Program Details

Accelerated by Design: Earn Your PharmD in Less Than Three Years

As a student in the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Pharmacy-Worcester/Manchester’s accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy program, you will participate in a curriculum that supports experiential readiness, preparing you through case-based learning, simulation labs, and problem-solving and clinical reasoning activities; team readiness, cultivating the ability to collaborate effectively within interprofessional health care teams; and practice readiness, ensuring that you can translate classroom and experiential learning into person-centered care.   You will also develop personally and professionally through engagement in co-curricular activities and discussions with faculty advisors on topics such as evidence-based learning strategies, leadership, self-awareness, and post-graduate education.

During your education, you will develop and master foundational science and drug knowledge through the study and application of:

• Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics: In-depth understanding of drug actions, mechanisms, effects, and the use of medications in various disease states.
• Pathophysiology: Understanding the biological and physiological changes associated with diseases, providing the context for understanding drug actions and patient needs.
• Medicinal Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical structure and properties of drugs, including their relationship to activity and adverse effects.
• Pharmacokinetics: Principles of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, crucial for dose optimization.
• Pharmacogenomics/Pharmacogenetics: Understanding how genetic variations influence drug response and adverse reactions.
• Evidence-Based Medicine: Learning to critically evaluate medical literature and apply research findings to patient care decisions.
• Biostatistics: Essential for interpreting research, understanding clinical trials, and making evidence-based decisions about drug therapies. 

During your education, you will develop and master person-centered care and practice skills through the study and application of:

• Clinical Skills and Patient Care: Developing skills such as patient interviewing, assessment, medication reconciliation, and counseling for effective patient care.
• Clinical Reasoning Skills: Integrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop safe, effective, and person-centered medication plans.
• Patient Advocacy: Promoting the patient's best interests in medication therapy.
• Communication Skills: Effectively communicating with patients, other healthcare professionals, and diverse audiences.
• Drug Information and Literature Evaluation: Efficiently locating, evaluating, and applying drug information from various sources to answer medication-related questions.
• Interprofessional Collaboration: Working effectively with other healthcare professionals as part of a patient care team.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding and respecting patient's beliefs, values, and preferences to provide culturally competent person-centered care. 

During your education, you will develop and master professionalism, ethics, and practice management through the study and application of:

• Professional Ethics and Legal Considerations: Understanding the ethical principles and legal regulations governing pharmacy practice.
• Management and Leadership: Developing leadership qualities and managerial skills for various pharmacy settings, including resource management, staff supervision, and goal setting.
• Quality Improvement: Applying principles of quality improvement to enhance medication safety and patient outcomes in pharmacy practice.
• Pharmacoeconomics: Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical products and interventions for optimal resource allocation.
• Public Health: Understanding the role of pharmacists in promoting public health initiatives, such as immunizations and disease prevention.
• Specialty Pharmacy: Exposure to various specialty areas like oncology, critical care, or pediatrics to deepen expertise in specific patient populations or disease states.