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Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program

Our 3.5-year program is your path to rewarding, diverse career options.

Create. Care. Connect.

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Think you know Pharmacy? There’s so much more…

Pharmacists are essential members of the health care team. They are trusted professionals who advise patients, collaborate with providers, and contribute to groundbreaking research. They work in community settings, hospitals, industry, academia, and beyond.

At WesternU College of Pharmacy, we prepare you for all the possibilities with a cutting-edge, student-centered curriculum. The program is bolstered by student-centered learning in state-of-the-art classrooms where peer support is optimized. Classes are led by dedicated faculty, with whom you’ll gain valuable hands-on experience and engage in research. With clinical training and extensive resources, WesternU prepares you for a rewarding career in caring for patients.
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Our 3.5-Year Block System Sets Us Apart

WesternU pioneered the block-system curriculum, which allows you to master one subject at a time on a 3.5-year timeline. Taught by nationally and internationally acclaimed faculty with advanced training in a wide range of specialties, you’ll graduate in December, six months ahead of students from other pharmacy programs, giving you a competitive advantage in the job market and the chance to take your licensure board exams early. And with summer breaks, you can do a Global Health Summer Rotation, participate in summer research with faculty, or just relax and recharge.
Advantages of Earning a PharmD Degree in 3.5 Years

World-Class Faculty

You’ll learn from distinguished faculty with national and international recognition for their leadership and professional accomplishments, along with considerable grant support.

Real-World Experience

Clinical experiences early on and access to extensive rotation opportunities, including approximately 700 preceptors nationally and internationally, give you a wide range of opportunities to apply what you’re learning in the classroom to real-world scenarios.

Inclusive Learning Experience

At WesternU, we believe in treating patients as people first, treating students as colleagues, and fostering camaraderie among students and faculty alike.

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The skills and training for a rewarding career

To obtain the PharmD degree, our pharmacy students complete a curriculum consisting of four components: the didactic curriculum, experiential education curriculum, interprofessional curriculum, and professionalism curriculum. In the core didactic component of the program, you learn about biological systems and about drugs and their effect on the body through courses in areas such as therapeutics, healthcare administration, pharmacology, immunology, pharmaceutics, pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics and learn how to apply this knowledge to pharmacy practice. Your studies will include communication skills, patient counseling, pharmacy practice laws and regulations, health care systems, physical assessment and evaluation of the medical literature.
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  • Preparing you

    for Success

    While your journey begins in the classroom, WesternU aims to prepare you for the future so you can serve your community with confidence. We offer 350 rotation sites with approximately 700 preceptors nationally and internationally. Potential rotation locations include California, Hawaii, Illinois, Arizona, Utah, and countries like Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan. You will have the opportunity to complete a research project, making you more marketable for post-graduate residencies and fellowships. And when you’re ready to create your residency application, we’ll connect you with a professor to help you make the right impression.

    Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum
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Our Alumni Pursue Many Different Career Paths

The pharmacy profession offers a variety of job opportunities, including roles like hospital pharmacist, pharmacy consultant, pharmaceutical researcher, and informatics pharmacist.

Western U PharmD graduates succeed in these roles and many others.
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Marina Dykhne, PharmD, BCACP, APh, CDCES, BC-ADM

WesternU Class of 2016, Global Senior Manager, External Medical Engagements, Amgen

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Michael Trillanes, PharmD, BCCCP

WesternU Class of 2013, Neurocritical Care Pharmacist, UCSF Medical Center

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Meighan Merono, PharmD

WesternU Class of 2007, Medical Science Liaison, The Medical Affairs Company

“The PharmD program at WesternU was unique and crucial to helping me become highly educated and trained to be ready for my future goals.”

Khalid Taher, PharmD ’20
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WesternU VIRTUAL TOUR

Western University of Health Sciences is one of the most comprehensive graduate schools for the health professions in the nation. Immerse yourself in 360-degree views, videos and photos that showcase WesternU’s colleges, labs, and programs.
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Take the Next Step

The pharmacy profession is diverse and rewarding. At WesternU, you will have strong academic preparation and supportive faculty and peers. This is the place to earn your PharmD.

Get more information today and let us guide you through the application process.