government, or education. The College currently offers residency opportunities in the following: Ambulatory Care, Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, HIV Pharmacotherapy, Internal Medicine, Oncology Pharmacotherapy, Pediatric Pharmacotherapy, Community Pharmacy.
The doctor of pharmacy degree is awarded after successful completion of an approved four year course of professional study following the completion of the preprofessional prerequisites. The prepharmacy requirements may be completed on the Norman campus of the University of Oklahoma or at any other accredited institution offering the required courses. Admission to the professional program is based upon the academic record along with other factors without regard to the institution attended.
The College of Pharmacy also offers the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in pharmaceutical sciences through the Graduate College. These are research-based programs comparable to graduate degrees in other fields of science, require a thesis/dissertation, and do not qualify graduates for professional licensure. Candidates for admission may hold an entry-level pharmacy degree (B.S. or Pharm.D.) or a degree in another area of science. The primary purpose of these programs is to provide advanced scientific education in preparation for careers in pharmaceutical education, research, and industry.
Prepharmacy advising and counseling is available at the Health Sciences Center through the Office of Pharmacy Student Affairs located in Room 111 of the College of Pharmacy Building or at the Schusterman Center Pharmacy Student Affairs located in Room 1D27. Applicants may speak to a pre-pharmacy adviser at (405) 271-6598 or (918) 660-3572, or e-mail OUPharmD@ouhsc.edu. Additionally, pre-pharmacy students are encouraged to join the OU Pre-Pharmacy Association which meets once a month on the Norman campus. For more information, e-mail the Pre-Pharmacy Association adviser, Jennifer Richardson at jennifer-richardson@ouhsc.edu.
Admission to the OU Doctor of Pharmacy program requires a minimum of two years of pre-professional university study and completion of approximately 64 semester hours of approved prerequisite courses. Full admission requirements and application procedures can be found on the College of Pharmacy website at http://pharmacy.ouhsc.edu.
Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses below with a grade of C or above, be in good standing at the last institution attended, and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale to be considered for admission. The sequence of prepharmacy courses will vary depending upon the schedule and specific prerequisites of the different institutions. Students entering the College of Pharmacy curriculum are also expected to have computer proficiency at or above the level of basic word processing skills. A course emphasizing basic business or professional computing or equivalent experience is recommended. All students are encouraged to contact a prepharmacy adviser at the College of Pharmacy for assistance in planning an appropriate prepharmacy program of study.
English Composition (ENGL 1113 and 1213) 6
Electives 24
Calculus 3
General Physics 3
General Chemistry (CHEM 1315 & 1415) 8
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 3053, 3152, 3153) 8
Biological Sciences 4
Minimum Total 64
These are minimum requirements. A preference will be given to applicants who have successfully completed a biochemistry course, upper-level sciences, both human anatomy and physiology and/or have received a bachelor’s degree. In order to be best prepared for pharmacy school, it is highly recommended that applicants complete zoology or general biology, microbiology, and at least either human anatomy or human physiology. Electives can be chosen from these subject areas: fine arts (non-performance based), history, political science, anthropology, humanities, geography, philosophy, literature, social science, behavioral science, foreign language, communications, English. A maximum of six hours in statistics, business or computer science may be counted in the elective hours. Students are expected to have a computer proficiency level at or above basic word processing skills. Students are encouraged to select a diverse set of courses as preference is given to those with a broad-based educational background that includes a diversity component.
Application for admission to the doctor of pharmacy program requires completion of the Pharmacy Centralized Application Service (PharmCAS) application as well as a supplemental application to the College of Pharmacy. The PharmCAS application may be accessed at http://www.pharmcas.org. The supplemental application may be accessed through the College of Pharmacy’s Web site at http://pharmacy.ouhsc.edu/pharmdadmission/#supp.
The following are required for admission to the doctor of pharmacy program:
1. Completion of all required prepharmacy courses with a grade of C or above and a minimum preprofessional grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must be in good standing with the college or university last attended.
2. Submission of the PharmCAS and supplemental applications fees by the established deadline dates. It is required that official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, three letters of recommendation and PCAT and/or TOEFL scores be sent directly to PharmCAS. An application is considered incomplete if either the PharmCAS or supplemental application is not submitted by the deadline. These fees can not be waived.
3. Completion of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). Additionally, individuals for whom English is a second language must attain a TOEFL score of 550 paper-based or 79 internet-based. Applicants are required to sit for these examinations prior to the application due date to provide the needed information to the Admissions Committee in a timely manner.
4. Completion of a personal interview. Interviews are by invitation only. This invitation to interview does not imply acceptance for admission and all expenses are the responsibility of the applicant.
Admission to the doctor of pharmacy program is on a competitive basis and a class of approximately 140 students is admitted for each fall semester. The deadline for application is November 1 of the year prior to admission. All admission documents should be submitted by this deadline. Applicants should be scheduled to complete all required prepharmacy courses by June 1 of the admission year. Residents of Oklahoma will receive some preference in the selection process but all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Applicants who have completed all admissions requirements and interviews are generally advised of their admission status in April of the admission year.
An increasing number of students admitted to the College of Pharmacy have earned a prior degree in another discipline. Individuals with a recent degree in science usually have fulfilled most of the prepharmacy requirements. Those who have been out of school for more than several years, or who have degrees in nonscience areas, generally require some current courses in science and/or mathematics to prepare for the professional curriculum. Individuals who have completed or are currently completing another degree and are interested in pharmacy are invited to contact the College of Pharmacy to discuss prerequisite requirements. The prepharmacy adviser will provide advice on an appropriate program of study as well as career options open to individuals with other degrees.
The doctor of pharmacy degree is a four year professional degree. Successful completion will require 140 credit hours. The doctor of pharmacy degree is awarded after successful completion of the curricular requirements with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 out of a possible 4.0.
Pharmacy provides a diversity of career options and affords the individual the opportunity to attain personal goals while achieving professional satisfaction. Career opportunities are expected to remain strong for graduates as pharmacists move into innovative and rewarding roles within the changing health care arena. The increasing numbers of elderly and the more culturally diverse population will require more highly skilled pharmacists to provide the care and services necessary to meet society’s health care needs. Pharmacists will continue to participate in the scientific advances and development of new and novel drug products and delivery systems for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. They will also be essential partners with well-informed patients and other health professionals who require detailed information about the proper use and management of drug therapy. The increasing severity of the typical patient’s illness in acute care settings coupled with the major strides in drug development, is likely to heighten the demands placed on clinically trained pharmacists in all health care settings.
The career outlook for pharmacists is excellent. Salaries for pharmacy graduates are influenced by location, size, and type of employer; the education and professional attributes of the pharmacist; and position requirements and responsibilities. Graduates also have a number of post-graduate training and education opportunities available to them to develop the skills necessary to enter advanced practice positions and environments. Whatever career track is selected by a pharmacy graduate, the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy provides the educational excellence necessary to attain this goal. Additional information on the doctor of pharmacy program is available from the Office of Pharmacy Student Affairs at (405) 271-6598 or (918) 660-3572.
July 2009