PharmD students study in settings ranging from large lecture halls to small groups to individual instruction, and they will need to develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities to assist in providing pharmaceutical-based patient care in many
diverse rotational sites. Students are expected to be actively involved in the learning process.
Pharmacists must be able to communicate intricate oral and written information to patients, care providers and other health-care professionals. Effective communication requires an ability to use the English language
fluently, to write clearly and concisely, clear thinking and awareness of when there is understanding or lack thereof. It is essential that students become active listeners.
Our goal is to provide a strong educational foundation with knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable the graduate to successfully practice as a pharmacist, and to embrace the concept of being a life-long learner.
In addition to the PharmD program, applicants are attracted by the excellence of our basic career tracks (Outpatient Care, Inpatient Care, ">Clinical Research, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research)
and dual degree programs (PharmD/MBA, PharmD/JD, PharmD/MPH, PharmD/MS and PharmD/PhD) as well as post-graduate residency and fellowship training programs.
The PharmD and dual degree programs are comprised of quality staff, students, graduates, and faculty including Distinguished Teaching Professors and recipients of the Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. In a
small, personalized setting within a major public institution, students are able to experience a close-knit community with their peers and faculty with the resources and facilities of a large research university.
Acceptance Information As a renowned center for education and groundbreaking research, admission to the PharmD program is competitive. Approximately 125 students are selectively admitted to the
program each fall after completion of the pre-pharmacy course requirements. Incoming freshmen entering UB directly from high school who choose pharmacy as their intended major are automatically admitted to UB's Doctor
of Pharmacy through our prestigious Early Assurance (EA) Program. This program gives talented freshmen the heightened advantage
of securing a seat in our PharmD degree after completing two years of prescribed undergraduate course work.
All other applicants are accepted into the program through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) process,
a centralized application service to apply to multiple degree programs offered by schools and colleges of pharmacy. PharmCAS applicants may complete their prerequisites at UB, or they may complete their prerequisites
at another accredited institution. While a bachelor's degree is not required, applicants having earned this degree are encouraged to apply. Candidates should apply well in advance of posted deadlines to allow ample
time to process their applications, as a rolling admissions policy is in effect.
PharmCAS Selection is based on:
Prerequisite Courses, GPA, and PCAT
Reference Letters, Experience, Essay and Interview
In addition to intellectual and academic competence, the school's admissions committee considers communication skills, leadership ability, community service, health care-related or research experience and motivation
for pursuing a career in pharmacy.
The faculty of UB SPPS have established Personal Attributes and Capabilities Essential for Admission, Progression, and Graduation (Technical Standards)
for our Doctor of Pharmacy Degree.
Deadlines: February 1 for PharmCAS applications for fall entrance into the professional program. Applicants are advised to apply well in advance of this deadline. March 1 for PharmCAS supplemental
materials (UB SPPS supplemental form, supplemental fee, PCAT exam scores and a minimum of three completed letters of reference) November 1 for Early Assurance program candidates in their freshman year to submit
the UB Online Graduate Application
Number of accepted majors (2015): 138 Total number of majors currently enrolled: 500
About Our Facilities
Students enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, "smart" classrooms, and centers for research that are among the finest in the world, all in
a safe, close-knit setting. Thanks to a 10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences students work side-by-side with faculty who have established a reputation for excellence in scholarship,
teaching, clinical activities, and research. It's all part of an educational environment based on community and teamwork, with students, alumni, and faculty working together to create an atmosphere of active collaboration,
professional development, and mentorship.
In 2012, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences moved to John and Editha Kapoor Hall on the University at Buffalo's South Campus. This building, designed specifically for SPSS, provides high-level
teaching and research facilities for pharmacy practice and the pharmaceutical sciences, including:
Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center
simulated hospital pharmacy complete with a drug information center, an IV preparation area, and an inpatient hospital room
professional practice lab for compounding and a sterile preparation laboratory
community pharmacy area for containing patient counseling rooms
patient assessment rooms for clinical counseling and assessment
video monitoring facility for immediate feedback and review
pharmacogenetics laboratory
general research laboratories
About Our Courses
Throughout the PharmD curriculum, a student's education consists of the following:
lecture courses
seminar-type classes
"professional practice" laboratories
experiential activities involving patients and other health care professionals
In addition to lecture halls and seminar rooms, which are associated with introductory pharmacy practice experiences, the program provides instructional activities in our Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center.
Typical class size:
Upper level/advanced courses - approximately 125
In the Department of Pharmacy Practice, what do student teaching assistants (TAs) do?
They assist in laboratories and in recitations.
Suggested Introductory Courses BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology BIO 201 Cell Biology CHE 101 General Chemistry I or CHE 105 Chemistry: Principles and Applications I CHE 102 General Chemistry II or CHE 106 Chemistry: Principles and Applications II MTH 121 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications I or MTH 141 College Calculus I (based on placement) MTH 122 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications II or MTH 142 College Calculus II (based on placement) Communication
Literacy 1 or Advanced Writing courses (based on placement) Social and Behavioral Sciences course (see the Undergraduate Catalog) PHM 201 Orientation in Pharmacy
About Our Faculty
Our faculty are recognized as academic leaders by virtue of their many distinguished professor appointments, professional teaching awards as well as recognition by our students. Our faculty are leaders in their fields of science and clinical health and
we are proud to have members of many distinguished ranks including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Foundation awardees, ISI Most Highly Cited List members, and many Distinguished
Investigator awardees.
Faculty in the Department of Pharmacy Practice conduct research as part of the school's Pharmacotherapy Research Center. Some of the areas of study include the following patient care environments, many funded
through federal grants and contracts:
patient care environments in adult medicine
pediatrics
geriatrics
nephrology
transplantation
infectious diseases
HIV
oncology
neurology
psychiatry
Clinical trials are performed, incorporating pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics principles coupled with mathematical modeling.
Please visit our department website for additional information about our faculty.
Practical Experience and Special Academic Opportunities
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences students are encouraged to give back to the community through our comprehensive outreach programs. Our students are involved in many opportunities for professional and personal growth such as:
participation in the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists Patient Care Projects:
Operation Heart
Operation Diabetes
Operation Immunization
Poison Prevention Education Program, where students participate in community clinics educating the public about the proper use of medications
elementary school visits to teach children how to prevent accidental poisonings in their homes
Students attend professional meetings, both locally and nationally, to learn about the latest advances in medication and treatment for various disease states.
Students are required to participate in Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) during the first three years of the professional curriculum. These "rotations" provide students an opportunity to put
into practice what they are learning in the classroom at various community practice sites. PharmD students complete 10 months (40 weeks) of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) during their fourth professional
(P4) year at various off campus clinical practice sites throughout the country.
Internships and Clinical Rotations Standard internships are not part of the undergraduate experience in pharmacy. All professional (PharmD students) must engage in clinical rotations through the
profession's experiential education requirements: Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)
and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences maintains both academic
and research experiences with a variety of local, regional, national and international sites including:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Yale-New Haven Hospital
National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
American Pharmacists Association
Cardinal Health
Buffalo and Niagara Hospice
the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
the National Institutes of Health
the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Post Graduate Opportunities
Post-graduate residencies and fellowships are available through formalized partnerships with pharmacy practice and research training programs throughout the nation. Some of these programs include:
alcoholism
antimicrobial studies
antiviral research
attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder
cardiovascular pharmacotherapy
clinical pharmacokinetics
critical care pharmacotherapy
diabetes
geriatrics
immunodeficiency services
infectious disease pharmacotherapy
managed care
medication adherence
neuropharmacology
oncology
patient education
pediatrics
pharmacology
pharmacoeconomics
pharmacometrics
transplant immunosuppression
Honors, Awards, and Scholarships The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences awards competitive scholarships each year. In addition, students are eligible for funding from many private and public sources, to name a few:
Health Professions Loans
CVS Scholarships
the Cecil & Violet Newton Scholarship Fund
the Henry A. Panasci, Jr. Pharmacy School Fund
the Walgreens Scholarship Fund
Over thirty awards and prizes are presented to graduating PharmD students. These include:
the Samuel J. Bauda Award for leadership and dedication to community health care
the Lilly Achievement Award for superior scholastic achievement and professional attitude
the A. Bertram Lemon award for a graduate who exemplifies the high ideals of scholarship and dedication to the profession of pharmacy
Extracurricular Activities
Students are involved with a number of different professional organizations, such as:
the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Student Chapter
the Academy of Students of Pharmacy (ASP)
the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA)
Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Society Student Chapter
Rho Chi Honor Society Student Chapter
Phi Delta Chi
Lambda Kappa Sigma
the Student Pharmacists Association of Western New York (SPAWNY).
If you would like to get involved, please research the professional PharmD organizations and contact the organization's officers.