SWAGÊÓƵ

For those considering a career as a pharmacist, the path to a PharmD degree is usually a lengthy commitment that can take four to six years to complete. However, Western University of Health Sciences offers an innovative program that allows ambitious individuals to earn their degree in as little as three and a half years. While there are some colleges on the east coast who have transitioned to a 3.5-year curriculum recently, SWAGÊÓƵ is the first in California and other Western States to adopt this model.

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Advantages of a 3.5-year program:

• Student pharmacists will graduate 6-months ahead of their traditional program cohorts from other pharmacy schools, i.e., by December of their 4th year.
• Graduates will appear for the licensure board exams (NAPLEX and CPJE/MPJE) ahead of their peers in other schools. The CA Board of Pharmacy is expected to process admission tickets quickly because of no backlog created from the other 13 schools.
• Graduates will seek and obtain full time employment 6 months ahead of estimated 1,200 students from CA schools graduating later in May of the following year. It is anticipated that the job market will be strong as most budgetary approvals for new positions start at the beginning of the calendar year.
• Student pharmacists will complete a scholarly research project during LAE allowing those interested in residency positions to be more marketable during residency and fellowship interviews due to their research experiences. Residency interviews take place in January each year.
• With no changes in the first 2.5-year didactic curriculum delivery schedule, student pharmacists can fully immerse in other activities during summer breaks such as fulfilment of IPPE requirements, securing pharmacy intern employment to build their career network and visit to affiliated institutions in Pacific rim countries for student exchanges, participating in summer research with our faculty, or simply relaxing.

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It may sound like an overwhelming amount of work, but programs such as these provide both a unique perspective and efficient approach to learning. A 3.5-year pharmacy program delivers the necessary knowledge and clinical skills pharmacy students need in a shorter time frame. Also, the SWAGÊÓƵ program provides school-life balance by providing students a winter and summer break each year.

The responsibilities of pharmacists are constantly evolving – as pharmacists assume a more active role in patient care, the development of treatment plans, compounding medications, research, and clinical trials. With a PharmD degree, you will unlock countless, versatile career options that can be tailored to individual interests.

By condensing the traditional curriculum, prospective pharmacists can gain a competitive edge in the job market while saving time and money on their education. In the following article, we will explore the advantages and challenges of pursuing a pharmacy degree in just 3.5-years.

Curricular Optimization to Benefit Future Graduates

Considering the significant investment of higher education made by students, graduating in a timely manner is of the utmost importance. Providing the optimal schedule that gives the student the highest probability of success is critical.

The 3.5-year program offered by SWAGÊÓƵ was designed to maintain all of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) requirements meaning the schedule for delivery of didactic and experiential remains undisturbed and unchanged.

Cutting Edge Research

In a 3.5-year program, you will have access to cutting edge research. Research is an integral element of pharmacology as scientists from different fields work collaboratively to advance the medical care and treatments offered to patients. As the world faces new challenges, as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacological research is a crucial step in how we learn to approach illnesses and their respective treatments.

Whether you are interested in cardiovascular medicine, diabetes treatments, or immunology, you can engage with research in your field of interest while earning your PharmaD degree. Universities actively encourage their students to participate with the faculty’s research programs, seeking to facilitate learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Through both laboratory experiments and clinical research, you can put your knowledge into practice.

By participating in elective research programs, you will gain invaluable skills that can later be applied to your career. Beyond advancing your lab skills, clinical research encourages collaborations with both students and faculty members from other disciplines, developing your professional interactions, communication, and organization skills.

Clinical Experience

In addition to participating in the research programs at your university, the 3.5-year program will allow the student pharmacist to gain insight into the industry and further develop their skills by completing clinical rotations. While the requirements vary across campuses to complete a PharmaD degree, most universities require their students to complete several different clinical rotations.

These rotations present students with the perfect opportunity to discover how and where they would like to put their knowledge into practice. Pharmaceutical medicine is an incredibly broad field, offering career opportunities that are both patient and research based. By making the most of this opportunity and choosing rotations in different sites, you can effectively select a future career that best appeals to your interests.

There are many different clinical rotation sites available for student pharmacists. These include, but are not limited to, military hospitals, long-term care facilities, drug stores, rehabilitation centers, county hospitals, private hospitals, and psychiatric facilities. These rotations grant individuals the opportunity to move between different pharmacological environments and find the one that engages and excites you the most.

Serve Your Community

Pharmacists serve as a key point of connection between medicine and the public. The 3.5-year program will provide ample opportunities for you to serve the community. The importance of this and the positive impact it has on the lives of individuals cannot be understated. The SWAGÊÓƵ PharmaD program will provide you with the all-around experience, knowledge and skills of service to others and your community.

Final Thoughts

Gaining your PharmaD degree is an incredibly rewarding experience that gives you access to numerous career paths. A three and a half year PharmD program grants you access to all the benefits of a PharmD degree, including rotations and licensure board exams, six months earlier than most traditional programs. There is a great deal to gain from such an innovative program. Getting a jump into the industry allows these ambitious students to start making a difference, sooner.