best pharmacy phd programs

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

The PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSC) program is a highly competitive doctoral degree program within the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD)

Learn about our program that supports biomedical graduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Training in a highly collaborative atmosphere, our graduates gain the knowledge and skills required for discovering novel biological pathways in human health and disease as well as for the development and delivery of medications for safe and effective therapy.

With state-of-the-art facilities, funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Food and Drug Administration, and pharmaceutical industry, students receive mentorship that prepares them for outstanding careers in academia, the federal government, and the pharmaceutical industry.

This three-minute video presents an overview of the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, showcasing how the program prepares students to become leaders in the fields of drug discovery and development.

Current faculty and students are making headlines at the School of Pharmacy and beyond.

• February 12, 2024 My UMSOP Story: Angie Nguyen, PhD '16, research director
• November 1, 2023 Grad Gathering Welcomes Alums of PSC, PHSR, and Regulatory Science Programs
• October 23, 2023 School Names Three New Academic Program Directors

I was drawn to the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program by its diverse areas of research and collaborative environment. Knowing that I could tackle my research interest from many angles – including biochemistry, chemistry, and molecular biology – greatly appealed to me. PSC faculty members are very knowledgeable and have a profound understanding of their research areas. All of the professors work together to answer any research questions that students have.

2024 Best Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools

Choosing a great pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences school for your doctor's degree, quality overall is important, average earnings, other factors we consider, one size does not fit all, best schools for doctorate students to study pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences in the united states, 20 top schools for a doctorate in pharmacy.

Those pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences students who get their doctor's degree from University of Southern California earn $12,257 more than the standard pharmacy grad.

Doctorate recipients from the pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center get $12,755 more than the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

Rest of the Top Best Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools

Honorable mentions.

Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences by Region

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best master's degrees in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best value in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best for non-traditional students in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best online in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, most popular online in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best bachelor's degrees in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best overall in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, highest paid grads in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, best for veterans in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, most popular in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, most focused in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences related rankings by major, pharmacy concentrations.

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Notes and References

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• v.7; 2022 Sep

2020 rankings for US PharmD programs, research, and overall quality

Lisa lebovitz.

a University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 North Pine Street, PH S303, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America

Kimberly K. Daugherty

b Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2100 Gardiner Lane, Louisville, KY 40205, United States of America

Margarita V. DiVall

c Northeastern University School of Pharmacy, 120 Behrakis Life Sciences, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America

Eric G. Boyce

d Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, United States of America

Michael Rudolph

e Lincoln Memorial University School of Medical Sciences, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, United States of America

US News and World Report (USNWR) publishes well-known rankings of graduate health programs. Medicine and nursing are ranked with weighted metrics using multiple criteria, and medical schools are ranked separately according to their focus (research or primary care). USNWR pharmacy school rankings are based on a single-question peer perception survey.

The objective of this study was to develop a simple, transparent framework to rank US colleges and schools of pharmacy in overall quality and separately based on program quality and research quality, using data that are readily available to the academy.

Data for three education quality and four research quality metrics were obtained for 2020. Each metric was standardized and ranked, and then each set was summed to determine separate ranks for education and research. Education and research scores were combined using equal weights to provide a single rank for overall quality. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the effect of assigning higher proportionate value to education, similar to USNWR medical school rankings.

Distinct ranks were produced for education, research, overall (education: research) 50:50, and overall 60:40. Sensitivity analysis suggests the more disproportionately the education and research factors are weighted, the more ranks change. Mid-ranked schools were most impacted when weightings changed due to relative strength in one factor and relative weakness in the other. When weighted 60:40, nine (7%) mid-ranked programs improved in rank, while 11 (11%) worsened in rank compared to the 50:50 model.

Separately ranking education and research can highlight the diverse strengths of pharmacy schools. The proposed model is based on easily obtainable data and is easily reproducible, allowing for annual rankings. These rankings may be used by PharmD and PhD applicants when selecting schools and by pharmacy schools to benchmark true and aspirational peers.

1. Introduction

Nearly 25,000 individuals signed a change.org petition 1 circulated in 2018 to protect the pharmacist profession, including tightening accreditation requirements such as a minimum 80% pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) for schools to maintain accreditation. The petitioners cited indicators of pharmacy school quality as accreditation status, US News and World Report (USNWR) rankings, and NAPLEX pass rates, all of which have their own limitations. 2 USNWR rankings can be frustrating for colleges and schools of pharmacy and the general public because peer perception is the only criterion; they are based on an invalid rating scale with no criteria provided for the rating. 2 , 3 The USNWR rankings also do not align with other studies of quality. Nau and colleagues 2 found that when NAPLEX pass rates and USNWR rankings were compared side by side, many of the schools ranked in the top 10 in USNWR were not in the top 50 for NAPLEX, and schools with very high NAPLEX pass rates were not as highly ranked. Flawed rankings of academic programs and institutions may also result in members of those programs and institutions questioning their core identities and then reacting by developing inappropriate strategies and tactics in an effort to improve their rankings. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7

Many published rankings for universities and academic programs utilize inconsistent methodologies and quality criteria, and may not be based on objective data or any data, as is the case with USNWR pharmacy program rankings. 8 , 9 However, USNWR medicine and nursing program rankings include objective metrics such as program selectivity and faculty resources ( Table 1 ). 10 , 11

Criteria and weights for US News & World Report Best Medical Schools and Best Nursing Schools Rankings Formulas. 10 , 11

A study by Ried and Ried 12 found that USNWR program rankings were higher if programs were older, were affiliated with an academic health center, were classified as research-intensive, or were members of a Power 5 athletic conference. The number of full-time faculty equivalents, pharmacy practice h-index, and research funding were also predictors of a program's USNWR ranking. Lastly, student PCAT comprehensive percentile and first-time NAPLEX pass rates were also found to influence rankings. Another study by Ried and Ried 13 found that faculty and student attributes significantly impacted pharmacy school rankings. Faculty metrics included full-time faculty equivalents and research productivity, which were stronger predictors than student academic preparation or NAPLEX scores. The models in their study demonstrate the possibility of creating rankings using more objective data. However, compiling data from individual schools for this purpose is laborious.

Multiple available data sources reflect quality and could be used to determine pharmacy school rankings, including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Office of Institutional Research, 14 the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), 15 and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). 16 AACP gathers information annually about pharmacy programs and students, full-time faculty, and external funding and makes it available to its members upon request. NABP publishes annual pass rates for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), and ASHP disseminates data annually to pharmacy school deans on PharmD graduates' placement in ASHP-accredited Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY1) residency programs.

The objective of this study was to create a simple model for ranking pharmacy schools that improves upon the USNWR pharmacy school rankings by utilizing metrics and data available without additional surveys, calculating ranks with a transparent and easily reproducible method, and considering educational and research strengths separately to reflect the breadth and variety of strengths among all pharmacy schools in the academy.

Seven indicators attributed to pharmacy school quality were identified from readily available sources. Three indicators represented PharmD program educational quality: student-to-faculty ratio (number of total PharmD students enrolled divided by the number of full-time faculty), NAPLEX pass rate for first-time candidates, and percentage of graduates matched to an ASHP-accredited residency program (number of PGY1 residency matches (both phases) divided by the number of PharmD graduates). The total PharmD students enrolled and the number of PharmD graduates were obtained from the AACP Profile of Pharmacy Students and Degrees Conferred tables. 17 , 18 The number of full-time faculty was taken from the AACP Full-time Pharmacy Faculty Interactive Dashboard, 19 the NAPLEX pass rates from NABP, 20 and residency matches from ASHP email sent to pharmacy school deans. The other four indicators pertained to research: total research funding dollars, average award amount (total funding dollars divided by the number of funded faculty), the total number of principal investigators on NIH grants, and the number of PhDs conferred. The first three research variables were obtained from the AACP Funded Research Grant Institutional Rankings, 21 while the fourth was drawn from the AACP Profile of Pharmacy Students, Degrees Conferred. 18 While the USNWR medical school and nursing school rankings helped to inform our selection of education and research quality indicators, a number of indicators used by USNWR are not readily available for pharmacy schools, such as standardized admission test scores (PCAT instead of MCAT); undergraduate GPA; admissions selectivity (number of applicants offered admission); clinical practice participation; graduate outcomes; and other measures of faculty achievement. 10 , 11

The dataset was cleaned using Microsoft Excel (Version 16.0.11126.20192; Microsoft, 2019) and IBM SPSS (Version 27; IBM, 2020). All variables were converted to a standard score (Z score) to place them on a common scale for calculating the rankings. One variable, student-to-faculty ratio, was reverse-coded so that the direction of the scale was consistent with the other variables (i.e., larger values would be associated with higher quality). When calculating the education rankings, schools missing one or more education variables were deleted listwise. Those schools that reported research funding to AACP but had no NIH investigators or PhDs conferred, or those schools with no research funding or program, were included in the research analysis but assigned zero values for those variables as appropriate.

A sensitivity analysis was performed to compare the effects of applying different weights to the education score and the research score when calculating the overall school ranks, similar to USNWR, that weights different metrics of the medicine and nursing rankings depending on school or program focus. The rank for each school was re-calculated using different 10-point increments for the weight of the education factor. For example, each school's total rank was calculated using a weight of 0 for the education factor and 100 for the research factor, followed by a weight of 10 for the education factor and 90 for the research factor, and so forth. A difference in rank (absolute value) was calculated for each school's rank at each increment compared to the rank produced from the 50:50 weighting scheme. Schools were divided into three groups containing an approximately equal number of schools, based on their overall rank using the 50:50 weighting scheme (i.e., group 1 - highest ranked third, group 2 - middle ranked third, group 3- lowest ranked third). The mean difference in rank was then compared for each group of schools and, overall, for the rank produced using each weighting scheme relative to the 50:50 approach. Results from the sensitivity analysis were also used to identify a second weighting scheme that could be useful and appropriate.

Of the 141 US colleges and schools of pharmacy, four schools were excluded for incomplete or missing variables in both education and research, two schools were excluded as their accreditation had been withdrawn, and five schools had incomplete education and research data. There were 130 schools with complete education data for that ranking and 112 with complete data for the research ranking. By assigning zero values for missing research variables, education, research, and overall ranks for 130 schools were calculated in the final dataset.

The sensitivity analysis ( Fig. 1 ) suggests that the further from the 50:50 approach to weighting the education and research factors one deviates, the more dramatic the difference in the school rankings. For example, the mean difference in overall rank produced from the 50:50 scheme compared to the 60:40 is only 3.3 positions, whereas the difference from the 50:50 scheme compared to the 90:10 scheme is 11.1 positions. Additionally, the effects of changes in the weights applied to the education and research factors are not equal across the three groups of institutions. The greatest reshuffling of institutions appears to occur within the second (middle) group. An average change of 14.2 positions was observed for these institutions when education received a weight of 20 compared with changes of 3.2 and 9.6 for groups one and three. Institutions in the second group also changed an average of 11.4 positions when education received a weight of 80, compared with 5.6 and 5.0 for groups one and three. Calculated rankings for each pharmacy school included in this study compared to their USNWR ranking are presented in Table 2 using the 60:40 and 50:50 calculations.

Mean differences in overall rank for different education:research weighting schemes, compared to 50/50 education:research weights.

Note: Schools were divided into three groups containing an approximately equal number of schools, based on their overall rank using the 50:50 weighting scheme (i.e., group 1 - highest ranked third, group 2 - middle ranked third, group 3- lowest ranked third).

Overall, education, and research rankings for pharmacy schools 2020.

Note: Blanks indicate schools that had no 2020 USNWR rank.

When comparing the overall rankings and USNWR, the mean difference in ranking (absolute value) was 15.6 positions for the 50:50 model and 16.5 positions for the 60:40 model, respectively. The mean difference in ranking between the education ranking and USNWR was 20.6 positions compared to 17.0 between the research ranking and USNWR. Given the inclusion of 126 schools with education, research, and USNWR rankings, the average shifting of between 15.6 and 20.6 positions between the various rankings and USNWR is considerable. Consistent with early comparisons of applying different weighting schemes within the current rankings, smaller differences were observed between the 60:40 model ranking and USNWR ranking for the top group of schools (a mean change of 10.3 positions) compared with the middle and lower groups (21.1 and 18.0 positions).

4. Discussion

The USNWR ranks nursing graduate programs 10 and medical schools 11 more objectively than pharmacy by using several objective indicators of program quality, in addition to a peer assessment score. Separate rankings are calculated for research-focused medical schools using a weighted average of 12 indicators, including research activity, and for primary care schools using seven indicators, including the proportion of medical graduates entering primary care specialties. Both rankings include admissions selectivity and student-to-faculty ratios ( Table 1 ). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Nursing (MS) rankings use a weighted average of 14 indicators; seven are used in both frameworks (four research activity and three faculty quality), and the other seven indicators are specific to each degree ( Table 1 ).

Although USNWR uses quality metrics for medicine, nursing, and undergraduate rankings, pharmacy programs are ranked purely on peer perception. 9. , 10. , 11. Every four years, a limited number of surveys are sent to each fully accredited pharmacy program in good standing. The USNWR pharmacy program survey asks respondents to consider all factors that relate to excellence in each program, such as curriculum, scholarship and research, and quality of faculty and graduates, to evaluate each program. Respondents rate each school with a single checkmark, 1 = marginal, 2 = adequate, 3 = good, 4 = strong, 5 = outstanding, and “don't know” if the respondent does not have enough knowledge to rate a program. 9

Popular rankings may influence perceptions of potential student applicants, dean and faculty applicants, preceptors, patients, funding agencies, donors, collaborators and partners, and other entities. Therefore, it is important to align ranking systems with measures of program quality that address the interests of those using the results to make decisions. Studies found that USNWR pharmacy program rankings correlate strongly with total grant funding, NIH and non-NIH grant funding, years in existence, and association with an academic medical center. 22 , 23 Faculty publication rates were also significantly correlated in one study. Therefore, perceptions in the USNWR pharmacy program rankings appear to favor the longer-established and research-intensive schools while potentially failing to recognize educational quality across the academy.

In this novel study, education and research were initially assigned equal weight in the overall ranking calculation. The authors then debated whether to assign slightly greater weight to education in the overall calculation; education is the primary goal of all schools, and the main audience of program ranking is the prospective applicants interested in educational quality. The study team explored this issue using sensitivity analysis of equal versus unequal weights between the two categories.

The sensitivity analysis revealed the impact of the weightings of the academic and research components on the overall rankings. The baseline analysis used education-research weightings of 50:50. As noted in the sensitivity analysis, an education-research weighting of 60:40 would have resulted in some changes in the rankings. However, further deviation from the 50:50 weighting resulted in a higher level of deviation in the ranks. This deviation was lowest in the schools initially categorized in group 1 (highest ranked at 50:50) and highest for those schools initially determined to fall in group 2. Schools in group 1 displayed more relative strengths in both major components (education and research); schools in group 2 displayed strength in one component but weakness in the other, and schools in group 3 displayed more relative weakness in both major components.

To that end, the education-research weighting of 50:50 or 60:40 in determining the overall ranks is recommended. Those weightings maintain the importance of research for the academy. Additionally, we observe that the education-research weighting of 60:40 is consistent with the USNWR process for ranking research-intensive medical schools and that USNWR calculates rankings for primary care medical schools, nursing masters, and nursing DNP programs with even greater proportionate weight placed on the education variables ( Table 1 ). 10 , 11

This research aimed to develop a simple data-driven ranking of pharmacy schools similar to other healthcare professions using readily available metrics that reflect the quality of research and education. An empirical framework was developed using objective data obtained from AACP, ASHP, or the public domain; the metrics selected were similar to those used in USNWR rankings for medical and nursing programs ( Table 1 ). 10 , 11 Other educational quality measures identified by deans were not included, partly due to difficulty obtaining reliable data: public and patient care service, stakeholder feedback, testing, student success, and curriculum. 24 This framework also excluded other factors correlated with the USNWR rankings, such as the number of years in existence and association with an academic medical center, 23 which may underestimate academic program quality in newer pharmacy schools.

Using standardized objective measures of pharmacy school quality, such as those used in this paper, could inform the development and implementation of strategic plan goals and aid in selecting true and aspirant peers for benchmarking. Pharmacy schools could then target specific metrics for improvement and resource allocation to be more appealing to a potential student or faculty applicants. Further, as the data utilized for analysis are updated annually, rankings can be calculated annually, providing a real-time metric of success to pharmacy institutions.

The methods to develop these rankings provide a general framework that can be easily replicated or adapted for future data. Unlike the reputational scores used in USNWR rankings that may be slow to change, calculated rankings will reflect significant system-wide changes in current and future quality measures (i.e., board passage rates, NIH and other funding).

There are potentially numerous limitations to any ranking system. The researchers attempted to minimize those limitations by carefully selecting quality-based metrics with data available to pharmacy schools or in the public domain. However, not all possible metrics associated with the academic program or research quality were included. For example, several schools received a research score of zero in funding metrics, although there are other forms of scholarship, such as publications in peer-reviewed journals. Additional indicators would strengthen the results, such as measures for the provision of patient care or community service, the pursuit of fellowships or graduate education, tuition or debt burden, entry-level salaries, and types of employment, although gathering these data would be laborious endeavors as they are not readily available.

Using a single year of data to calculate rankings presents another limitation because results are sensitive to year-to-year fluctuations, although this is common practice with USNWR and others. This may be mitigated by including multiple indicators; however, a multi-year average may be preferable in future ranking calculations. Another concern is the age of the data used. Most organizations, such as AACP and ASHP, compile data for the preceding academic year, then clean, analyze, and publish those data. As such, even a simple ranking model is based on data close to two years old.

5. Conclusion

This framework suggests a relatively easy and more objective approach to pharmacy school rankings using distinct quality dimensions in education and research. A focus on both academic program quality and research-based quality may be useful to the academy due to its inclusivity. Future researchers may consider how much emphasis should be assigned to each dimension and are encouraged to identify additional data sources and quality metrics, including those that are proprietary or collected through surveys or open records requests. Pharmacy schools may benefit from using this study's metrics to develop strategic plans for improvement and benchmark with peer institutions. Given the discrepancies between this model-driven approach and the USNWR peer perception scoring system, deans and academy leaders should advocate for a new ranking system or changes to the existing USNWR Best Pharmacy Schools .

Funding sources

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of Competing Interest

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Graduate Pharmacy Programs

With one of the oldest, most respected, and most comprehensive graduate programs in the U.S., Purdue College of Pharmacy prepares students for challenging, top-paying careers in the field of pharmacy. PhD degrees are available from each of the three departments of Purdue College of Pharmacy (see below); the Department of Pharmacy Practice also admits students for MS degrees.

• Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics
• Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
• Pharmacy Practice

Students are encouraged to evaluate the College's three graduate program so that they can determine which program best suits their interests and career goals. This is one of the most important decisions a prospective graduate student can make, since transferring between graduate programs usually involves starting one's graduate career over again.

Each graduate program has certain course, examination, and thesis requirements, but the length of time required to complete each graduate degree is tailored to meet the individual goals and interests of the students. The College of Pharmacy has established a maximum limit of 8 years for completion of any graduate program, although some programs in the College may have established shorter time limits for completion of certain degrees.

These research-based degrees typically qualify graduates for work in the following research-related areas:

• performing research
• technical writing
• technical marketing
• research administration
• regulatory affairs
• government regulation

Recipients of the PhD degree are additionally qualified for academic professorships. Students obtaining any graduate degree in pharmacy may simultaneously seek secondary education teaching certification through the School of Education and the appropriate state certification board.

NEXT: Graduate Pharmacy Programs Admissions

Ph.D. Program in 'Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development'

Graduate education in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development (PSDD) provides training in research strategies in the design and development of novel therapeutic agents to improve human life in disease and health. The PSDD training area will provide translational sciences research training that bridges basic sciences and clinical research for the purpose of addressing the world’s challenges in unmet therapeutic needs. Research in pharmaceutical sciences encompasses multi-faceted, interdisciplinary drug development research.

Training in PSDD for the Ph.D degree with the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program is described at:  https://biomedsci.ucsd.edu/training-areas/molecular-pharmacology.html

This web site includes information for student applications to the PSDD Ph.D program.

Ph.D Training in ‘Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development’ (PSDD)

Faculty Leader Contact:

Vivian Hook ([email protected])

Summary of PSDD Research Training

The Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development (PSDD) training area is a unique joint effort between the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS), the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), Center for Drug Discovery Innovation (cDDI), the UCSD Drug Development Pipeline , the Center for Compound Resources, the Center for Computer-Aided Drug Design, with programs of the School of Medicine , School of Engineering , and UC BRAID . The overall goal of this training area is to provide students with a visionary perspective on the drug discovery and development process.

Graduate education in “Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development” (PSDD) provides training in research strategies in the design and development of novel therapeutic agents to improve human life in disease and health.  The PSDD training area will provide translational sciences research training that bridges basic sciences and clinical research for the purpose of addressing the world’s challenges in unmet therapeutic needs to improve human lives.  Research in pharmaceutical sciences encompasses multi-faceted, interdisciplinary drug development research in (a) design and discovery of drug molecules targeted to regulators of disease processes, including marine natural products, (b) in vitro and in vivo efficacy of candidate drug therapies, (c) chemical optimization by medicinal chemistry approaches, (d) drug pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics in ADME research based on drug delivery strategies, (e) safety and toxicity of drug molecules, and (f) advanced analytical technologies of drug molecule properties.  Graduate students will be trained in these disciplines through a complete curriculum and state-of-the-art research strategies for drug development.  Faculty of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) and the BMS program will train students in the area of PSDD.  PSDD training will provide students with exciting opportunities in the professional field to become leaders in academic, government, private industry, biotechnology, and related areas to advance innovative drug development via pharmaceutical sciences research.

PhD degree:

Students apply for admissions to the UCSD ‘Biomedical Graduate Program’ (BMS) for training by faculty in ‘Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development (PSDD).  Research training in PSDD is associated with the BMS areas of ‘Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Discovery’.   Graduate students of the BMS program deveop their Individual Development Plans (IDP) with faculty advisors of the program.  The IDP plans the research, coursework, and degree requirements for the student.

How to Apply

Training Areas

Individual Development Plans

PharmD/PhD degree:

First year pharmacy students can pursue the PharmD/PhD degree by conducting 3 research rotations with faculty on research topics of PSDD during years 1-2 of the pharmacy curriculum.  Pharmacy students in their 2nd year can apply for admissions for the PhD program of the Biomedical Sciences graduate program at UCSD (see previous paragraph).  See information about the dual PharmD/Ph.D degree at

https://pharmacy.ucsd.edu/degree-programs/dual-pharmd-phd-program

Core Graduate Courses in ‘Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development’

SPPS 263A   Principles in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development: Pre-Clinical Drug Discovery and Development

PPS 263B     Principles in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development: Pre-Clinical to Clinical Drug Development

Courses in Selected Areas of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development

SPPS 226     Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics

SPPS 219     Pharmacogenomics

SPPS 222     Pharmaceutical and Physical Chemistry

SPPS 223     Pharmaceutical Biochemistry

SPPS 224     Biopharmaceutics

SPPS 225     Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems

SPPS 268     Systems Mass Spectrometry

SPPS 281     Medicinal Aspects of Natural Products

Faculty in Drug Discovery & Development in Pharmaceutical Sciences

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College of Pharmacy - Chicago | Rockford

Phd in pharmaceutical sciences.

We enable students with backgrounds in fundamental sciences to become leaders in pharmaceutical sciences

Located in the vibrant and multicultural city of Chicago, UIC's PhD Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of the strongest and largest of its type in the United States. Our college is consistently ranked in the top ten in terms of funds secured annually from the National Institutes of Health and by US News and World Report. We pride ourselves on giving students from all types of backgrounds the tools they need to become independent researchers. Students in the program select one of the program concentrations, described below.

Important dates Heading link Copy link

We are so pleased you are considering graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago! Although Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of the best graduate programs of its kind in the country, our real pride is mentoring students into independent researchers who become leaders in our field. The program has some unique strengths, including providing flexibility to carry out internships in your later years. Have a look around our website. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . We look forward to reading your application! Debra Tonetti, PhD  |  Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Program Coursework Heading link Copy link

All students in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program take the following courses. Additional concentration coursework is also required and is shown in each of the concentration tabs.

• Drug Discovery, Design, and Development (PSCI 501, 3 credit hours)
• Training in Research Presentation (PSCI 502, 1 credit hour)
• PSCI 503: Biostatistics for Pharmaceutical Scientists (1 credit hour)
• BSTT 400: Biostatistics I (4 credit hours) [Note: BSTT 400 is required for the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration]
• Scientific Ethics and the Responsible Conduct of Research (GC 501, 1 credit hour)
• Research Rotation (PSCI 592; 3-4 credit hours)
• PSCI PhD Course Requirements
• PSCI Department Course Descriptions

Program Concentrations Heading link Copy link

Five concentrations comprise the PhD program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Click on the tabs below to learn more about each of them. To see the faculty mentors for each concentration, visit the Faculty Mentors page .

Chemistry in Drug Discovery

Concentration description.

Faculty in the Chemistry in Drug Discovery concentration use the tools and techniques of chemistry to discover and develop new chemical probes and potential therapeutics. Students in this concentration learn how to design, synthesize, characterize and analyze small molecules, peptides, and proteins.

Concentration Coursework

Students in the Chemistry in Drug Discovery Concentration take the following courses:

• Fundamental of Drug Action I (PHAR 422, 4 credit hours)
• Principles of Medicinal Chemistry (PSCI 530, 5 credit hours)
• Electives (9 credit hours)

Concentration Coordinator

Prof. Terry Moore ([email protected])

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics

The Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics concentration is designed to provide advanced understanding of fundamental causes of diseases, strategies that identify new drug targets, and mechanistic explanations of how drugs work (or fail) from the perspective of the target and systems they impact. Faculty affiliated with MMT integrate a wide variety of molecular, biochemical, genetic, bioinformatic, and bioengineering approaches to study mechanisms of pathogenesis ranging from infectious diseases to cancer. Students will enroll in fundamental molecular and cellular biology courses and select elective courses in areas of their focused research.

Students in the Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics Concentration take the following courses:

• Biochemistry (e.g., GEMS 501 or equivalent graduate-level biochemistry course, 3 credit hours)
• Molecular Biology (e.g., GEMS 502 or equivalent molecular biology course, 3 credit hours)
• Biostatistics I (BSTT 400, 4 credit hours)
• Molecular Genetics (GEMS 511, 3 credit hours)
• Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling (GEMS 515, 3 credit hours)
• Microbial Pathogenesis (MIM 560, 3 credit hours)
• Cancer Biology and Therapeutics (PSCI 540, 3 credit hours)

Prof. Alessandra Eustaquio ( [email protected] )

Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery

Faculty in the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration use the tools and techniques of physical and biologic sciences and engineering to understand and develop delivery systems and formulations for therapeutic molecules and control the biodistribution of therapeutic molecules. Students in this concentration learn how to design, synthesize, characterize and analyze novel materials and drug delivery systems and design and develop technologies related to therapeutic distribution in the body.

Students in the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Concentration take the following courses:

• *This 4 credit hour course will count 1 hour toward the program core statistics requirement and 3 hours toward the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration requirements. Students will not receive credit for two introductory statistics courses.
• Essentials for Animal Research (GC 470, 1 credit hour)
• Experimental Animal Techniques (GC 471, 2 credit hours)
• Principles of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (PSCI 510, 3 credit hours)

Prof. Richard Gemeinhart ([email protected])

Pharmacognosy

Faculty research programs in the Pharmacognosy concentration aim to develop therapeutics from natural products and to study the mechanisms of pain, cancers, and a wide array of infectious and tropical diseases. Students of this concentration are trained in a combination of bioinformatics, synthetic biology, genetic engineering, chromatography, and spectroscopy to achieve these goals.

Students in the Pharmacognosy Concentration take the following courses:

• Research Techniques in Pharmacognosy (PSCI 520 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)
• Structure Elucidation of Natural Products (PSCI 521 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)
• Advanced Pharmacognosy (PSCI 522 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)

Prof. Brian Murphy ([email protected])

PharmD/PhD Joint Program Heading link Copy link

Pharmaceutical Sciences participates in the joint PharmD/PhD program, which trains students for careers in academic pharmacy and bench science research. Students admitted to this joint program participate in the PharmD curriculum and pursue original doctoral research projects in the laboratories of the university’s graduate faculty in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The joint program offers the potential of reducing the time of earning both degrees in sequence (9 or more years) by approximately two years. The trade-off is that both degrees are awarded at the end of the training period and neither degree can be received before the other is completed.

The PharmD/PhD program is for exceptional, highly motivated and achieving students ready to meet the challenge of increased academic load and independent research project.

Program coordinator: Dr. Lindsey McQuade ( [email protected] )

• Joint PharmD/PhD Course Requirements
• Joint PharmD/PhD Program Page

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Pride Points for PhD PSCI Heading link Copy link

$ 37,500 annual graduate stipend for students on teaching assistantship or research assistantship

33 internships completed by department graduate students in the last five years

19 students currently on training grant or fellowship

# 7 nationally ranked College of Pharmacy according to US News

# 7 nationally ranked total research funding among Colleges of Pharmacy according to AACP

Start your application Heading link Copy link

The Pharmaceutical Sciences Program at UIC offers a supportive, inclusive environment and rigorous academic preparation for students who are interested in careers in pharmaceutical sciences. If you have any questions about the program or about your application, please contact [email protected].

Get in touch: Contact Us

Pharmacology, PhD

School of medicine.

The Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences hosts the Pharmacology Graduate Program, which offers a program of study and research leading to the Ph.D. degree. Research training opportunities within the program cover a broad spectrum of biomedical sciences including chemical biology, immunology, virology, cancer, and neuroscience. The mission of departmental research is to understand the molecular processes underlying physiology and pathology, and to apply this knowledge to discovering new drug targets and developing novel therapeutics. Within the program, students may choose to focus their efforts in any of a large number of specific research areas including signal transduction, structural biology and drug design, NMR spectroscopy, molecular genetics, cancer chemoprevention, viral immunosuppression, cancer immunology, cell-mediated immunity, mechanisms of HIV infection, vaccine development, glycobiology, biomedical mass spectrometry, clinical pharmacology, drug delivery, anti-parasite drug development, histone acetylation and gene regulation, melatonin and circadian rhythm, drug metabolism, Vitamin D pharmacology, natural product biosynthesis, telomerase and chromosome stability, T cell activation and tolerance, DNA repair, DNA topoisomerases, molecular imaging, and the clinical pharmacology of cardiovascular agents. The department is also pleased to host students and award doctoral degrees to M.D./Ph.D. degree candidates and students in other Ph.D. graduate programs in which Pharmacology faculty participate (Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Immunology, Neuroscience, and Pathobiology).

Financial Support

Financial support covering normal living costs, individual medical insurance, and tuition is provided.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have a B.A. or B.S. degree with a major in any of the biological or physical sciences. Entering students are expected to have completed college-level courses in chemistry (inorganic, organic, and physical), calculus, and physics; a strong background in biochemistry is particularly desirable. A completed application form, at least three letters of recommendation, undergraduate transcripts, and a statement of interest must be received by December 8th.

Program Requirements

Students in the Pharmacology program must successfully complete the following courses:

Students must also take two advanced elective courses selected from those offered by this or other departments. Students are able to select a course of studies uniquely suited to their own career goals.

During their first year of study, students will complete ~8-week research rotations in addition to their coursework. They will initiate dissertation research by the end of their first year and complete elective courses relevant to their developing interests in subsequent years of training.

During the second year of study, students will be required to pass a qualifying examination conducted as prescribed by the Doctor of Philosophy Board of the University. This examination will probe the depth and breadth of the student’s knowledge of the biomedical subjects taught in the core courses.

The candidate is required to present a written dissertation based on original research undertaken while in residence as a graduate student and to present a departmental seminar describing the thesis research.

Combined M.D.-Ph.D. Degrees

Students seeking admission to or who are already participating in the M.D. program in the School of Medicine may participate in a program leading to both the M.D. and the Ph.D. degrees.

PhD in Health Economics & Outcomes Research

For the 2025 admissions cycle, GRE scores are required for all applicants.

Application Deadline: December 15, 2024

Upcoming phd information session:, thursday, october 17, 2024 at 9:00 am pacific time.

In this session, you can learn more about the application process, program structure, core competencies, career outcomes, and more. The session is led by Professors Anirban Basu & Josh Carlson. Register today! You can also watch the recording of our October 2023 information session here . Access the webinar slides. 

Opportunity

The CHOICE Institute at the UW School of Pharmacy teaches you how to influence health policy and how to advance your research all the while modeling excellence.

Our program offers an exceptional educational experience alongside highly engaged peers , faculty, and alumni . Our program is selective, accepting up to four new doctoral students a year. This allows for extraordinary access to our world-class faculty as well as peers who will challenge and engage you.

At UW, the six health sciences disciplines are co-located, allowing for innovative cross-discipline collaborations. Based in the biotech center of Seattle, The CHOICE Institute partners with numerous affiliate institutes, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation, and many more . Faculty and students in pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, nursing, social work, and public health are uniquely positioned to take advantage of breakthrough research and medical technology opportunities.

Financial Support

Doctoral students admitted into the program are guaranteed to have their tuition funded for the first two years, through a combination of fellowships, research, or teaching assistantships. While students are responsible for securing the remainder of the funding for their program, funding opportunities are always available. See Funding Opportunities for more details. Research assistantship also provides health insurance at no charge for students; coverage is available for spouses and dependents for an additional fee. (You can find more information on the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program and other benefits through UW Human Resources .)

Students train in the academic disciplines essential to the comparative evaluation of medical interventions. This affects health outcomes as well as medication safety and effectiveness; students also train in the provision of economic value estimates and the applications of these to health policy. Students delve into pharmacoepidemiology and learn the importance of health technology assessment (HTA) in evaluating the consequences of different health technologies. The impact of these health technology evaluations is seen in fields across the board, from genomics to geriatrics.

CHOICE faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students conduct comparative effectiveness research, medication safety research and studies on the cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions and health insurance, allowing them to estimate value propositions and improve decision making by patients, clinicians, and policymakers, creating a more personalized medicine experience. The program is patient-centered and relies on real-world evidence and data science, allowing students to delve into the depths of pharmacoeconomics. Students learn from leaders in the field and each other, all while enjoying the vibrant Pacific Northwest as a backdrop.

Graduate training in the program prepares students for career opportunities in:

• Academic and big data research, informatics and teaching
• Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries
• Professional associations, health care insurance providers, and governmental agencies
• Health-systems and managed care organizations
• Non-profit organizations geared toward global health or pharmaceutical policy change

Prerequisites

• Students with master’s degrees in related fields such as epidemiology, economics, statistics, or public health are encouraged to apply. Students with professional degrees in pharmacy, medicine, or a health-related field who have strong quantitative skills are also supported.
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required, and special weight is given to exceptional scores on the quantitative and analytical portions.
• Other admission prerequisites include meeting the minimum Graduate School requirements. 

See Application Information for more detailed requirements and instructions.

Doctoral Degree Program Requirements

Students complete courses in the fields of biostatistics, clinical trial design and analysis, health economics, epidemiology, and health policy in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the complex and interdisciplinary environment of outcomes research as a foundation.

Total minimum credits required: 115

• Minimum of 73 credits of core coursework (47) and seminar (12)
• 27 dissertation credits
• 14 Elective Credits
• Independent Study

Milestones:

• Preliminary exams
• General Exam (dissertation proposal defense)
• Dissertation Defense

An overview of our core program can be found in the Gr aduate Student Handbook . 

PhD Program Brochure

Ph.D. Program in Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences

The Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Graduate Program is housed in the School of Pharmacy and associated with the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.  The program is one of the Ph.D. degree-granting programs in Biomedical Sciences at the WVU Health Sciences Center (HSC). 

The Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Graduate Program at West Virginia University is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for a future in a variety of employment settings, ranging from academic research and industry to federal positions.  Our students have a unique and rich training environment, which gives them a basis in such pharmaceutical sciences disciplines as drug development and discovery, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, toxicology, therapeutic development and regulatory affairs.  Students can take additional graduate courses in drug delivery systems, drug metabolism, molecular modeling, bench to bedside and biotechnology.

The core areas of Ph.D. training in Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences are:

• pharmacology and therapeutic development,
• drug delivery, and,
• drug discovery and biotechnology. 

The students are mentored by experts with an international reputation and publish in prestigious journals.  They also have opportunities to present their research at national and international scientific meetings and to enroll in internships with pharmaceutical or biotech companies. 

Financial support: A tuition waiver, an annual stipend of $28,000 and health insurance is provided to full-time students Average time to graduation: 4 to 5 years.

Application and program information:  https://www.hsc.wvu.edu/resoff/graduate-education/phd-programs/biomedical-sciences/

For additional information regarding the program, please contact the program directors.

Graduate Director: Werner J. Geldenhuys, B.Pharm., Ph.D. Phone: 304-581-1683 Email: [email protected]

Co-Director: Ahmad Hanif, Ph.D. Phone: 304-293-0706 Email:   [email protected]

Graduate and Research Students

Graduate programs offered at schools and colleges of pharmacy combine a broad range of scientific disciplines that are critical to the discovery, development, implementation and assessment of new drugs or therapies. For those interested in exploring pharmacy graduate education, please visit the Pharmacy Graduate Application Service (PharmGrad) .

• Graduate Areas of Study provides an overview of the various research disciplines in which graduate students at colleges and schools of pharmacy may obtain an advanced degree.
• PharmGrad Graduate Directory provides a listing of the schools and colleges of pharmacy that offer master's and Ph.D. training in at least one area of pharmaceutical sciences.
• Research Grants, Fellowships and Scholarship Programs provides resources for trainees interested in obtaining external funding to support their research.

If you are university faculty or staff looking for more information on the Pharmacy Graduate Application Service ( PharmGrad ), please visit the PharmGrad Resources page.

Related Content

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education

2023 Best National Universities 1 U.S. News & World Report

Best Four-Year Institutions in the Midwest, 2021 The Princeton Review

2023 Best Graduate Schools - Pharmacy 2 U.S. News & World Report

Your Flexible Pathway to a Rewarding Career in Pharmacy

One of the few programs of its kind, the University of Findlay’s Distance Doctor of Pharmacy (Distance PharmD) program is a rare opportunity to achieve your PharmD online from a reputable and accredited university. This pioneering program is divided into four academic years with increasing responsibility and independence and includes didactic coursework, on-campus immersions, and experiential learning.

Now Accepting Applications - Seats are Limited Next Start: Fall 2025

Get Started Now

Submit this form to receive a link to your Program Guide and the option to register for an informational webinar to learn about:

• Prerequisite Requirements
• Admissions Requirements
• Program Design
• Experiential Learning

 4-Year Distance Format 

  Graduate Dual Degree Options Available

  One-Week Campus Immersions

About the Distance PharmD Program

The University of Findlay’s innovatively designed and delivered Distance PharmD program blends the convenience of online didactic coursework (synchronous and asynchronous) with valuable on-campus immersions and experiential learning in your community. 

Our program fully prepares you for licensure as an accomplished pharmacist who can improve the quality of life for patients in your community. Some of our PharmD graduates pursue roles in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, or private and public sectors where they impact the development of new medications and drug therapies.

• Complete in 4 years — innovatively designed for distance learners 
• On-campus orientation (3 day event)
• (3) one-week campus immersions — build practical skills for 1 week every May
• 1 on-campus final week with Graduation and NAPLEX/MPJE prep
• 100% online didactic coursework — synchronous and asynchronous
• Experiential learning — gain valuable experience beyond the virtual classroom
• Dual degree options — MBA or MS Health Informatics
• 100% online didactic coursework (synchronous and asynchronous)
• (3) one-week campus immersions 
• 1 Orientation (3 day event)
• 1 Graduation (3 day event)
• 1 intake per year in the fall
• 4 years/9 semesters
• 142 credit hours
• 300 IPPE hours (Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences)
• 1,440 APPE hours (Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences)
• Approximately $170,000 total cost of tuition (includes textbooks)
• ACPE accredited
• Bachelor’s degree or at least 60 total credits (including prereqs*).
• A cumulative undergraduate 3.0 GPA is preferred – a minimum 2.75 GPA is required
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• No PCAT required

For applicants with foreign transcripts, these must be evaluated by WES . Additionally, if the applicant supplies non-U.S. school transcripts to the University’s Office of International Admissions and Services, they may require additional specific documentation.

*All prerequisites are not required to be completed to apply to the Distance PharmD program.

• Biology I with lab (4 credits)
• General Chemistry I & II with labs (8 credits) 
• Organic Chemistry I & II with labs (8 credits) 
• Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs (8 credits)
• Physics I with labs (4 credits) or Physics for Health Sciences (4 credits)
• Calculus I (4 credits) 
• Statistics (3 credits) 
• College Writing II (Academic Writing and Research) (3 credits)
• General Education Courses (can be fulfilled by a bachelor's degree) (24 credits)*  *Only for applicants without a bachelor’s degree

All prerequisites are not required to be completed to apply to the Distance PharmD program.

Students from all states except Colorado, New York, and Puerto Rico are welcome to apply to Findlay’s Distance PharmD program. Please see our State Authorization page for more detailed information.

Prospective students who reside in a territory surrounding Findlay, OH, will not be permitted to apply to the hybrid pathway without appeal for special circumstances. This exclusion territory includes the following counties in Ohio (Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Putnam, Seneca, Wood, and Wyandot).

All states require the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), which is administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Many states also require the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). 

Enrollment into the program does not guarantee licensure. Each state has rules and regulations related to professional licensure requirements, which can change at any time based on state discretion. The student is responsible for staying up to date on state licensure requirements. Please view state licensure requirements .

The University of Findlay’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).* The University of Findlay is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

*Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603, Phone: 312-664-3575; FAX 312-664-4652

Your Weekly Commitment to the Online Pharmacy Program

SYNCHRONOUS

Scheduled, real-time virtual classroom with an instructor

33-40 HOURS*

ASYNCHRONOUS

Self-paced, independent online coursework

17-20 HOURS*

ASSESSED ACTIVITIES

Discussions, assignments, projects, and study for test taking

8-9 HOURS**

IPPE EDUCATION

On-site rotations with a preceptor

60-73 HOURS

TOTAL HOURS

Total hourly commitment for the program on average per week

* Students will be taking 18 credit hours, which is the typical rigor for a doctoral level program.

**Experiential education hours vary due to IPPEs and APPE schedules. IPPEs occur for a maximum of six weeks for the first six terms. APPEs are generally full-time at 40 hours per week and will not be accompanied by any additional coursework.

Online PharmD Program Prerequisites

Find out if you qualify for University of Findlay’s Distance PharmD program.

Distance PharmD Curriculum Sample

This course introduces the basic principles of physical pharmacy and pharmaceutics. The course integrates the principles of physical pharmacy with dosage forms (pharmaceutics) and the use of dosage forms in pharmacy practice. The course correlates physical pharmacy, pharmaceutical, and biopharmaceutical principles with product design and preparation. (4 credits)

This laboratory course will reinforce the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process approach by preparing students to apply clinical assessment and therapeutic management skills in the treatment of one or more disease states, including the demonstration of medication administration and therapeutic monitoring techniques, assessment and management of comorbid conditions, effective sourcing, application and communication of drug information, and the development of the soft skills necessary for effective patient counseling and education. The course may also include case-based sessions and the introduction of new material as appropriate to the learning session. (1 credit)

This course requires the student to demonstrate mastery of essential knowledge and skills necessary for the completion of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Rotations (APPEs) in the fourth professional year. Activities for this course will include, but are not limited to, topic discussions, patient case simulations, communication simulations with patients and other healthcare personnel, topic/case presentations, drug information questions, and journal clubs. Successful completion of the course requires the student to achieve competency on a variety of written knowledge assessments as well as verbal and written objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). (5 credits)

Rotations for the pharmacy practice experience include a required two-month rotation each for advanced institutional/general medicine and ambulatory/advanced community pharmacy, one required two-month special populations rotation (e.g., geriatrics, pediatrics, critical care) and three months of rotations chosen from a list of electives. Some possibilities for one-month elective rotations include nuclear pharmacy, toxicology, neonatology, cardiology, drug information, compounding, and infectious disease. Each course may be completed only once for credit. (4 credits)

We’re here for you and ready to help you with enrollment and answer your questions about the program, including tuition, admission requirements, curriculum details, and more.

Meet Your Academic Team

Laura A Perry, Pharm.D.

Dr. Perry's research interests include evaluating medication use and adherence in the outpatient setting, self-care and over-the-counter medication use, and evidence-based methods to teach and evaluate pharmacy practice skills in the laboratory setting.

Richard W Dudley, Ph.D.

Dr. Dudley graduated with his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry in 2006. He joined The University of Findlay College of Pharmacy in July 2007 as an assistant professor and has been responsible for teaching medicinal chemistry and pharmacology.

Tonya A. Dauterman, Pharm.D.

Dr. Dauterman's areas of interest are diabetes, lipid management, public health and pharmacy economics, and healthcare literacy. Areas of research include experiential education, patient outcomes, appropriate medication use, and diabetes.

I would advise all pharmacy students to get involved in pharmacy organizations. There are many ways you can grow as a student pharmacist, such as through making connections, growing in leadership, and showing your dedication to the profession of pharmacy. I was able to meet many upperclassmen in pharmacy who serve as role models for me, and I learned a lot from working alongside them in my organizations.

Sarah Zimmerli , Pharmacy Student Candidate Class of '26

I never expected to be close to the other students in my pharmacy class as well as the professors. During the school year, however, I consider my pharmacy class to be a second family. The professors truly care about the students and want us to be successful .

Katie Harris , Class of '24 University of Findlay

My education at Findlay paved the way for me to enjoy an amazing experience in the Air Force, serve our veterans in the VA hospital settings, and on to my current position, helping millions of patients to be able to afford their medications.

Kyle Dresbach , PharmD ‘14

Experiential Learning in Online Pharmacy School

What is experiential learning.

Experiential learning is the practice component of the University of Findlay’s Distance PharmD program, where you participate in interactive learning experiences under the supervision of a PharmD preceptor in your community to develop and refine practical pharmacy competencies.

What are Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)?

During the program's first three years, you will complete 300 hours (100 each year) of supervised and structured training in a clinical setting with a licensed pharmacist. These guided experiences follow standard U.S. practice models and help you gain confidence while building practical pharmaceutical and patient-focused communication skills.

What are Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE)?

In the program's final year, you will complete at least 1,440 advanced, experiential-based learning hours. An assigned preceptor directs these experiences at a designated site near you. A minimum of 160 hours must be completed in each of the ACPE-required APPE areas, including community practice, ambulatory patient care, hospital/health system pharmacy, and inpatient general medicine. The remaining hours include specialty and elective areas.

Where will my experiential learning rotations take place?

Findlay’s placement team helps you find experiential learning sites and preceptors within driving distance of your residence. The practical experience you’ll gain during your IPPE and APPE hours complements classroom learning and prepares you to develop and refine practical pharmacy competencies.

How do I benefit from Findlay’s experiential learning support services?

Finding preceptors and sites near you for your experiential learning rotations can be time-consuming. We manage the logistics of this process so that you can focus on your education and the competencies you need to become an accomplished pharmacist.

Numbers Tell the Story

Frequently asked questions.

The University of Findlay’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The University of Findlay is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

This innovatively designed program can be completed in 4 years (9 semesters) and includes online coursework (synchronous and asynchronous), (3) one-week campus immersions , and experiential learning in clinical settings.

The Distance PharmD total program investment is approximately $170,000 (includes textbooks). Financial aid  may be available to our distance students.

Yes. Our faculty members are experienced pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences professionals who use an interactive teaching style and a system-based curriculum to support your personal and professional development.

Our information Session webinar and follow-up conversation with an enrollment advisor will help you determine if you qualify to apply, any required courses you may need to complete, and when you can expect to begin Findlay’s Distance PharmD program.

You can apply to the program before completing all prerequisites and Gen Ed (Core) courses, but you must complete your required courses to begin the program.

If you do not have a bachelor’s degree but have 60 college credits and a minimum 2.75 GPA*, Gen Ed (Core) courses must be completed before beginning the program.

I you have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum 2.75* GPA, Gen Ed (Core) courses are not required.

*A 3.0 GPA is preferred, but a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA is required.

Your Enrollment Advisor will help you determine the time you should allocate toward completion of these required courses. This could be 14-16 weeks for every 3-12 credits, although faster alternatives may be available.

We recommend allocating 2-3 weeks for completion of the course-by-course WES evaluation if your coursework is from outside of the U.S.

1 Best National Universities (2022) U.S. News and World Report. Ranked in 2022.

2 Best Graduate Schools - Pharmacy (2022) U.S. News and World Report. Ranked in 2022.

Pharmacist vs. Pharmacologist: What Makes Them Different?

What Are the Different Types of Pharmacist Careers?

What is Pharmacy Informatics?

Your Future in Pharmacy

A dedicated Enrollment Advisor can answer your questions and guide you through the application process. Click the button below to submit a form to learn more about the program and for the opportunity to register for an upcoming informational webinar.

• Admission Requirements
• Curriculum Details
• Experiential learning
• Tuition Cost

59 Best universities for Pharmacy in Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Russia ranked based on their research performance in Pharmacy. A graph of 175K citations received by 25.5K academic papers made by 59 universities in Russia was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Moscow State University

For Pharmacy

2. St. Petersburg State University

3. Southern Federal University

4. Ural Federal University

5. Kazan Federal University

6. RUDN University

7. Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology

8. Perm State University

9. Novosibirsk State University

10. Chuvash State University

11. mendeleev university of chemical technology of russia.

12. Samara State Technical University

13. Saratov State University

14. Kazan State Technological University

15. Voronezh State University

16. Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology

17. Ivanovo State University

18. Kuban State University of Technology

19. Omsk State University

20. Irkutsk State University

21. South Ural State University

22. Moscow State Pedagogical University

23. North Caucasus Federal University

24. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

25. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

26. Tomsk State University

27. Novgorod State University

28. tomsk polytechnic university.

29. Kuban State University

30. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

31. Astrakhan State University

32. Volgograd State Medical Academy

33. Moscow Medical Academy

34. Bashkir State University

35. Russian State Agricultural University

36. Ogarev Mordovia State University

37. Far Eastern Federal University

38. Yaroslavl State University

39. Leningrad State University

40. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

41. Ryazan State University

42. Samara National Research University

43. Russian National Research Medical University

44. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

45. University of Tyumen

46. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

47. siberian state medical university.

48. Kazan State Medical University

49. Petrozavodsk State University

50. ITMO University

51. Astrakhan State Technical University

52. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

53. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

54. Omsk State Technical University

55. Siberian Federal University

56. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

57. National Research University Higher School of Economics

58. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

59. Chechen State University

The best cities to study Pharmacy in Russia based on the number of universities and their ranks are Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Rostov-on-Don , and Yekaterinburg .

Medicine subfields in Russia

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Top universities for pharmacy & pharmacology

Craig OCallaghan

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Table of contents

• Introduction

University of Oxford

Monash university, harvard university.

Interested in studying pharmacy or pharmacology? Take a look at the world’s top ten universities for this subject, according to the  QS World University Rankings by Subject .

Country Rank

Global Rank

Oxford ’s Department of Pharmacology offers taught and research-based master’s programmes, and four-year DPhil courses. Major research areas include molecular pharmacology, cardiac pharmacology, neuropharmacology, cell signalling, and pharmacogenetics. 

Monash University  has emerged as one of  Australia ’s top destinations for life sciences subjects. Its Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a wide selection of undergraduate and postgraduate courses – including combinations such as pharmacy and commerce, or pharmaceutical science with chemical engineering. 

Key research areas include drug candidate optimisation, drug delivery systems, medicinal chemistry and medicine use and safety.

Testimonials

"CUHK’s MBA programme provided me with the stepping stone into a larger sports Asian market wherein I could leverage the large alumni network to make the right connections for relevant discussions and learning."

Read my story

Abhinav Singh Bhal Chinese University of Hong Kong graduate

"I have so many wonderful memories of my MBA and I think, for me, the biggest thing that I've taken away was not what I learned in the classroom but the relationships, the friendships, the community that I'm now part of."

Alex Pitt QS scholarship recipient

"The best part of my degree is getting to know more about how important my job as an architect is: the hidden roles I play, that every beautiful feature has significance, and that even the smallest details are well thought out."

Rayyan Sultan Said Al-Harthy University of Nizwa student

"An MBA at EAHM is superior due to  the nature of the Academy’s academic and  industry strength. The subject  matter, the curriculum structure and the  access to opportunities within the hospitality industry is remarkable."

Sharihan Al Mashary Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management graduate

Harvard  is well known for its leadership in life sciences. While the university doesn’t have a pharmacy department, pharmacology features in many of the courses offered at Harvard Medical School. Key areas of research include systems pharmacology, molecular pharmacology, and translational pharmacology.

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As Head of Content, Craig is responsible for all articles and guides published across TopUniversities and TopMBA. He has nearly 10 years of experience writing for a student audience and extensive knowledge of universities and study programs around the world.

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• Open access
• Published: 11 September 2024

Curriculum, competency development, and assessment methods of MSc and PhD pharmacy programs: a scoping review

• Dana ElKhalifa 1 ,
• Ola Hussein 2 ,
• Abeer Hamid 3 ,
• Nour Al-Ziftawi 4 ,
• Israa Al-Hashimi 5 &
• Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  989 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Background/objectives

We aim to systematically review and evaluate the current landscape of postgraduate pharmacy education to a) identify current evidence, best practices, challenges, recommendations, and solutions; and b) develop a framework to optimize postgraduate pharmacy programs.

A scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were utilized. The search covered studies published from January 2011 to September 2023. Following the principles of Arksey and O'Malley's framework, data charting and extraction were performed using a pre-designed data collection tool, followed by the synthesis and grouping of studies based on common themes.

Of the 5542 articles found, the review included 36 eligible ones focusing on pharmacy postgraduate education (PhD and MSc), grouped into three themes: 1) courses and curriculum; 2) training and skills development; 3) assessment and mentorship methods. Utilized methodologies included descriptive analyses, questionnaires, surveys, trials, and focus groups/interviews. The studies underscored the need for competency-based curricula with regular evaluations, career planning, and diverse course offerings. Identified key skills and competencies in the studies included soft skills, communication, research, desperate skills (e.g., leadership and management), and critical thinking. The studies also emphasized the value of comprehensive evaluation and peer review methods. Challenges included balancing academic and real-world requirements, training, limited resources, time constraints, and faculty workload.

Evidence-based suggestions to improve postgraduate pharmacy education include the implementation of practice-oriented courses, value of tailored/or comprehensive assessments, focus on real-world skills, effectiveness of advanced teaching methods, and mentorship role. The proposed framework can guide program enhancement and highlight the need to improve programs holistically, entailing the three themes.

Peer Review reports

Pharmacy is a dynamic discipline of science, rapidly expanding with a rising number of students pursuing postgraduate studies in the field [ 1 ]. Postgraduate education is pivotal in shaping and advancing pharmacy practice across diverse settings, effectively addressing significant challenges and bridging crucial gaps. Such a specialized knowledge would ultimately contribute to improved patient care and population health outcomes. Further, postgraduate education programs must ensure the provision of teaching across diverse specialized domains. These include, but are not limited to, professional education, drug discovery, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, biotechnology, biochemistry, pharmacogenetics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, and pharmacoinformatics. Additionally, these programs should aim to contribute to advancing and improving healthcare systems, pharmacy laws and ethics, and proficiency in working with advanced machines and analytical techniques [ 2 , 3 ], all of which have positive impacts for the quality and safety of patient care and the overall health of populations.

Postgraduate pharmacy education faces a range of challenges. These include the surplus of postgraduates in traditional disciplines as compared to available emerging jobs in the market, curricula that fail to align with the demands of pharmaceutical practice settings, maintaining traditional teaching methods despite the dynamic change in the pharmaceutical industry, and advanced global practice and technology [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Notably, pharmacy postgraduate education in low- and middle-income nations confronts numerous challenges and gaps related to education, systems, and practice. Further, teaching methods at different universities are diverse [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. As a result, it is unclear whether these universities are effectively optimizing and tailoring their educational strategies to meet the current needs of postgraduate students and align with the demands of pharmaceutical industries and healthcare systems [ 3 ]. Nevertheless, institutions offering postgraduate education have a fundamental responsibility to provide high-quality education, necessitating the continuous evaluation and enhancement of their curricula to align with the developing needs of future graduates and prospective employers. This holds particular significance as postgraduate students carry the expectation that their universities have designed high-quality educational programs to fulfill their diverse needs [ 4 ].

There is a noticeable absence of a definitive guide on how universities can effectively address the expanding challenges within pharmacy postgraduate education. This is primarily because accreditation bodies focus predominantly on evaluating and reviewing undergraduate curricula, neglecting the unique challenges of postgraduate education in pharmacy. Furthermore, international experiences and needs in pharmacy education vary significantly between countries. This raises the following research question: what insights, perspectives, challenges, and recommendations can inform the optimization of postgraduate (PhD and MSc) pharmacy programs at universities worldwide? To answer this question, it is essential to conduct this scoping review to systematically chart the available evidence and understand the current body of knowledge about pharmacy postgraduate education. Through this endeavor, our objectives are a) to identify current insights, perspectives, challenges, and recommendations that can assist various postgraduate pharmacy programs in addressing potential gaps within their systems and possibly refining their existing educational structures (e.g., curricula) and approaches (e.g., educational methods) to enhance the overall learning process for their students; and b) to develop a framework to optimize postgraduate pharmacy programs.

Study design

We conducted a scoping review to synthesize and map the available evidence and identify a framework for improving educational programs for postgraduate degrees in pharmacy. Scoping reviews tackle broad subjects and usually aim to recognize research gaps in the existing literature [ 11 ]. While conducting this review, we followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist, which contains 22 reporting items [ 12 ]. Our filled PRISMA-ScR checklist for this scoping review is included in Supplementary Material 1.

The study protocol was drafted and reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) checklist [ 13 ]. While it was not previously published, it is available as supplementary material (Supplementary Material 2).

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria for studies included in this scoping review: i) Studies published in peer-reviewed journals; ii) The primary focus of the studies should be on curriculum and education development within MSc and PhD Pharmacy programs; iii) Studies needed to discuss related aspects such as competencies, assessment methods, and courses; iv) They need to be published in English between the period of January 2011- September 2023; v) To encompass various aspects of graduate pharmacy education, studies were included if they employed qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method study designs.

Conversely, studies were excluded if they: i) Focused on public health, PharmD, diploma, or clinical practice-based master programs that do not include research/thesis, as these programs often have distinct educational objectives compared to research-based postgraduate programs; ii) Addressed initiatives to improve research unrelated to postgraduate programs, because the focus of this review is solely on postgraduate education; iii) Were centered on dual pharmacy (PharmD)/master of public health (MPH), as these programs are mainly interdisciplinary in nature and do not specifically reflect the unique challenges of research-oriented programs; iv) Focused on genetic counseling, because this field has a distinct aim and is not directly related to postgraduate research-based pharmacy education; v) Were associated with other non-pharmacy-related programs, as our focus is on Pharmacy; vi) Focused solely on university facilities, because our target is the educational content; vii) Were categorized as commentaries or review articles, to avoid bias in reporting and prioritize original research content.

Information sources/literature search

The search for relevant studies was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published between January 2011 and September 2023. The search strategy utilized related keywords: postgraduate, higher education, graduate, PhD, MSc, masters, education, curriculum, courses, syllabus, skills, competencies, assessment, evaluation, pharmacy, and pharmaceutical sciences. Search limits were applied to the title/abstract and English language. Three investigators independently performed the initial screening of the titles and abstracts to identify eligible articles. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion and agreement. Specialized journals were also specifically reached to identify relevant articles, specifically the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, Pharmacy Education, European Journal of Education, Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, and Health Education Journal. The final search strategy for each database is presented in Table S1 (Supplementary Material 3). Finally, the removal of duplicates, title/abstract screening, and full-text screening were conducted using the Rayyan application [ 14 ].

Studies selection and data charting

Three reviewers independently screened all included citations and full-text articles and agreed on their eligibility. A standardized data extraction tool was created using Microsoft Excel and utilized to chart data from all eligible articles. In addition, the following information was collected independently by three reviewers: authors, year of publication, focus of the study, title, relevant/irrelevant, objectives, country, challenges, recommendations, and conclusion. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion and agreement between the authors.

We followed the framework proposed by Arksey and 'O'Malley for data synthesis and charting [ 11 ]. Eligible studies were grouped based on common themes. Our grouping focused on the following three themes in Table  1 : i) Courses, curriculum, and syllabus; ii) Training, competencies, and skills development; and iii) Assessment, evaluation, and mentorship methods.

Development of the conceptual model

To develop a comprehensive conceptual model guiding the creation of collective, high-quality pharmacy postgraduate (MSc/PhD) programs, we conducted a rigorous literature review focusing on the challenges, recommendations, factors, and successful interventions. To synthesize this information, we employed the Arksey and 'O'Malley framework for data synthesis and charting. The model development process involved the following steps:

Identification of key themes: Based on the literature review, three primary themes emerged as critical for postgraduate pharmacy program development:

Courses, curriculum, and syllabus

Training, competencies, and skill development

Assessment, evaluation, and mentorship methods

Model construction: A conceptual model was constructed around these themes, incorporating essential components, including:

Curriculum design and development, including necessary and optional elements

Competency-based curriculum development

Training and skills development aligned with student, program, and job market needs

Diverse assessment and evaluation methods to measure program effectiveness, student learning, and job market impact

Successful interventions and international experiences

Model enrichment: To ensure comprehensiveness, the model was expanded to include additional factors and emerging trends deemed important to the study team. For instance, under the "courses and curriculum" theme, we incorporated elements like needs assessment, regular evaluation, and program refinement to promote the concept of program sustainability. Additionally, we explored the potential of using advanced tools like artificial intelligence for assessment, evaluation, and mentorship, based on what has been reported within the included studies.

Overall, this systematic approach, grounded in both literature and practical examples, resulted in a robust conceptual model to inform the development and evaluation of collective, high-quality pharmacy postgraduate programs.

Literature search

After removing duplicates, 5542 articles were identified from the different searched databases (Fig.  1 ). After titles and abstracts screening, 5461 citations were excluded because they matched our exclusion criteria, leaving 81 full-text articles to be further assessed for eligibility. Among them, 45 were excluded and summarized with their exclusion reasons in Table S3 in Supplementary Material 3. The remaining articles ( n  = 36) matched our inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review.

PRISMA flow diagram of the studies selection process

Study characteristics

Based on their primary focus, the included studies were classified into three commonly identified themes, as defined in Table  1 . Study characteristics are summarized in Table  2 , including the study authors, publication year, focus, objectives, place of origin, design, and main findings. Among them, 14 addressed courses, curriculum, and syllabus issues; 9 discussed training, competencies, and skills development; and 13 targeted topics pertaining to assessment, evaluation, and mentorship methods (Fig.  2 ). The studies implemented various designs, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method (Fig.  2 ).

Distribution of the research methods employed in the included studies per identified theme

The included publications on various pharmacy postgraduate educational programs (MSc, PhD, or both) were segregated based on their focus on the three themes (Fig.  3 ). Notably, most research articles concentrated on master’s programs compared to PhD programs, validating that more research is conducted on this program type (Fig.  3 ). In addition, the distribution of research on Master programs across the three themes revealed a larger number of publications focusing on courses, curriculum, and syllabus (Fig.  3 ). In contrast, research on PhD programs disclosed that training, competencies, and skills development garnered the most attention, implying a distinct focus on research efforts and underlining the necessity of competencies/skills development for PhD graduates (Fig.  3 ). Details on the distribution of the articles by country are outlined in Fig.  4 a.

A radar chart comparing the three identified themes based on the postgraduate program type

Distribution of research articles: ( a ) Overall 36 articles by country; ( b ) Articles based on country and identified theme

Courses, curriculum and syllabus

As outlined in Fig.  2 , 14 publications were dedicated to enhancing courses and curricula for various specialized MSc and PhD programs. These originated from nine countries, and as outlined in Fig.  4 b, most of these studies were conducted in the USA ( n  = 5, 35.71%), followed by Australia ( n  = 2, 14.29%). Additional contributing countries encompassed Jordan, Iran, Portugal, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and China (Table  2 ). Five of the identified studies emphasized the importance of specialized courses for improving postgraduate education (Table  2 ), such as research ethics, preparation for future faculty roles, pharmacoinformatics, and laboratory experience [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. In the context of curriculum development, nine studies specifically addressed the design, format, review, and restructuring of postgraduate pharmacy programs to meet students' present and future needs [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Methodologies utilized in these studies included descriptive analyses, cross-sectional questionnaires, and surveys, as well as the incorporation of focus groups and interviews (Table  2 ).

Training, competencies and skills development

Nine published studies evaluated specific skills necessary for inclusion in postgraduate curricula (Fig.  2 ). Most of these studies originated from the USA ( n  = 7, 77.7%), with the remaining two published in India and Poland (Fig.  4 a). Most studies ( n  = 8, 88.9%) primarily focused on PhD students, while only two included MSc students (Fig.  3 ). The studies shed light on the need for developing competencies and skills in research, curriculum development, communication, health administration and leadership, industrial training, and critical thinking and problem-solving (Table  2 ). Study designs were varied and encompassed mixed-methods, cross-sectional surveys, retrospective studies, interviews, and descriptive studies (Table  2 ).

Assessment, evaluation and mentorship methods

The third group of studies ( n  = 13) embraced approaches and criteria for assessing students' performance, methods for delivering certain lectures, and mentorship (Table  2 ). Consistent with the previous themes, the majority of the studies ( n  = 5, 38.46%) were based in the USA, while two articles originated from Jordan ( n  = 2, 15.38%) (Fig.  4 ). The remaining studies originated in the United Kingdom, India, Denmark, China, Australia, and Ukraine. Six studies within this group focused on assessment methods, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive evaluation and peer review (Table  2 ) [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. Two studies specifically emphasized the significance of evaluating students' performance without merely focusing on testing theoretical understanding [ 41 , 42 ] (Table  2 ). Additionally, four studies advocated the added value of artificial intelligence and computer-based tools in delivering lectures and elucidating certain life sciences concepts [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ] (Table  2 ). Three studies evaluated postgraduate mentorship models, highlighting the positive impact of dual mentors [ 48 , 49 , 50 ] (Table  2 ).

The conceptual model content

To visualize the relationships among the identified themes and relevant key components, we developed a conceptual model (Fig.  5 ). Figure 5  presents the final summary derived from our comprehensive literature review of the core elements proposed for a collective high-quality pharmacy postgraduate (MSc/PhD) educational program. To our knowledge, this is the first model to be developed and published on the specific topic of pharmacy postgraduate educational programs. All the identified insights, perspectives, challenges, and recommendations that can inform the optimization of postgraduate pharmacy programs at universities worldwide have been grouped together to allow for the development of this coherent model outlining the following themes:

A conceptual framework for developing a collective high-quality Pharmacy postgraduate (MSc/PhD) educational program. This illustration was developed based on the recommendations discussed in the literature from the relevant identified themes

This theme encompasses curriculum design and development. Studies investigating the key concept of curriculum design and development, particularly emphasizing the importance of aligning the curriculum to concepts of competency-based learning, job market demands, career planning, collaboration, research, specialization areas, and others. It was noted that a number of concepts are needed to develop a comprehensive postgraduate program that is essential for graduates’ success and meets the needs of the job market.

Training, competencies and skill development

This theme included the main components a program could target to implement effective change in students’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies required in real-world practice. It was noted that skills relevant to other disciplines, e.g., leadership and management, data science, as well as various non-science communication skills, are highly essential for the modern job market. Additionally, the necessity of providing students with training on additional non-academic career skills was deemed crucial and had a positive influence on students’ skills and competencies, as well as the effectiveness of programs to produce graduates who can meet the demands of employers in the modern job market.

This theme features the role of effective assessment and mentorship in program development and student success. Various assessment strategies, such as mentorship, advanced assessment tools, merged assessment, and peer assessment, were all positive experiences reported in the literature with the potential benefit of conducting successful assessments of students learning and intervention effectiveness, both of which are related to successful program implementation and development.

Principal findings

This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on postgraduate education in pharmacy systematically. We identified 36 primary studies addressing the curriculum, skills development, and/or assessment approaches of postgraduate (MSc and PhD) pharmacy programs on an international scale. The studies were categorized and will be discussed based on their primary focus into three distinct themes: i) courses, curriculum, and syllabus issues; ii) training, competencies, and skills development; and iii) assessment, evaluation, and mentorship methods.

A group of studies explored the importance of different universal and specific courses within diverse pharmacy postgraduate curricula.

One of the crucial topics explored in the literature for its critical value in pharmacy postgraduate education is research ethics (RE). RE education is an integral component that equips students with the necessary skills to adhere to ethical standards when designing and conducting clinical and biomedical research [ 51 , 52 ]. Unfortunately, the findings indicate that ethics training in postgraduate programs related to pharmacy and medical sciences remains insufficient, particularly in developing countries such as Jordan and Iran [ 17 , 19 , 42 ]. Ahmed et al. also reported that, on a global scale, only 10% of research-based master programs offered standalone research ethics courses, and 40% offered some discussions within their curriculum [ 19 ]. Consequently, it is recommended that postgraduate schools consider integrating comprehensive research ethics training into their curricula, especially in developing countries. Furthermore, there is a need for additional studies in developed countries to explore this aspect further.

While many students pursue higher education to enter academia, postgraduate schools often prioritize research skills over teaching skills [ 53 ]. Teaching assistantships can offer students interested in academia practical teaching experiences [ 54 ]. However, not all students can access such opportunities, necessitating a compromise. For instance, integrating embedded lectures and courses into the curriculum can provide a viable solution. Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) was a valuable course to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for academic teaching [ 15 ]. The course syllabus included practical teaching experience and lecture delivery under dual supervision [ 15 ]. By the end of the course, many PFF graduates could secure faculty positions, and the course was distinguished as sustainable and valuable for students planning to work in academia [ 15 ]. The same course was taught to doctoral public health students and it showed excellent outcomes [ 55 ]. Similar courses can be adopted in postgraduate programs, especially PhD, as optional electives for students interested in academia.

A study by Fox et al. highlighted the urgent need to include pharmacoinformatics courses in pharmacy master's programs [ 18 ]. In particular, careers in pharmacoinformatics require students to have advanced conceptual knowledge and hands-on experiential education [ 56 ]. Recommended lecture topics encompass drug formulary management, advanced pharmacy and medical informatics, supply chain management, evidence-based medicine, and health policy [ 18 ]. Notably, the study revealed higher expectations for pharmacoinformatics knowledge for MSc graduates compared to their BSc counterparts, emphasizing the necessity for developing a comprehensive postgraduate pharmacoinformatics curriculum [ 18 ].

Another important curricular element is laboratory experience, particularly in basic sciences postgraduate programs. For example, the Non-Stop Lab Week (NSLW) was formed as part of the master's program at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, to equip students with real-life lab experience [ 16 ]. Over 1 week, students independently conducted molecular assay projects in an environment mirroring a real laboratory setting [ 16 ]. Most students found the NSLW's intensity very suitable and beneficial for their careers [ 16 ]. After graduation, they found this exposure to be similar to their experience in their current workplaces [ 16 ]. Often, postgraduate students focus solely on specific skills aligned with their thesis supervisor's area of expertise, potentially missing out on essential skills for future roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, experiences like the NSLW help expose students to the actual work environment. Likewise, programs may add curricular modules for students to get hands-on exposure to different research projects during their first semester, offering insights into potential future careers and a great scientific breadth while connecting with potential thesis supervisors.

Concentrating on a few specific courses is insufficient, and crafting a comprehensive curriculum poses a complex challenge [ 57 ]. There is a notable shift towards Competency-Based Education (CBE) in contemporary postgraduate and undergraduate pharmacy and medical education systems due to its demonstrated effectiveness [ 58 , 59 , 60 ]. CBE occurs when a curriculum incorporates comprehensive tasks, such as systems of instruction, didactic and experiential courses, and assessments to demonstrate proficiency in taught skills and concepts [ 60 ]. Various studies advocated incorporating CBE when developing postgraduate pharmacy curricula [ 21 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Keller et al. suggested some curricular components and building blocks to be included in postgraduate pharmacy education, encompassing the decision on core competencies, foundational concepts, lectures, syllabus, thematic training, research seminars, research integrity, supervision, student feedback, evaluation, assessment, stipends and financial support, and alumni networking [ 25 ]. They also proposed a set of competencies to be taught in PhD health sciences programs, categorized into three domains [ 25 ]:

Scientific knowledge: information literacy, research methods, scientific writing, ethics and integrity, and professional conduct.

Management and Organization: self-management, project management, and teaching.

Leadership and personal: leadership and communication.

Pharmacy education continues to adapt to the evolving needs of diverse pharmacy career paths. Initiatives for developing curriculum recommendations have been undertaken, focusing on equipping graduates with knowledge and skills for future career paths. A key initiative is the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Research and Graduate Affairs Committee report [ 20 ]. The AACP report was developed based on data from different universities within the USA [ 21 ]. It addressed universal skills applicable to all pharmacy disciplines to be incorporated into different curricula [ 21 ]. These identified skills were grouped into five domains [ 21 ]:

Foundational knowledge.

Scientific communications.

Leadership and management.

Personal and professional development.

The three key proposals endorsed by the report were the need to concentrate on career guidance, external peer review, and preparing students for roles in academia [ 21 ]. In another study by Koster et al., three distinct pharmacy-related master's programs tailored for community or hospital pharmacists were described [ 27 ]. These programs were adapted to pharmacy education based on the CanMEDS framework, which originally describes the required skills for physicians to effectively address the needs of the individuals they serve [ 27 ]. In addition, the authors highlighted the importance of experiential (workplace) education over traditional on-campus education and the need to expose the students to a mixture of both [ 27 ].

A very important curriculum component is career planning and professional skills development. This is particularly important because many postgraduates move into postdoctoral training, even if they do not plan to take a research career path [ 61 ]. Regrettably, career discussions usually happen close to graduation [ 20 ]. Indeed, early career guidance and mentoring, ideally at the program's commencement, would empower students to make more informed decisions about their future career paths. Traditionally, pursuing a PhD was synonymous with academic positions. Still, this perception has evolved in the last decade, necessitating an educational shift to prepare students for broader career options [ 20 ]. The current job market reveals a growing "supply–demand" gap, with limited academic sector vacancies and an increasing number of postgraduate students graduating annually. Therefore, there must be a shift to diversify curriculum content, gearing it towards paths beyond traditional academic careers. For example, in a study by Fuhrmann et al., biomedical PhD students indicated that they were considering various career paths (research and non-research), which underlines the necessity for a comprehensive doctoral curriculum [ 20 ]. To aid students in achieving their career goals, the development of their plans, including career planning and professional skills training, can be encouraged through discussions with program mentors. Moreover, programs may allow flexible mandatory electives where students can select their preferred courses based on their constructed career plans.

It is crucial to have regular curriculum revisions to ensure that the educational content remains current and aligns with the expanding industry requirements and needs. An example of these revisions was published by Allen et al., in which a pharmaceutical medicine curriculum was reviewed at an Australian university based on cross-sectional survey findings to identify required updates to the program [ 24 ]. They developed a two-year, part-time, fully online program with interactive assessments to support students' career goals [ 24 ]. In another study, Barrett et al. presented a qualitative description of an established Master’s program in drug discovery and development [ 22 ]. The program was initially a course that was refined and expanded based on student and market demands, covering various stages of drug development [ 22 ]. The curriculum encompasses topics delivered as courses by different colleges, including epidemiology, nanotechnology, pharmacogenomics, and project management [ 22 ]. The authors reported that most program graduates secured jobs in the pharmaceutical industry upon graduation, emphasizing the significance of regular program evaluations and refinement [ 22 ]. Similarly, Lypson et al. outlined the newly adopted program evaluation process at the University of Michigan Health System, involving dedicated faculty and formal resident members [ 23 ]. This process also benefits from standardization of meetings, content experts, a transition from paper to electronic committee materials, and a focus on continuous improvement efforts for the program [ 23 ].

To uphold the quality of pharmacy postgraduate programs, supervisors must ensure students meet program requirements and graduate efficiently. Incorporating blended learning, which combines online and on-campus classroom experiences, has been suggested as a valuable learning tool [ 62 , 63 ]. Furthermore, introducing dual postgraduate degrees alongside undergraduate education in pharmacy programs can enable students to attain advanced degrees in a shorter duration efficiently. Implementing a hybrid teaching format can also be helpful, particularly for working professionals.

Training, skills and competencies development

Student preparation should extend beyond curricular coursework to encompass practical training and skill development, including cultivating critical thinking skills. Postgraduate pharmacy students must acquire skills and competencies to excel in their future roles. While some skills may be specific to student specialization, others are universally applicable and should be integrated into most specialized medical and pharmaceutical programs. Furthermore, the current job market demands more than traditional scientific research skills. Students may also need to demonstrate disparate skills in business, policy management, and advanced technologies. Therefore, the curriculum should incorporate relevant course content to address these multifaceted requirements. Competencies are frequently defined as meaningful job-related skills, knowledge, attitudes, and abilities essential for competent performance in distinct professions [ 60 ]. Key skills and competencies highlighted in the literature regarding pharmacy postgraduate education encompass research competencies, curriculum development training, communication skills, health administration and leadership training, industrial training, and critical thinking and problem-solving.

In a study published by Poloyac et al., core research competencies for a PhD program were developed in a clinical pharmaceutical sciences curriculum [ 29 ]. Eight major competencies were identified for students to integrate preclinical and clinical evidence into their research successfully [ 29 ]. These competencies included: i) literature review and evaluation; ii) hypothesis generation; iii) research methods and study design; iv) statistical methods and data evaluation; v) grantsmanship; vi) presentation and delivery of oral and written scientific information; vii) ethical conduct of research; viii) leadership, management, and multidisciplinary teamwork [ 29 ]. Each category features subcategories of competencies, and evaluation rubrics were created to assess students' performance [ 29 ]. These competencies provide a valuable framework that can be adapted for other research-based postgraduate programs.

As previously discussed, some students pursue higher education to enter academia, emphasizing the need to acquire essential competencies to excel in their potential roles. Given that curriculum development and revision are ongoing and dynamic processes, training postgraduate pharmacy students on curriculum development becomes invaluable for those aspiring to pursue an academic career in pharmacy. Newton et al. demonstrated the effectiveness of incorporating a faculty simulation of curriculum development seminar for MSc and PhD pharmacy students, offering a practical and successful tool to prepare them for the responsibilities associated with academic roles [ 30 ].

Research, being a multifaceted interdisciplinary field, demands excellent communication skills. Thus, students must undergo training in presentation, negotiation, and conflict management skills. Additionally, employers' appreciation of diverse soft skills highlights the importance of cultivating a broad skill set in graduates [ 64 ]. Studies have highlighted substantial benefits for doctoral pharmacy students who received training to enhance their communication skills, improve confidence in discussing findings, and enhance public speaking abilities [ 31 , 32 ]. Therefore, integrating courses and lectures focused on communication into the curriculum emerges as an invaluable component, aiding students in cultivating and strengthening their personal and interpersonal communication capabilities.

Specialized programs often require students to develop unique skills and competencies relevant to their areas of study. For instance, a master’s degree in health-system pharmacy administration and leadership training (HSPAL) was a novel program developed within the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [ 33 ]. That program combined Master’s education with practical HSPAL residency [ 33 ]. The program was designed to provide a balanced curriculum encompassing leadership, management, clinical, administrative, and didactic courses to prepare students for pharmacy administrative positions and leadership careers [ 33 ]. The program indicated attainment of the main core competencies and outcomes by enrolled students and graduates [ 33 ]. Furthermore, supervisors noted a greater likelihood of hiring graduates for administrative positions [ 33 ].

Many pharmacy programs often encompass laboratory components involving traditional basic sciences practice labs. However, there is a recognized need to integrate elements that provide students with the necessary knowledge for pharmaceutical industry practice, particularly those aspiring to work in drug discovery and development. A study revealed that most graduate programs inadequately address industry-related skills, emphasizing the importance of incorporating experiences that better prepare graduates for non-academic careers [ 35 ]. In another study by McLaughlin et al., a qualitative analysis of employers’ expectations for pharmaceutical sciences PhD graduates was conducted to understand the skills sought by employers [ 34 ]. The authors identified themes such as depth and breadth of knowledge, collaboration, communication, adaptability, experiential training, research productivity, and motivation [ 34 ]. Thus, integrating a holistic lab experience throughout the study duration, rather than limiting exposure to technical skills, can add significant value. This could be implemented by placing students in local and international pharmaceutical industries for mandatory practical experiences.

Critical thinking and problem-solving are among the highly desired skills in pharmacy postgraduates and are key to successful research conduct and evaluation of published evidence. However, various barriers may hinder their acquisition, including students' perceptions, limited metacognitive skills, biases, and the need for effortful thinking [ 65 ]. Though challenging, developing and nurturing these skills is not impossible in a thoughtful and encouraging educational environment. Research from India and Poland explored these skills in pharmacy postgraduate education [ 36 , 37 ]. Research from India investigated the performance and perception of students and their instructors regarding utilizing critical appraisal tools [ 37 ]. Both students and instructors reported that journal club (JC) criticism activities were vital in pharmacy postgraduate education, contributing to an enhancement in critical appraisal skills among participating students [ 37 ]. Research from Poland reported that graduates had insufficient knowledge of and attitudes toward evidence-based pharmacy, especially in their critical appraisal of scientific articles and problem-solving skills [ 36 ]. The study suggested that blended learning, combining classroom and online multi-module courses, could enhance the learning experience [ 36 ]. Further research evaluating critical-thinking and problem-solving training in pharmacy postgraduate education across diverse countries is essential to draw wide-ranging conclusions and recommend improvements in relevant curricula.

Assessment, evaluation and mentorship

Competency-based education proves beneficial when students' competence is continually assessed throughout the program [ 66 , 67 ]. A well-defined course syllabus should outline the timeline, assessment approaches, deadlines, and submissions and emphasize feedback and constructive criticism [ 66 , 67 ]. Course instructors should decide on the course objectives and identify potentially relevant embedded assessment tools to achieve these goals [ 40 ]. For instance, a program-level assessment process was developed for an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences program using an iterative data collection process, peer evaluation, and discussions [ 40 ]. The main assessment domains were cognitive (knowledge-based), affective (emotion-based), and psychomotor (action-based) [ 68 ]. The assessment was developed utilizing Bloom's taxonomy, which includes cognitive (knowledge-based), affective (emotion-based), and psychomotor (action-based) domains, and can guide the setting of course goals based on complexity and specificity [ 40 , 68 ]. Program success can be evaluated through student evaluations and feedback on course content, format, assessment methods, and suggestions [ 40 , 68 ].

A set of publications explored the performance assessment of pharmacy postgraduate students. In a descriptive study by Robinson et al., a comprehensive competency review assessing postgraduates' competencies was discussed [ 38 ]. Students were required to provide written evidence for each competency, and the instructor would either accept it if found satisfactory or reject it while requesting a rewritten version to ensure the development of the required competencies [ 38 ]. Based on students' performance, the faculty member may suggest elective courses during the program's second half [ 38 ]. Similarly, in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant Application Writing Assessment for pharmacology postgraduate students, grades improved considerably upon resubmission, with survey responses indicating increased student confidence in grant writing capability [ 39 ]. The study emphasized improving writing skills through writing, revision, submission, constructive feedback, rewriting, and resubmitting [ 39 ]. Together, these findings underline the importance of midpoint evaluations for various competencies. While this process may be time-consuming for students and faculty, it is considered a worthwhile investment in time, cost, and effort.

Assessing students' understanding of theoretical concepts alone may not be sufficient; they should also be evaluated based on their actions and practical applications. For instance, a study conducted in Jordan reported a high theoretical understanding of plagiarism among pharmacy postgraduate students. However, when given practical assignments, overall performance was unsatisfactory, revealing a high prevalence of plagiarism [ 41 ]. Therefore, educational institutions should ensure students learn various paraphrasing methods and are educated on useful references for plagiarism checking. In another study conducted in the same country, the adherence rate of postgraduate students to ethical standards related to data confidentiality and informed consent when dealing with human subjects was also inadequate [ 42 ]. Hence, assessing students’ performance in applying theoretical concepts is also recommended to ensure they are highly competent in real-world settings.

The careful selection of tools and methods for delivering lectures is crucial, especially in the context of advancing technologies and artificial intelligence. In postgraduate education, 3D virtual computer simulation methods were deemed advantageous [ 44 , 46 ]. In a randomized controlled study, using 3D technology to demonstrate drug-receptor interactions significantly enhanced students’ understanding and performance compared to traditional 2D graphics [ 44 ]. Similarly, a computer-simulated method in experimental animal modeling in postgraduate pharmacology improved the experimental outcomes and confidence when conducted before an isolated live tissue-based bioassay [ 46 ]. Moreover, a pilot study assessing the value of technology (Lecture Tools) as an active learning method in teaching pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics demonstrated a positive experience [ 45 ]. Lecture Tools is a cloud-based system that permits various question designs, student participation, and in-class evaluations [ 45 ]. Students can use any smart device, like laptops, tablets, or mobile phones, and take notes within the same slide of the teaching presentation [ 45 ]. Despite the provision of real-time interactions, there are limitations, including weak faculty preparedness for using this tool, the time required for preparing the lecture slides, and limited lecture time [ 45 ]. Other tools have also proven valuable for undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education, offering interactive and easily accessible sessions, such as Coursera and EdX platforms, Socrative, Yammer, and the Lecture Capture System [ 69 , 70 , 71 ].

Postgraduate supervision is crucial to students' success, emphasizing the need for high-quality and sufficient mentorship. Swedish PhD students indicated that poor supervision prolonged their studies and delayed the completion of their thesis projects [ 49 ]. Every student has the right to guarantee that their mentorship is provided by qualified supervisors capable of effectively mentoring postgraduate students. When interviewed, supervisors expressed a need for training regarding the required instructions, guidance, and clarification of their roles as mentors [ 49 ]. In a study by Yue et al., which investigated Master’s mentor competence, it was reported that a mentor’s development can be encouraged via supportive policy, time, and appropriate programs [ 50 ]. Secondly, the mentor’s competencies should be assessed through mentor training and evaluation [ 50 ]. Lastly, mentors should endorse all competencies voluntarily [ 50 ]. The dual-mentorship model is a promising key initiative to improve mentorship in postgraduate education. Soucy et al. advocated for the dual-mentored PhD model, where each student is supervised by two expert mentors from different organizations, leading to superior outcomes [ 48 ]. Graduates of this program demonstrated great success, graduating two years earlier than traditional Ph.D. program students without compromising the outcomes [ 48 ].

After discussing each theme in detail, we employed a visual presentation to summarize the major identified challenges (Fig.  6 ), offering educators and readers an overview of the current potential challenges. Understanding these barriers can ensure that postgraduate pharmacy programs are effective and subject to continuous improvement. Table S4 (Supplementary Material 3) provides a detailed explanation of the identified challenges.

A summary of the major recognized challenges from each of the three identified themes

Study recommendations

Based on the insights driven from this scoping review, we have synthesized and developed a conceptual framework outlining an optimal structure for Pharmacy postgraduate programs (Fig.  5 ). This framework elucidates evidence-based recommendations for universities to improve the educational experience for students and for refining pharmacy postgraduate programs. While implementing this framework, it is noteworthy that research and improvement efforts should be tailored to each program context and capacity.

This model can be utilized by various stakeholders. The use of such a model should be tailored to the specific target audience and the overall context. Several stakeholders could benefit from the model; for example, investigators could focus their research on a theme or a subcategory to develop and examine the effectiveness of an intervention. Likewise, postgraduate students could use this model to identify the key knowledge areas, skills, and competencies they need to master in order for them to stay ahead of the continuously changing demands of the job market. Additionally, educators, management teams, and administrators at postgraduate programs could use the model for the continuous development and refinement of their postgraduate programs.

This scoping review highlights various recommendations to be explored in future research efforts. First, all included studies were observational and descriptive, with only one randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a limited number of mixed-method studies. Thus, we suggest the need for well-designed RCTs and mixed-method research studies evaluating postgraduate programs focusing on the three presented themes. RCTs would provide valuable high-level evidence to support future research and practice applications. At the same time, mixed-method studies can facilitate the collection and evaluation of unique quantitative and qualitative data in individual program contexts. Second, future research should investigate educational programs from the need assessment and/or program objective development stage to the final evaluation of programs and their improvements. Exploring the utilization of well-established frameworks from the literature will allow the development of research and/or program evaluation following a systematic and comprehensive approach. Third, there are few publications on the assessment and evaluation methods. Accordingly, investigating this theme can provide valuable information on the effectiveness of the implemented programs and guide the process of program improvement and development. Fourth, our findings suggest that research involving MSc programs focuses more on courses, curriculum, and syllabus topics and less on training, competencies, and skills development. Given the growing need for competent professionals, investigating training and competencies within MSc programs will assist in preparing competent graduates. On the other hand, there were limited studies exploring courses and curriculum topics in PhD programs. Therefore, studies investigating the development or evaluation of PhD-tailored curricula and courses, particularly those focusing on competency-based education, should be considered in future research efforts. Finally, we have identified a need for additional international research efforts, from both developing and developed countries, to advance postgraduate pharmacy education on a global scale.

Study strengths and limitations

Strengths and limitations inherent to the scoping review.

It is noteworthy that this review is, to our knowledge, the first to systematically synthesize and chart available evidence on pharmacy postgraduate (MSc and PhD) education. Such a systematic approach offered many strengths relevant to conceptual and theoretical aspects and other strengths relevant to the standard methodology utilized in this scoping review. Studies discussed educational program implementation in detail, which provided a comprehensive overview and opportunity to learn from programs at various stages of implementation (i.e., both programs at advanced stages with successful implementation practices and nascent programs with identified improvement opportunities). The details provided in this review and in individual studies could be utilized to inform the implementation and improvement of other programs at the international level. Moreover, the included studies utilized diverse research methodologies and offered valuable insights into the current literature landscape on MSc and PhD pharmacy programs. The review also resulted in the development of an evidence-based conceptual framework for enhancing pharmacy postgraduate education. Further, included herein are outcomes of the examination of the postgraduate pharmacy educational curriculum, competency development, and assessment methods. Another strength of this study is the use of these defined themes to guide the framework constriction, analysis and presentation of findings. Additionally, methodological strengths included a) utilization of standard methodology (i.e., PRISMA-ScR) to conduct this review; b) employment of the framework proposed by Arksey and 'O'Malley for data synthesis and charting; c) utilization of a comprehensive search strategy documented in the supplementary material to increase the transparency and replicability of the search strategy; and d) utilization of major databases and journals relevant to the field of pharmacy education research to ensure comprehensiveness. Despite these strengths, this review has some limitations. Firstly, due to its scoping nature, the outcomes of the studies were not assessed using formal quality assessment tools; thus, interpretation of findings and efforts to implement any intervention or recommendation would require further investigation. However, to ensure the inclusion of high-quality data and to mitigate this limitation, we included articles from peer-reviewed journals only. Secondly, the included studies were descriptive and observational, with only one RCT. Thus, well-designed RCT studies evaluating pharmacy postgraduate programs are recommended for future research efforts. Lastly, the inclusion criteria were limited to studies published in English between 2011 and 2023; this might affect the inclusion of articles published in non-English or before 2011.

Limitations of the conceptual model

Although this model can provide a valuable foundation for developing collective, high-quality pharmacy postgraduate programs, there are some limitations to take into consideration before utilizing or interpreting the information provided, which include:

First, concerning methodological rigor, there is a need for a more robust and structured methodology for developing this model, such as the Delphi method, which would ultimately enhance its robustness. Nevertheless, the development of the model relied on a comprehensive literature review and synthesis. The model utilized a rich dataset originating from primary studies and implementing various research methodologies, e.g., survey research, qualitative interviews, and mixed-methods research. The various methodologies used in the primary studies, the various types of data originated and data qualities, as well as the unique experiences of various postgraduate programs, enriched this model and improved its quality.

Second is the issue of contextual applicability. Developing countries can find it difficult and costly to implement or adapt this model into their educational programs, mainly due to the cost and availability of necessary resources. For instance, certain components of the model could require expensive resources that are not readily affordable in low-income countries. Therefore, these educational programs should customize this model in a cost-effective approach, taking into consideration their available resources.

Finally, the consideration of stakeholders’ perspectives is crucial. Various stakeholders are required to provide their perspectives and input effectively to evaluate this model before its utilization. To elaborate, educators, program administrators, and employers representing the job market may find the model or some aspects of the model not applicable to their scope of interest or resources or may identify additional factors or priorities that are not explicitly addressed in the model.

Conclusions

Postgraduate pharmacy education represents a vital transition from undergraduate learning to unique, practice-oriented knowledge, preparing graduates for exceptional service across diverse pharmacy areas, topics, pursuits, and settings. Therefore, tailored pharmacy programs at higher education institutions must constantly evaluate various aspects of their educational systems with ongoing updates to remain relevant. This scoping review offered a wide breadth of evidence-based suggestions, recommendations, gaps, improvement opportunities, and conclusions pertaining to key areas of a) practice-oriented courses, curricula, and modules; b) performance-based assessments; c) real-world competencies, applied skills, and training; d) diverse tools and methods for teaching and learning; e) programs emphasizing the crucial role of mentorship and support in diverse pharmacy postgraduate topics. This review resulted in developing a conceptual framework, which can serve as a reverence for improving and developing Pharmacy postgraduate educational programs. Various opportunities for further research were also recognized to address various challenges and identified gaps in pharmacy postgraduate education.

Availability of data and materials

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

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DK, OH, & MI worked on developing the study protocol. DK, OH, & NA screened and identified eligible articles. DK, OH, & AH grouped the studies, extracted the required data, and summarized the results. DK drafted the initial manuscript. AH, IA, & MI revised and edited the manuscript. MI supervised all the steps and provided guidance and feedback throughout the whole process of constructing this review. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Dana ElKhalifa or Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim .

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ElKhalifa, D., Hussein, O., Hamid, A. et al. Curriculum, competency development, and assessment methods of MSc and PhD pharmacy programs: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ 24 , 989 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05820-5

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Received : 24 April 2024

Accepted : 25 July 2024

Published : 11 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05820-5

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