Today's pharmacist must be able to provide pharmaceutical care in a variety of healthcare settings. Responding to the profession's changing environment, the Pharm.D. program has added innovative new courses to its class offerings, while incorporating problem-solving skills, multidisciplinary team-based teaching and computer technology to its curriculum. In addition, the clerkship program has been modified, and a series of electives established that allow our students to specialize their education and provide valuable networking opportunities upon graduation.
By creating a curriculum that balances the basic knowledge components of pharmacy-biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, social and administrative science, clinical sciences and experiential training, the School provides students with a multidisciplinary educational experience which prepares them for contemporary pharmacy practice.
Degree Requirements
for the Doctor of Pharmacy
Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum
Program of Courses
Licensure as an Intern
Pharmacist
Licensure as a
Registered Pharmacist in California
Degree
Requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy
All students in the Doctor
of Pharmacy degree program must meet course requirements, grade point average
requirements and program residency requirements. All course requirements must be
completed as stipulated in the current School of Pharmacy's Academic Policies
and Procedures brochure. The degree will not be conferred until the student has
completed all pre-pharmacy requirements, and has met all of the School of
Pharmacy and University graduation requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy
degree. Students are subject to the degree requirements in the USC Catalogue
current for the semester of their admission into the Doctor of Pharmacy program.
Students must successfully complete all required courses in the Pharm.D. curriculum with a minimum grade of C and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to meet graduation requirements. Students who discontinue their enrollment with an authorized leave of absence will be subject to the degree requirements in effect for the semester of their readmission into the program. Students requesting exceptions should submit a petition to the School of Pharmacy.
Doctor of Pharmacy
Curriculum
A four-year curriculum, following a minimum of three years
of college pre-pharmacy work, is offered to students admitted to the School of
Pharmacy. The completion of this four-year professional curriculum is required
to earn the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The curriculum except for the third and
fourth year is a "block" program. All students must enroll in 18 units each
semester in courses designated for that Year, fall and spring. Students do not
have choices of courses to take nor are they permitted to drop any one course or
courses during the semester. (Year III and IV students have elective course
choices).
Progress is permitted only when the prior semester is completed in full. Students should view the curriculum outlined below as advisory only and subject to modification. Aggregate hours must equal a minimum of 144 units/hours.
The Curriculum Committee of the School of Pharmacy has developed guidelines and patient care competencies consistent with interpretations of this new role. The pharmacist of tomorrow will provide preventive and therapeutic pharmaceutical care, provide drugs to patients, communicate in health care matters, meet the ethical and legal requirements of the practice of pharmacy and maintain professional expertise.
An appropriate and dynamic educational program is needed to develop these competencies. Curriculum changes are also necessary and desirable in order to meet scientific advances, population profile changes, increasing health expectations, technological advances, the increasing role of the government in health services and other influences. Therefore, progress through the School of Pharmacy instructional programs should be viewed by the student with the expectation of change.
School of Pharmacy Curriculum
Year I
Fall
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 501 | Pharmaceutics I | 4 |
| PHRD 503 | Biological Systems I | 4 |
| PHRD 507 | Health Care Delivery Systems | 2 |
| PHRD 509 | Pharmacy Practice & Experience I | 4 |
| PHRD 555 | Biochemical & Molecular Sites of Drug Actions | 4 |
| total | 18 |
Spring
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 502 | Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
| PHRD 504 | Biological Systems II | 6 |
| PHRD 505 | Molecular Genetics & Therapy | 3 |
| PHRD 554 | Public Health & Epidemiology | 2 |
| PHRD 510 | Pharmacy Practice & Experience II | 4 |
| total | 18 |
Year II
Fall
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 551 | Immunology | 3 |
| PHRD 506 | Self Care/Non-Prescription Therapies | 5 |
| PHRD 557 | Therapeutics I | 5 |
| PHRD 559 | Therapeutics II | 2 |
| PHRD 561 | Parenteral Therapy Externship | 3 |
| or | ||
| PHRD 508 | Pharmacy Literature Analysis and Drug Information | 3 |
| total | 18 |
Spring
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 552 | Pharmaceutics IV | 3 |
| PHRD 553 | Management within Health Care Organizations | 2 |
| PHRD 560 | Therapeutics III | 6 |
| PHRD 562 | Therapeutics IV | 4 |
| PHRD 561 | Parenteral Therapy Externship | Credit fall |
| Elective | 3 | |
| or | ||
| PHRD 508 | Pharmacy Literature Analysis and Drug Information | 3 |
| total | 18 |
Year III
Fall
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 601 | Therapeutics V | 6 |
| PHRD 603 | Therapeutics VI | 3 |
| PHRD 605 | Therapeutics VII | 4 |
| PHRD 607 | Nutrition | 2 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| total | 18 |
Spring
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 606 | Therapeutics VIII | 2 |
| PHRD 608 | Therapeutics IX | 2 |
| PHRD 610 | Therapeutics X | 3 |
| PHRD 612 | Therapeutics XI | 2 |
| PHRD 614 | Pharmaceutical Economics & Outcomes Studies | 3 |
| PHRD 616 | Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| total | 18 |
Year III (Electives)
Fall
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 651 | Community Pharmacy I | 3 |
| PHRD 653 | Health Systems Pharmacy I | 3 |
| PHRD 655 | Geriatric Pharmacy I | 3 |
| PHRD 657 | Basic Research Design | 3 |
| PHRD 658 | Sleep & the Pharmacological Management of its Disorders | 3 |
| PHRD 659 | Molecular Therapeutics | 3 |
| PHRD 660 | Disease State Management | 3 |
| PHRD 661 | Pharmacy Practice in Women’s Health | 3 |
| PHRD 663 | Pharmaceutical Development | 3 |
| PHRD 665 | Complementary / Alternative Therapeutics | 3 |
| PHRD 667 | Drugs of Abuse | 3 |
| PHRD 669 | Health Care Needs of Special Populations | 3 |
Spring
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 652 | Community Pharmacy II | 3 |
| PHRD 654 | Health Systems Pharmacy II | 3 |
| PHRD 656 | Geriatric Pharmacy II | 3 |
| PHRD 658 | Sleep & the Pharmacological Management of Its Disorders | 3 |
| PHRD 660 | Disease State Management | 3 |
| PHRD 662 | Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice | 3 |
| PHRD 664 | Clinical Problem Solving | 3 |
| PHRD 666 | Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 3 |
| PHRD 668 | Computing Applications | 3 |
| PHRD 670 | Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing & Development | 3 |
Year IV
Fall/Spring Semester
| Course # | Title | Units |
| PHRD 701 | Acute Care Clinical Practice Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 702* | Inpatient Psychiatric Pharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 703 | Long Term Care Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 704 | Primary Care Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 705 | Community Pharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 706 | Geriatrics Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 707 | Outpatient Psychiatric Pharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 708* | Inpatient Clinical Practice Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 709* | Pediatric Drug Therapy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 710* | Surgery Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 711* | Cardiovascular Drug Therapy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 712* | Applied Clinical Pharmacokinetics Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 713 | Drug Information Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 714 | Radiopharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 715* | Oncology Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 716* | Ob-Gyn Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 717 | Dermatology Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 718 | Hospital Pharmacy Practice Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 719 | Pain Management Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 720* | Critical Care Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 721 | Drug Utilization Evaluation Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 722 | Home Health Care Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 723* | Nutritional Support Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 724 | Advanced Community Pharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 725 | International Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 726 | Directed Clinical Project Clerkship I | 6 |
| PHRD 727 | Directed Clinical Project Clerkship II | 6 |
| PHRD 728 | Directed Clinical Project Clerkship III | 6 |
| PHRD 729 | Directed Clinical Project Clerkship IV | 6 |
| PHRD 730 | Acute Care Geriatrics Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 731 | Advanced Geriatrics Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 732 | Pharmacy Administration Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 733* | Anticoagulation Therapy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 734* | Antimicrobial Therapy Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 735 | Clinical Pharmacy Research Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 736* | Chemical Dependency Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 737* | Clinical Transplantation Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 738 | Pharmaceutical Industry Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 739 | AIDS/Immune Disorders Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 740 | Health Care System Administration Clerkship | 6 |
| PHRD 741 | Advanced Pharmacy Clerkship | 6 |
*Acceptable for satisfying the inpatient practice elective requirement. Required Clerkships – 4 Rotations (6 units each): PHRD 701, PHRD 705, PHRD 704 + PHRD 702 or PHRD 707 + one course marked *. Elective Clerkships - 2 rotations (6 units each)
Licensure as an
Intern Pharmacist
Students enrolled in the USC School of Pharmacy
must obtain an intern licensure with the California State Board of Pharmacy at
the beginning of their first year. Applications for intern licensure are
available from the Office of the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, School of
Pharmacy.
Intern pharmacists may perform any of the duties of a registered pharmacist while working under the direct and personal supervision of a registered pharmacist.
Licensure
as a Registered Pharmacist in California
In order to practice
pharmacy in California, it is necessary that individuals meet the requirements
of the state law, from which the following information is taken.
Age: Applicants must be at least 18 years of
age.
Character: Applicants must be of good moral character
and of temperate habits.
Eligibility: To be eligible for
examination, the applicant must be graduated from a school or college of
pharmacy accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education or
recognized by the State Board of Pharmacy, or have completed equivalent
education and experience outside the United States, approved by the State Board.
A minimum of 1,000 hours of practical experience must be completed prior to
application deadline.
Experience: Pharmaceutical experience,
consisting of 1,500 hours (500 additional hours over and above the examination
requirement), is required before licensure may be granted. This experience must
predominantly relate to the dispensing of medications, compounding of
prescriptions, preparing pharmaceutical preparations, keeping records, and
making reports required by state and federal statutes.
Reciprocity: California has no reciprocal agreement with any state.
The laws and regulations relating to pharmacy are embodied in the California Pharmacy Law which may be obtained from the California Board of Pharmacy, 1625 N. Market Blvd - Suite N219; Sacramento, California 95834.