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College of Pharmacy IntroductionDoctor of Pharmacy Degree Accreditation Admission
Student Organizations Dean, Rosalie Sagraves Departments: The oldest of the 15 colleges of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the College of Pharmacy became a part of the University in 1896. The college’s six-story building provides classrooms, multiple-media lecture halls and auditorium, research, teaching, and dispensing laboratories. A learning resources center including computer terminals is housed in the college. A lounge and locker space are available for student use. In addition to its educational activities, the College of Pharmacy provides clinical and distributive services to patients seeking care at the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics. This service function is coupled with the educational programs of the college to provide maximum exposure to contemporary pharmacy practice. Inpatient, outpatient, and satellite pharmacies in community health centers are part of the network of pharmacy services in which the college is engaged. The College of Pharmacy offers the final four years of a six-year program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. The prospective applicant is advised to contact the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) at the College of Pharmacy for further information at 312-996-7242 or to obtain information at the OSA Web site, http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/offices/osa/osa.html. The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark St, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109, 312-664-3575, 800-533-3606; fax: 312-664-4652, http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. New students may begin only in August each year. Students are admitted to the college one of three ways: (1) new student; (2) Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) student; or (3) transfer student. Biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics are the foundations for courses at the College of Pharmacy. Humanities, social studies, and communication skills are also important. Prospective students should take the highest level of a challenging college preparatory course of study that includes at least one year, preferably two years each, of precalculus mathematics that includes algebra, trigonometry, and geometry; calculus; biology; chemistry; and four years of English or speech. Physics is highly recommended. Computer literacy is a valuable asset to all college students. The College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee is responsible for admitting students to the program. Committee members are nominated by the faculty and, upon recommendation of the dean, are appointed by the chancellor. The committee is charged with the responsibility of formulating admission requirements, with the approval of the faculty, the University Senate, the University Admissions Committee, and the Board of Trustees. The goal of the committee is to identify candidates with the greatest potential for mastering both the knowledge and clinical competencies required for innovative clinical pharmacy practice and to admit students across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups. Admission to the college is selective and competitive. Admission criteria include demonstrated academic ability in pre-pharmacy programs, good moral character, proficiency and clarity in both written and spoken English, strong potential for professional outlook and behavior, evidence of leadership and maturity, and complete mental and physical competence to perform all tasks regularly expected of a registered pharmacist. The college gives preference to applicants who are residents of Illinois. A conscious effort is made to select students to ensure a broad geographical distribution throughout state of Illinois. The college seeks to admit applicants who can reasonably be expected to become educated graduates able to assume responsible positions in the health care profession and be leaders in civic and public affairs. Positive actions shall be taken to insure, as far as possible, that applicants admitted to the college remain within the state and are willing, if necessary, to practice in areas with low pharmacist-to-patient ratios. Students seeking a return to the college after an absence of one or more semesters are considered for readmission on the basis of the curriculum effective at their return. Applicants accepted for admission who fail to enroll and who wish to enter in a subsequent year must reapply for admission through Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) and must meet all requirements in effect at the later time. They need not retake the PCAT but must arrange for a report of scores to be sent to PharmCAS. If selected for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the student will sign a document, which indicates a willingness to comply with the following when classes begin in August:
Failure to comply with the conditions above will result in refusal of further registration for course work. Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) The GPPA gives highly motivated and academically outstanding senior high school students an opportunity to be guaranteed admission into the College of Pharmacy. Students must demonstrate superior academic performance prior to their application and continued academic success prior to enrollment in the College of Pharmacy. Students must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for GPPA pharmacy admission:a
College of Pharmacy GPPA Conditions of Acceptanceb
Upon satisfactory completion of these conditions and all College of Pharmacy requirements, a seat in the College of Pharmacy will be reserved. To obtain an application and more information, contact the University’s Office of Admission and Records, 312-413-7628. For information, an application, or application status questions, visit the Web site http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/spec_prog/gppa/contacts.htm. Program contacts at the College of Pharmacy (154 PHARM) are as follows: Paula Fleming, Admissions Counselor, 312-996-2329 or pfleming@uic.edu and Jean Woodward, Assistant Dean and GPPA Coordinator, 312-355-3398 or jmbwood@uic.edu. a Not all students meeting the minimum requirements for the GPPA program are admitted. Admission is competitive and space is limited each year. Applicants to the college must, by the time they begin study, have completed a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy course work. Courses may be taken at the University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (see the Preprofessional Studies section of the catalog) or at any accredited college or university and must include at least the following:
a One of these courses must meet the UIC cultural diversity requirement. See the list of approved cultural diversity courses in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of the catalog. Cultural Diversity Requirement Students meet this requirement by choosing a course from the approved cultural diversity course list in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of the catalog. See Pre-Pharmacy Requirements table and footnote. English Composition Requirement Students meet the requirement by achieving a passing grade in English 160 and 161. General Education Requirements As noted in the Pre-Pharmacy Requirements table, students complete courses in the humanities and social sciences to meet the general education requirements. Students should consult the Course Distribution Requirements Chart in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in each category. New Student Admission To be considered for admission to the Pharm.D. Program, candidates must:
The college will consider for admission students who began their education at other accredited colleges of pharmacy if they meet the requirements for admission, are in good standing with the school they have left, and accept adjustments in curricula as a result of changing schools. Such students must request a courtesy letter from the dean of their most recently attended college of pharmacy. Moreover, they must submit official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions they attended. Credit and waivers from enrolling in certain courses may be awarded to students transferring from other accredited colleges of pharmacy who have already completed courses judged equivalent to comparable courses in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy curriculum. To earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UIC, students need to complete university and college degree requirements. University and college degree requirements for all College of Pharmacy students are outlined below.
Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum Requirements
a Students are required to take a total of 12 semester hours of didactic electives during the P-1 to P-3 years. Elective Credit Students are required to take a total of 12 semester hours of didactic electives during the P-1 to P-3 years. Full-time Enrollment All students are expected to attend full-time. Only in extenuating circumstances may students attend part-time. Because of its prerequisite structure, the pharmacy curriculum cannot be completed in a reasonable amount of time on a part-time study basis. Classes are usually scheduled Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. However, a few campus-wide elective offerings are taught in the early evening. Clinical and other experiential courses may require that student schedules coincide with patient care or other practice activities, thus, students must be available to participate on a flexible schedule. Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement To qualify as a candidate for graduation, a student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00. Graduation Declaration/Filing to Graduate Students declare their intent to graduate online using the UI-Integrate Student Self-Service System. The deadline for submission to the Pending Degree List is the end of the third week (fall and spring) or second week (summer) of the term in which graduation is sought. Failure to submit the request at this time may delay the awarding of the degree. A final review will be made following the close of the term. If a student has satisfactorily completed all the degree requirements, the student’s name will be placed on the official degree list. To qualify as a candidate for graduation, a student must be of good moral character, pass all required courses in the curriculum, pay all indebtedness to the University, and be certified by the faculty of the College of Pharmacy. Enrollment Residence Requirement A minimum of three years in enrollment residence as a full-time student in a college or school of pharmacy is required to receive the Pharm.D. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Academic policies related to the College of Pharmacy curriculum may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs. The students of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy recognize that honesty, truth, and integrity are core values to the development of professionalism and underpin the college’s mission as an institution of higher education. They also recognize that professionalism is nurtured and developed as a student progresses through the doctor of pharmacy program and becomes socialized into the profession of pharmacy. This student growth is developed through reflective introspection and exposure/interaction with one’s fellow students, faculty, alumni, and the profession of pharmacy. To facilitate this professional growth, a subcommittee of the ad hoc Academic Integrity Committee of the College of Pharmacy composed of students, faculty, and administrators has created an Honor Code built upon current University policies and procedures as these relate to professionalism, inclusive of academic integrity. The Code describes the responsibilities of doctor of pharmacy students, graduate students, faculty, and the administration in upholding academic integrity while creating an environment that respects the rights of individuals to the due process offered by administrative hearings and appeals. It is expected that all individuals who are enrolled in courses and/or programs conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, and all individuals responsible for student learning act in accordance with the provisions of this policy. Academic Probation and Dismissal Rules Probation Rules A student failing to obtain either a semester grade point average (SGPA) or a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.00/4.00 in courses completed at the University of Illinois at Chicago will be placed on probation. Probation is removed at the end of any semester when the SGPA and CGPA for courses completed at the University of Illinois at Chicago equal or exceed 2.00. Refusal of Further Registration A student will be denied further registration under any of the following conditions:
Students refused further registration for poor scholarship may petition the Academic Standing Committee of the college for readmission. Students must present clear evidence of improved scholarship potential before the Academic Standing Committee will consider the petition. The review and reconsideration of a student dismissed because of poor scholarship are no guarantee of admission. Except in unusual circumstances, students will be readmitted only once. If a student’s petition is denied, the student will be dismissed from the University. Student attendance is essential and expected in all courses offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Regular and punctual attendance at all scheduled classes, laboratories, and recitations is expected of all College of Pharmacy students. In addition to prompt arrival to class, each student is expected to remain in class for the entire length of each session. At the discretion of the faculty member, student attendance may be incorporated into the course grade. Clerkship Registration Requirements All students are considered eligible to begin the fourth-year clerkship sequence when they satisfy requirements for 105 semester hours with a University of Illinois at Chicago cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00 or higher. In addition, all students are required to satisfactorily complete, with a grade point average of 2.00 or better, all core courses before entering clerkship. If a student has a cumulative grade point average below 2.00, the student will be required to repeat selected core courses, as determined by the Academic Standing Committee, for which grades of D were received. In addition, the Academic Standing Committee also may require that the student repeat elective courses offered by the college for which grades of D were received. The student must receive sufficiently high grades in these courses to obtain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or above. The student will be allowed one calendar year to complete these courses. In extreme cases, the Academic Standing Committee can extend this time period to two calendar years. An Incomplete (IN) grade must be removed within 12 months of the end of the term in which the IN was received or prior to the start of senior clerkships, whichever comes sooner. Course instructors may require an earlier deadline. If the student fails to complete the course work within the aforementioned time frame, the instructor will assign an F for the final grade. The Office of Student Affairs will notify instructors when the 12-month time limit (or the start of senior clerkships) will occur. Class standing is defined as the successful completion of all core courses required for a particular class year. An example is as follows: in order to achieve P-2 class standing, all required core courses in the P-1 year must have been taken and the student must have received a passing grade in those courses. In order to achieve P-3 class standing, all required core courses in the P-2 year must have been taken and the student must have received a passing grade in those courses. In the event that a required course is failed, it must be successfully completed in subsequent registration in the course. The original failing grade and the subsequent earned passing grade will be included in the cumulative grade point average. Core courses and required clerkship courses may be taken a maximum of two times. Intercollege Transfer Students See earlier section on Admission. Transfer Students from Other Colleges and Universities See earlier section on Admission. All students are assigned academic advisors from the faculty and staff of the college by the end of their first professional year. The Office of Student Affairs staff is available for referrals and assistance. Students or their advisors may request reassignment at any time. Students with Disabilities Any UIC College of Pharmacy student who has a documented disability, as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, will be referred to the campus Office of Disability Services (ODS). The college will make accommodations on a case-by-case basis with advice from the ODS. Students with disabilities who require accommodations for full access and participation must be registered with the Office of Disability Services. Students who have maintained a grade point average at the college of 3.35/4.00 while satisfying the requirements for graduation may be recommended by the University Senate for graduation with honors. Students who have maintained a grade point average at the college of 3.75/4.00 while satisfying the requirements for graduation may be recommended by the University Senate for graduation with high honors. The recipients of these awards are recognized at the commencement exercises and their honors duly noted on their diplomas. The Dean’s List honors students each semester who have completed a minimum of 12 hours of course work at the College of Pharmacy and have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.50/4.00. State Registration of Pharmacists The Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act provides that a candidate for licensure as a registered pharmacist must have attained the age of 21 years or over; must be of good moral character and temperate habits; must be a graduate from a department, school, or college of pharmacy recognized and approved by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations; and must satisfactorily pass an examination prescribed by the State Board of Pharmacy. Questions relating to licensure and administration of the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act should be directed to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, 320 West Washington, Springfield, Illinois 62786, 217–785–0800, or the Department of Professional Regulations, James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300, Chicago, Illinois 60601, 312–814–4500. Pharmacy students have a variety of student organizations available to them, ranging from professional and fraternal societies and professional organizations to student government. Involvement in student organizations can enhance the learning experience at the College of Pharmacy and aid in the development of valuable leadership skills. Several professional organizations are represented at the college: Academy of Students of Pharmacy, the student organization of the American Pharmaceutical Association; the Asian Pharmacy Association; the Association of Indian Pharmacists in America; the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International; the Community Drug Education Committee (CDEC), the student outreach organization; the student chapter of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists (ICHP); and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, an organization for minority students in pharmacy seeking to promote self-reliance, self-awareness, and excellence in pharmacy practice. A number of honorary organizations are represented in the College of Pharmacy: Phi Lambda Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Phi Chapter of Rho Chi. The college’s four fraternal organizations are both professional and social; they promote the development of the health sciences and the profession of pharmacy, as well as sponsor various social events. They are as follows: Lambda Kappa Sigma, Kappa Psi, Phi Delta Chi, and Rho Pi Phi. For those students interested in student government, each class in the college has four class officers and two representatives, who represent their class on the Student Council. Students also sit on various college committees. |
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