Play an important role in addressing a nation-wide need in healthcare and research.
Position yourself to be highly sought after by leading institutions in academia, industry and government. The PharmD/MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences Joint Program combines your passion for being a practicing pharmacist while concurrently feeding your interest in research. This PharmD/MS program addresses the national need to train pharmacy clinicians in the craft of research.
The MS program adds one-year of research-focused curriculum to your accelerated three-year PharmD program. By already pursuing an accelerated PharmD program, you will still have an advantage over peers who are only pursuing a four-year PharmD program.
Benefits of Earning a PharmD and MS in Pharmaceutical Science
- Pharmacy profession is diversifying: Position yourself as a research-trained pharmacist to discover and disseminate new knowledge in the biomedical sciences, health sciences and education communities.
- Have a competitive advantage: Becoming a clinician-researcher pharmacist makes you a sought after candidate for residency and other pharmacy career options (e.g. academia, research/research communication and industry).
- Expand your network: Engage in at least one additional Research APPE during the P3 year preparing you for travel to present your research at national conferences.
Our Faculty
In the School of Pharmacy, we define pharmaceutical science as an ‘umbrella’ term that includes a variety of interdisciplinary specialties that contribute directly or indirectly to drug discovery and development or the understanding and use of medications. Our faculty engage in active mentorship to support student research in the following specialties: Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, Drug Metabolism, Medicinal Chemistry, Toxicology, and Cancer Biology. Each student will work closely with one faculty advisor throughout the research portion of the program.
Program Outline
The MS degree enhances your time at the Pacific School of Pharmacy by integrating with your predetermined PharmD coursework. In addition to your PharmD plan of study, you will complete:
- P1 year (1 MS-level course credit): Build upon your classroom knowledge and learn more about faculty research projects through our Advanced Topics in Pharmaceutical Sciences course (PHRM802).
- P2 year (4 MS-level research credits): Identify your mentor and begin your self-directed research project in the lab.
- P3 year (1 research APPE; 2 MS-level online credits): All third-year pharmacy students spend this year at experiential sites on 8 six-week APPE rotations. Spend 1-2 of these rotations in the research lab further developing your project. In addition, students take two self-paced online course tailored to your project on scientific communication.
- Graduate with your PharmD!
- P4 year/post-PharmD (research electives, seminars, and thesis): Students build upon the research in their P2 and P3 years to finalize their research project. We provide numerous presentation opportunities both at the local and national levels to provide valuable networking opportunities. Flexibility is provided for students interested in practicing pharmacy while completing their research project.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants need to follow the PharmD admission requirements with the additional requirements for consideration for the MS program:
- Bachelor’s Degree: At the time of applying, students must have or expect to earn a bachelor’s degree prior to start of the program. Students pursuing an approved Pacific University School of Pharmacy Bridge Program are eligible to apply for the MS program.
- Resume/CV
- Essay: Students will submit a one-page essay detailing their research interests and professional aspirations.
- Completed MS/PharmD Joint Degree Application: Students must submit this application to be considered for the joint degree program.
