Pharmacy Curriculum

Philosophy of the Curriculum

The educational philosophy of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Ferris State University aligns with the College mission to educate and support professionals who positively influence and impact the health outcomes of the people they serve. This curriculum proposal is built from the faculty approved Doctor of Pharmacy ability-based outcomes designed to prepare students with the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to meet this mission, the curriculum provides students with a balanced foundation in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, social and administrative, and clinical sciences. Integration of these sciences throughout the didactic curriculum, co-curricular activities and a progressive experiential sequence ranging from rural corner drug stores to urban level I trauma centers, culminates in a learning experience that is balanced, patient-focused, team-based and diverse. A variety of learning and assessment techniques are strategically integrated throughout the program to ensure students’ progressive attainment of the ability-based outcomes. Methods utilized to facilitate student learning include: lecture, case studies, simulation, written assignments, reflections, presentations, and formative, summative and clinical examinations. Upon successful completion of the curriculum, graduates are prepared to be responsible, lifelong learners who are able to practice as entry-level pharmacist practitioners in any setting.

Curricular Component Summaries

Foundations of Pharmacotherapy Sequence

The purpose of these courses (PHAR 519 & 520) is to bridge the knowledge gap between the pre-pharmacy curriculum (e.g. biochemistry, anatomy and physiology) and the integrated pharmacotherapy sequence that begins in the P2 year.

Dosage Forms and Biopharmaceutics/Pharmacokinetics Sequence

Dosage Forms and Biopharmaceutics (PHAR 523) introduces pharmacy students to pharmaceutical dosage forms, formulation science, routes of administration, biopharmaceutics and introductory pharmacokinetics principles with a focus on solution and suspension dosage forms.  Dosage Forms and Pharmacokinetics (PHAR 524), the second course in the series, will emphasize solid dosage forms and more advanced pharmacokinetics.

Pharmacy Skills and Patient Care Lab Sequence

The courses (PHAR 587 & 588) will focus on topics such as: non-sterile compounding, calculations, drug information, physical assessment, and communication skills that fit into the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process. Additional topics include: sterile compounding, calculations, physical assessment, presentation skills, drug literature, medical records, and medication safety. 

Introductory and Advance Practice Experience Sequence

The experiential curriculum is designed to focus on specific outcomes to expose students to common contemporary practice models, including inter-professional practice and direct patient care. The introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) are structured and sequenced to develop a clear understanding of what constitutes exemplary pharmacy practice. 300 hours of IPPE are required by accreditation, with 150 occurring in each of the community (PHAR 593) and hospital setting (PHAR 693).  In PHAR 691 & 791: Direct Patient Care IPPE, students will focus on direct patient care, inter-professional collaboration and cultural sensitivity.

The advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) make up the entirety of the 4th professional year. The proposed curriculum will maintain the same structure of 6, 6-week APPE’s. Students will be required to take Ambulatory Care, Inpatient Medicine, Community Pharmacy, and Health System APPE’s. Students will continue to have the opportunity for 2 APPE electives.

Pharmacy Administration, Drug Information and Research and Analytical Methods

Pharmacy and Health Care Systems 1 (PHAR 515) and 2 (PHAR 516) is intended to provide students with an overview of pharmacy and health care systems in the US and around the world. The Pharmacy Practice Management 1 and 2 course sequence covers the fundamentals of human resource management, operations management, financial management, project management and leadership/entrepreneurship. It will also cover pharmacoeconomics. Pharmacy Law covers the necessary law for preparation for practice and the board exam.

The Drug Information, Informatics and Biostatistics course covers the provisions of contemporary drug information and moves this material up to the 2nd professional year to support the integrated pharmacotherapy sequence. The course is also intended to help prepare the student to read and understand the primary medical literature with an understanding of the different analytical methods used. Analytical methods will include common univariate and multivariate inferential statistics seen in published clinical studies. 

Integrated Pharmacotherapy Sequence

Integrated Pharmacotherapy (PHAR 619 to 624; PHAR 719 to 724) is designed to combine and streamline the content formerly provided in the pathophysiology, drug action, infectious diseases, pharmacotherapeutics and 2nd and 3rd year laboratory courses. The coursework each week is split among lecture hours, active learning (AL) sessions and laboratory. The final course in the sequence (PHAR 724 - P3 spring semester) is designed as a Pharmacotherapeutic review (spiraling, review, updates, new guidelines, etc.) and for the APPE preparation.

PharmD Seminar

The Doctor of Pharmacy seminar is intended to be a capstone problem solving and presentation experience.

Courses and Completion Schedule

Fall - First Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 515	Pharmacy and Health Care Systems 1	3
PHAR 519	Foundations of Pharmacotherapy 1	3
PHAR 523	Dosage Forms and Biopharmaceutics	4
PHAR 587	Pharmacy Skills and Patient Care Lab 1	3

Total Semester Credit Hours: 13.0

Spring - First Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 516	Pharmacy and Health Care Systems 2	3
PHAR 531	Over-the-Counter Pharmacotherapy	3
PHAR 520	Foundations of Pharmacotherapy 2	3
PHAR 524	Dosage Forms and Pharmacokinetics	4
PHAR 588	Pharmacy Skills and Patient Care Lab 2	2

Total Semester Credit Hours: 15.0

Summer - First Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 593	Medication Distribution-Community IPPE (3 week)	2

Total Semester Credit Hours: 2.0

Fall - Second Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 619	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 1	4
PHAR 620	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 2	4
PHAR 621	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 3	4
PHAR 630	Pharm Practice Management 1	3
PHAR 691	Direct Patient Care IPPE 1 (Fall or Spring)	0.5

Total Semester Credit Hours: 15.5

Spring - Second Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 622	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 4	4
PHAR 623	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 5	4
PHAR 624	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 6	4
PHAR 640	Drug Literature, Informatics, and Biostatistics	3
PHAR 691	Direct Patient Care IPPE 1 (Fall or Spring)	0.5

Total Semester Credit Hours: 15.5

Summer - Second Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 693	Medication Distribution-Health System IPPE (3 week)	2

Total Semester Credit Hours: 2.0

Fall - Third Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 719	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 7	4
PHAR 720	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 8	4
PHAR 721	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 9	4
PHAR 730	Pharm Practice Management 2	3
PHAR 791	Direct Patient Care IPPE 2 (Fall or Spring)	0.5

Total Semester Credit Hours: 15.5

Spring - Third Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 722	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 10	4
PHAR 723	Integrated Pharmacotherapy 11	4
PHAR 724	Integrated Pharmacotherapy Capstone	4
PHAR 735	Pharmacy Law	3
PHAR 791	Direct Patient Care IPPE 2 (Fall or Spring)	0.5

Total Semester Credit Hours: 15.5

Didactic Electives

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
n/a	Three 2-Credit Courses Required	6

Fourth Professional Year

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
PHAR 800	Inpatient General Med APPE	6
PHAR 802	Ambulatory Care APPE	6
PHAR 810	Health System Pharmacy APPE	6
PHAR 811	Community Pharmacy APPE	6
PHAR 8XX	Elective APPE	6
PHAR 8XX	Elective APPE	6
PHAR 820	Doctor of Pharmacy Seminar (0.5 X 2)	1

Total Academic Year Credit Hours: 37

Total Hours for Graduation: 137