Networking and Support

MCPHS nurtures a supportive community that prioritizes student success. Doctor of Pharmacy students face a unique challenge – and opportunity – because there are so many different directions they can head after graduation. We help students explore their options, establish professional goals, and develop a plan to achieve them. Our faculty and staff are passionate about mentoring, providing guidance and coaching. Many students and alumni also offer advice and support, volunteering their time and sharing their networks to help others succeed.

Faculty Mentoring

Each student is paired with a School of Pharmacy faculty member. The faculty mentor/advisor addresses curriculum-specific items, academic planning for future semesters, career exploration, and discipline-specific questions.

Pharmacy students in Boston, Worcester, and Manchester benefit from additional one-to-one faculty advising through specific course series that focus on personal and professional development. They have a chance to discuss career goals and identify how to achieve them.

Academic Coaching

The Center for Academic Success & Enrichment provides academic coaches. They offer personalized performance-enhancing guidance to help students set academic goals, manage their time more effectively, and make the most of campus resources.

Career Exploration via Core Curriculum

We have designed the curriculum to introduce students to different possibilities for their future from the moment they set foot on campus. For example, the first semester of our programs includes coursework that covers a variety of career paths, including those that require post-graduate education.

Career exploration continues throughout the program with courses and extra-curricular activities that include discussion of residencies, fellowships, and post-graduate opportunities. Our curricula include course series that focus on personal and professional development and help students identify top career choices and the credentials required for them. Faculty advisors support students during these series.

Electives Enhance Understanding of Career Pathways

Students can broaden and deepen their understanding of career pathways – and demonstrate interest in particular areas – through electives. We offer courses on a wide range of topics, including the biopharmaceutical industry, regulatory affairs, healthcare systems, and health economics. Discuss the electives available at your campus with your faculty advisor.

Life Sciences On-Ramp

The life sciences sector continues to expand, presenting many opportunities for professionals with a PharmD. We introduce students to some of these opportunities through core courses and electives. We also bring them into the limelight for Boston students through an “Introduction to Careers in Life Sciences Industries” webinar.

In addition, MCPHS Biopharmaceutical Industry Fellows, who already hold PharmDs, serve as mentors for Doctor of Pharmacy candidates. They share their professional journey, answer questions, and provide advice.

Student Professional Organizations

Students can connect with mentors, tap into powerful networks, and access career development resources by joining a professional organization as a student member. There are student chapters of many prominent professional organizations at MCPHS, including the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Industry Pharmacists Organization, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and the National Community Pharmacists Association.

The local chapters of these organizations help students prepare for regional and national competitions, organize panel discussions, conduct CV reviews, and more. Students can discuss which professional organization to join with their faculty advisor.

Postgraduate Education Committees

Students in Worcester and Manchester benefit from a Postgraduate Education Committee, which comprises faculty and a representative from Career Services. The committee offers:

• A Postgraduate Readiness Education Program (PREP) that introduces students to their options for fellowships, residencies, master’s programs, and PhD programs. PREP also provides practical support, including CV writing sessions, tips on presenting, and mock interview sessions.
• Tips on applying for residences and fellowships.
• An online repository of postgraduate education information and resources.
• A mentorship program.

In Boston, the Residency and Fellowship Committee plays a similar role in supporting students.