PharmD, Doctor of Pharmacy

North America’s first college of pharmacy. The first competency-driven PharmD curriculum. The one-of-a-kind Ready + 4 program. Options to enter as a direct-entry freshman, transfer or graduate student.   It’s all part of the pioneering legacy of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, ranked as the area’s top pharmacy school^*.

Our Ready + 4 program mirrors the complex realities of modern practice, preparing students to thrive in today’s pharmacy environment. Our distinctive two-phase education features a curriculum that adapts to the needs of undergraduate, transfer, and graduate students.

The Ready Phase

The first part of the program—the pre-professional, or Ready, phase—combines a strong foundation in pharmacy studies with a well-rounded undergraduate education. Typically completed in two years, this phase empowers undergraduate and transfer students to acquire the knowledge necessary to successfully pursue a pharmacist degree.

The flexible Ready phase accommodates students’ varied learning styles and interests. While our PharmD program is designed to be completed in six years, students wishing to pursue minors, double majors, or study abroad and who need more than two years to finish the Ready phase can complete up to two additional years without losing their direct-entry seat in the four-year professional phase.

The + 4 Phase

Four years of focused, professional development based on a unique, competency-driven curriculum highlight the second part of the program. The curriculum builds on foundational knowledge and skills, encouraging proficiency in a range of subjects, from human disease and pharmacology to pharmaceutics, therapeutics, and pharmacoeconomics.

Graduate and transfer students entering at this phase benefit from hands-on experience gained through our more than 300 clinical affiliation partner sites across the country—including some of the most renowned hospitals, medical centers, pharmaceutical companies, and regulatory agencies. Undergraduate students transition seamlessly from the pre-professional years to the professional curriculum through the program’s direct-entry admission option—no application or PCAT required.

What Sets Us Apart?

1. Founded in 1821, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy was the first pharmacy school in North America.

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2. Our alumni founded six of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

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3. Starting with the professional class of 2018, our Doctor of Pharmacy program will be the first pharmacy program to deliver a competency-driven professional curriculum with Ready + 4.

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4. Students seeking a pharmacist degree transition seamlessly from the pre-professional years to the professional curriculum through the direct-entry admission option—no application or PCAT required.

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5. 300+ clinical affiliation sites where students gain hands-on pharmacy experience throughout the professional program

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6. Our student-centered curriculum includes personalized learning support.

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7. Our faculty members are award-winning scientists, researchers, innovators, and leaders.

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8. Here, you’re in the heart of the health science industry, where you are surrounded by 250 medical facilities and within two hours of 75% of all U.S. pharmaceutical firms.

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9. Our students are prepared to thrive: 91% of PharmD graduates pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination on their first try—higher than the national average—and they have scored 5% higher than the national pass rate for two years in a row

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10. Lesson the total time and cost to complete a USciences MS or PhD—the integrated graduate credit program allows qualified undergraduate and professional students to take up to 15 additional credits of graduate coursework at no extra cost

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^*U.S. News & World Report, Best Pharmacy Programs:  https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/pharmacy-rankings