PharmD Curriculum
About the PharmD Curriculum
Pharmacy Fundamentals
The initial (P1) academic year is orientated toward courses that instruct the fundamentals of basic science and pharmacy practice. The P1 courses tend to be discipline specific and provide fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to begin clinical activities.
The second (P2) and third (P3) academic years emphasize the Integrated Pharmacotherapy (IPT) courses. The IPT courses are an organ based approach to pharmacotherapy that combine the pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and therapeutics of specific organ systems. Each course provides a comprehensive overview of the major therapeutic drug classes.
The IPT courses are complimented by a four semester series of concurrent Recitation and Rounds courses that use a Team-Based Learning approach to apply the IPT course content to realistic patient cases. These cases allow students to develop pharmacy knowledge and skills in a practical application.
Experiential Education
Experiential courses comprise one-third of the pharmacy curriculum. In both P2 and P3 Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) and P4 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE), students develop knowledge, skills, and practice professional interactions in actual pharmacy settings. Under the supervision of faculty members or qualified licensed preceptors, students gain experience with a variety of disease states, learn to make decisions based on patient populations, and practice collaborating with other health care professionals. These clinical experiences strengthen professional development, help students incorporate concepts learned in didactic coursework into clinical practice, and provide networking and career opportunities after graduation.
PharmD Courses and Timeline
P1 Fall Semester Courses
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 600 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 601 Forum / Student Portfolios / Professional Development I | * |
| PHAR 602 Core Recitation | 0 |
| PHAR 605 IPPE I: Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences | 1 |
| PHAR 610 Principles of Drug Action I | 2 |
| PHAR 626 Human Physiology | 4 |
| PHAR 627 Biochemistry | 3 |
| PHAR 641 Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
| PHAR 656 Health Care Systems | 2 |
| PHAR 671 Clinical Communications | 2 |
| PHAR 672 Introduction to Patient Care | 2 |
| Total Hours | 18 |
Notes:
- * PHAR 601, PHAR 701 and PHAR 801 are year-long courses that are graded in the spring semester each year.
P1 Spring Semester Courses
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 600 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 601 Forum/Student Portfolios/Professional Development I (continued) | 1 |
| PHAR 602 Core Recitation | 0 |
| PHAR 606 IPPE I: Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences | 1 |
| PHAR 611 Principles of Drug Action II | 2 |
| PHAR 628 Research Methods and Biostatistics | 2 |
| PHAR 642 Pharmaceutics I | 4 |
| PHAR 657 Pharmacy Law and Ethics | 3 |
| PHAR 658 Pharmacoepidemiology and Public Health | 2 |
| PHAR 673 Self Care and Nonprescription Medicines | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 |
P2 Fall Semester Courses
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 700 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 701 Forum / Student Portfolios / Professional Development II | * |
| PHAR 702 Core Recitation | 0 |
| PHAR 705 IPPE Community Pharmacy Practice** | 1 |
| PHAR 710 IPT I: Electrolytes, Acid-Base, Anemia and Kidney Disease | 2 |
| PHAR 711 IPT II: Cardiovascular Diseases | 4 |
| PHAR 714 IPT Recitation / Pharmacy Rounds I | 1 |
| PHAR 721 Nutrition, Vitamins, Complementary and Alternative Medicine | 2 |
| PHAR 741 Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
| PHAR 742 Basic Pharmacokinetics | 3 |
| PHAR 777 Sterile Products / IV Admixtures (lab) | 1 |
| Total Hours | 17 |
Notes:
- * PHAR 601, PHAR 701 and PHAR 801 are year-long courses that are graded in the spring semester each year.
- ** The semester in which PHAR 705 or PHAR 706 is taken will vary.
P2 Spring Semester
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 700 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 701 Forum / Student Portfolios / Professional Development II (continued) | ** |
| PHAR 702 Core Recitations | 0 |
| PHAR 706 IPPE - Institutional Pharmacy Practice** | 1 |
| PHAR 712 IPT III: Endocrinology & Metabolic Diseases | 3 |
| PHAR 713 IPT IV: Neurology & Pain Management | 3 |
| PHAR 715 IPT Recitation / Pharmacy Rounds II | 1 |
| PHAR 726 Microbiology / Immunology | 3 |
| PHAR 757 Pharmacy Management & Pharmacoeconomics | 3 |
| PHAR 778 Drug Literature Evaluation and Patient Drug Education | 3 |
| Elective* | 0 - 2 |
| Total Hours | 17 - 19 |
Notes:
- ** The semester in which PHAR 705 or PHAR 706 is taken will vary.
P3 Fall Semester Courses
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 800 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 801 Forum / Portfolios / Professional Development III | * |
| PHAR 802 Core Recitation | 0 |
| PHAR 810 IPT V: Mental and Behavior Health Disorders | 3 |
| PHAR 811 IPT VI: Critical Care, GI, Pulmonary, Rheumatic, Ophthalmology and Dermatology | 5 |
| PHAR 814 IPT Recitation / Pharmacy Rounds III | 1 |
| PHAR 841 Toxicology & Poison Management | 2 |
| PHAR 842 Patient Assessment | 3 |
| PHAR 872 Social-Behavioral Aspects of Patient Care | 2 |
| Electives | 2 - 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 - 19 |
Notes:
- * PHAR 601, PHAR 701 and PHAR 801 are year-long courses that are graded in the spring semester each year.
P3 Spring Semester Courses
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 800 Dean's Hour | 0 |
| PHAR 801 Forum / Portfolios / Professional Development III | 1 |
| PHAR 802 Core Recitation | 0 |
| PHAR 812 IPT VII: Infectious Diseases | 5 |
| PHAR 813 IPT VIII: Oncology, Transplant and Genomics | 3 |
| PHAR 815 Recitation / Rounds IV | 1 |
| PHAR 871 Pharmaceutical Care and MTM | 2 |
| PHAR 873 Pharmacy Professionalism | 1 |
| PHAR 875 Clinical Pharmacokinetics | 3 |
| Elective* | 0 - 2 |
| Total Hours | 19 - 20 |
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PHAR 8XX APPE I | 6 |
| PHAR 8XX APPE II | 6 |
| PHAR 8XX APPE III | 6 |
| PHAR 8XX APPE IV | 6 |
| PHAR 8XX APPE V | 6 |
| PHAR 8XX APPE VI | 6 |
| PHAR 805 Grand Rounds II: Pharmacy Capstone | 1 |
| Total Hours | 37 |
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) consist of four required rotations (adult internal medicine, ambulatory care, community practice and hospital/health-system pharmacy) and two elective rotations. Please see the APPE section for more detailed information.
Notes
* Elective Options: Students may select from two options for completing their elective coursework. Option I involves taking two semester credit hours of elective coursework in semesters 4, 5, and 6. Option II involves taking three semester credit hours of elective coursework in semesters 5 and 6.
** The semester in which PHAR 705 or PHAR 706 is taken will vary.
PharmD Student Technology Requirements
Your journey from a student pharmacist to practitioner will be a stimulating, rigorous, and meaningful experience. You will quickly discover that our program relies heavily on instructional technologies because they enable us to teach, and for you to learn, more effectively. As a result, we have specific requirements for computing devices:
In your first year, you are required to start the program with an iPad and a laptop. iPad models and laptops listed below in Tables 1 and 2 are the minimum requirements. Your iPad will be used throughout your four years in the program primarily as a testing and note-taking device. You will be required to have your iPad on hand daily. And, as a result of the ongoing crisis with COVID-19, a laptop is also required, as not all instructional software is optimized for iPads or for distance learning. If you will need to purchase an iPad and laptop, we strongly recommend you purchase it after attending Pre-Orientation. What you learn during the pre-orientation will help you make an informed decision about the devices you select.
|
Table 1. Minimum System Requirements for Approved iPad Models |
|
| Model |
Any iPad model below purchased within the last 3 years (not jailbroken)
|
| Network Access |
|
| Operating System |
|
| Storage |
|
|
Required |
|
| Recommended Features or Accessories |
|
| Table 2. Minimum System Requirements for Laptops (Genuine US Mac/Win Only) | ||
| Laptop Used in P1/P2 Years | Laptop Used in P3/P4 Years | |
| Laptop (general) | Any Mac or Windows laptop with Wi-Fi or a built-in Ethernet jack purchased within the last 3 years (recommended) | Any Mac or Windows laptop with Wi-Fi and built-in Ethernet jack purchased within the last 3 years (recommended) |
| Required Accessory | USB to Ethernet adapter and 2-3ft Ethernet cable | USB to Ethernet adapter and 2-3 ft Ethernet cable |
| Laptop Specifications |
Processor: Intel i5 8th Gen or equivalent |
Processor: Intel i5 8th Gen or equivalent |
| PCOA Requirement | None | Laptop with direct internet access and the latest compatible web browser cleared of cookies/browser history. • Google Chrome (preferred) • MS Edge and Safari (acceptable) • Firefox/Internet Explorer are NOT supported |
| Pre-NAPLEX Requirement | None | Laptop with direct internet access and the latest compatible web browser cleared of cookies/browser history. • Google Chrome (preferred) • MS Edge and Safari (acceptable) • Firefox/Internet Explorer are NOT supported |
| Operating System |
TAMU Division of Information Technology (DIT) only supports only macOS 10.14/Mohave and Windows 10 or later. Windows Vista, XP, 7, and 8 are not allowed on the TAMHSC or TAMU network; these operating systems are not supported. |
|
| Virus Protection |
For Mac users: DIT recommends Sophos Anti-Virus, a free product |
|
Devices Available at 12th Man Technology
12th Man Technology is the Official Technology store of Texas A&M. We are Aggie owned and operated. We offer exclusive protection plans designed with the college student in mind. You can be certain that your device will meet the requirements of your program.
We will be available during the Class of 2026 Pre-Orientation to answer your questions. However, if you have any questions now, please feel free to contact me at (361) 221-0622 or at greyna@tamu.edu. Also, feel free to contact the TAMU Health Division of Information Technology Help Desk at (979) 436.0250 or helpdesk@tamu.edu if you have any questions about technical support for laptops.
Electronic Learning Portfolios
Student electronic learning portfolios are designed to encourage students to display and realize their development as professional pharmacists.
In this process, students are familiarized with the 10 Professional Competencies of the Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, the competencies each student will have obtained upon graduation. In their electronic portfolios, students submit self-reflections in which they evaluate their achievement of the professional competencies.In addition, students populate the portfolio with certificates of achievement, professional licenses and targeted assessments that demonstrate competency development.
Faculty advisers review the reflections and other submissions to provide feedback and help students focus their understanding of their professional development. By reflecting on their repertoire of skills and knowledge, students are performing a formative assessment of their developing competencies.
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)
Second Year (P2)
The P2 IPPE includes a semester-long rotation at a community pharmacy site and a semester-long rotation at a hospital/institutional site. During the P2 IPPE curriculum, each student will complete 110.5 hours at a community site and 150.5 hours at a hospital/institutional site, for a total of 261 hours.
The P2 community pharmacy rotation includes 13 longitudinal, weekly site visits on Fridays during one semester. The P2 hospital/institutional rotation includes a 40-hour immersion experience 1 week prior to the start of the semester followed by 13 longitudinal, weekly site visits on Fridays throughout the semester. These weekly site visits are designed to allow students to put new concepts learned in the classroom into clinical practice immediately.
Kingsville campus regions
- Corpus Christi Region
- Rio Grande Valley Region
Bryan/College Station campus regions
- Bryan/College Station Region
- Houston Region
- Round Rock Region
- Temple Region
Third Year (P3)
The P3 IPPE clinical experience involves a 40-hour clinical rotation at an Ambulatory Care or Acute Care/General Medicine site with a clinical faculty member. This experience can be a week-long experience, or it can include visiting the site for 5 consecutive Fridays at one of the regions below:
- Bryan/College Station Region
- Corpus Christi Region
- Houston Region
- Rio Grande Valley Region
- Round Rock Region
- Temple Region
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE)
The advanced practice experiences comprise the entire fourth (P4) year of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. The year is divided into eight rotation blocks. Each block is six weeks long. Minimum APPE requirements include the completion of six, 6-week rotations consisting of 4 required core rotations and 2 elective rotations. Students must complete 240 hours at each rotation, for a total of 1,440 hours, to meet ACPE internship requirements. Students will have 2 off-blocks during the APPE year. A student may elect to complete a third or fourth optional elective APPE rotation in an area of his/her interest.
Required Rotations
- Advanced Community Pharmacy Practice experience
- Advanced Hospital/Health-System Pharmacy Practice experience
- Ambulatory Care experience
- Acute Care/General Medicine experience
Electives
- Two Elective Pharmacy Practice experiences
- Students may complete 1 or 2 additional Elective Pharmacy Practice experiences
Elective rotations vary from year to year. A complete list of available electives will be provided prior to the P4 year.
APPE Regions
- Bryan/College Station
- Corpus Christi
- Houston
- Rio Grande Valley
- Round Rock
- Temple