The doctor of pharmacy curriculum is designed to be completed within four years. The first three professional years of the program are primarily based in the classroom and laboratories on campus at UT Tyler. The fourth professional year is comprised of in-depth practice experiences where students learn at pharmacy practice locations with community practitioners and faculty members.
The FCOP uses a different approach to classroom teaching from the methods most students have encountered. Rather than focusing class time on listening to lectures, our students also actively engage in their learning by spending classroom time solving problems as part of a team. Students come to the classroom prepared to work on cases related to the pharmacy profession and solve those using critical thinking and communication skills. This method of teaching and learning greatly enhances comprehension and application of the content. More information about team-based learning can be found on the FCOP website at: http://uttyler.edu/pharmacy/about/learning.php.
Pharm.D. Curriculum
The FCOP Pharm.D. curriculum is a combination of classroom (including the foundational and clinical sciences), laboratory, and experiential learning. The full curriculum is available at: https://www.uttyler.edu/pharmacy/admissions/curriculum.php.
Didactic Courses
The Pharm.D. curriculum is organized into fall and spring semesters. Globally, the course content in the first year focuses on the foundational sciences. The second and third years of the curriculum focus on the clinical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, pharmacy law, and elective coursework.
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) are integrated throughout the first, second, and third years of the curriculum. During IPPEs, students rotate through institutional and community pharmacies where they learn from pharmacist preceptors and complete service-learning hours. These experiences provide the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained from classroom and laboratory coursework to pharmacy practice. IPPEs provide the breadth of experience to help prepare students for success in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. Participation in experiential coursework requires an active pharmacist intern license. The FCOP Office of Experiential Education oversees IPPE curriculum.
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences
The fourth professional year consists of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) and a pharmacy capstone course. Throughout this final year of the curriculum, students rotate through various pharmacy practice settings. Four core rotations and two elective rotations are required, each being 6-weeks in length. Students have the option to choose a third elective as a seventh rotation. This option is based on availability of sites and preceptors. Core APPE rotations include: Adult Medicine, Advanced Community, Advanced Institutional, and Ambulatory Care. Elective rotations include both patient care and non-patient care electives. Students must complete at least one patient care elective during APPEs. Participation in APPEs requires an active pharmacist intern license. The FCOP Office of Experiential Education oversees the APPE curriculum.
Pharm.D. Program Learning Outcomes
The Pharm.D. curriculum is designed to develop 15 key skills and characteristics necessary for FCOP graduates to enter the profession and practice at the highest level of their credentials. These Program Learning Outcomes influence the development of curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities within FCOP:
- Foundational knowledge: Integrate and apply scientific, social-behavioral, and clinical knowledge to make therapeutic decisions and recommendations.
- Patient-centered care: Develop individualized patient health-care plans.
- Medication use systems management: Manage medication use systems to improve healthcare outcomes.
- Health and wellness: Promote health and wellness strategies to prevent and manage chronic diseases.
- Population-based care: Integrate population-based data into the development of healthcare plans.
- Problem solving: Identify and resolve medication-related problems.
- Education: Provide education about pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies.
- Patient advocacy: Advocate for healthcare needs on individual and population-based levels.
- Interprofessional collaboration: Collaborate in decision making as part of a healthcare team.
- Cultural sensitivity: Incorporate the traditions of diverse cultural groups into individual and community-based care.
- Communication: Communicate clearly on a level appropriate for the intended audience.
- Self-awareness: Identify areas for self-improvement and incorporate constructive feedback into personal and professional development.
- Leadership: Motivate teams to work towards shared goals.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship: Develop new ideas to improve patient care and advance the profession.
- Professionalism: Demonstrate respect for all members of the community.
National Licensing Examinations
The Fisch College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. program provides students with the knowledge needed to pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) licensing exam. The program also provides students with the knowledge needed to pass the Federal and Texas State Laws tested within the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). The program does not provide comprehensive coverage of state laws outside of Texas. Additionally, not all states/territories use the MPJE for their law examinations, including Arkansas, California, Idaho, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy maintains a list of states accepting the NAPLEX and MPJE as licensing exams as well as contact information for each board of pharmacy.