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Pharm.D. Program

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Admission to the 6 Year Doctor of Pharmacy Program

For an application, please contact the Office of Admission (401) 874-7100
or click on the Admission homepage.

The University of Rhode Island offers a six year Doctor of Pharmacy Program. The majority of students gain admission to first year of this six year program. Admitted students are dually enrolled in University College and the College of Pharmacy. Students spend their first two years in University College, where they take all the pharmacy pre-requisite courses and the majority of the courses needed to meet the University’s general education requirement.

Progression of students to the first professional year (third year in the University) is guaranteed for all students who meet the academic standards and successfully pass an interview. The interview is held during the last semester of their sophomore year and is designed to assess students’ commitment to the profession of pharmacy, knowledge of the profession and ability to communicate with other health professional and patients.

Students must be able to meet the requirements for a pharmacy intern license and certain introductory and advance practice sites also require students to undergo a criminal background check and submitt to drug testing. All students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program are expected to meet the Technical Standards and to adhere to the Professional Standards of Behavior.

 

Academic Requirements
Each admission candidate is given individual consideration. However, a minimum of 18 units of college (secondary school) preparatory work are expected:

  • 4 in English
  • 3 in algebra and plane geometry
  • 2 in a physical or natural science
  • 2 in history or social science
  • 2 in the same foreign language
  • 5 Additional units to total 18

Successful candidates typically have high grades in science and mathematics, do well in SATs and often have earned advanced placement or college credit while in high school.

 

Selection Factors
Due to the large number of applications received for a limited number of spaces, admission to URI’s College of Pharmacy is highly selective.  The Admission Office received over 1,100 applications for the fall of 2008 for just 100 seats in the entering Pharm.D. class.  The average SAT score (combined Critical Reading and Math) of students offered admission was a 1330, the average ACT score was a 30 (composite score), and the average high school grade point average (computed at the completion of the junior year) was a 4.1 on a weighted scale of a 4.0.

The Admission Office carefully evaluates each candidate’s strength in the following areas:

  • High School Transcript including the rigor of the high school curriculum and academic performance
  • Standardized Test Scores (only SAT or ACT results are reviewed)
  • Personal Essay (including an additional paragraph required of all Pharmacy applicants – details are available on the application)
  • Letters of Recommendation (a minimum of two letters are required: one from a science or math teacher and one from a guidance counselor or a teacher from another subject area)
  • Extracurricular Activities (including employment experiences) and unique talents

Pharmacy applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all of their application materials by the Early Action deadline.  The Admission Committee makes every effort to notify pharmacy applicants of their admission status by January 31.

 

Requirements For Progression to the Professional Program
Students who are admitted to the 0-6 Pharm.D. program spend the first two years enrolled in University College. During this time they are required to take all the pharmacy pre-requisite courses and the majority of the courses needed to meet the University’s general education requirement. Students may then progress to the College of Pharmacy providing they meet all the progression requirements. The progression process is initiated after the third semester in University College. Progression to the College of Pharmacy is dependent upon students meeting the following requirements.

Academic Standards

  • Students must have completed 45 credits and have an overall grade point average >2.0
  • Students must have completed to following courses with a grade point average of at least 2.5 and no grade lower than C-:
    • BIO 101, 121, 242, 244
    • CHM 101,102.112, 114, 227
    • MTH 131
    • MIC 201
  • Students must have completed ECN 201, WRT 106, COM 100 and PHL 212

Successful candidates must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.50 in remaining prerequisite courses (CHM 226, 228: STA 307; and BCH 311).  Unsuccessful students, identified at the end of the third and fourth semesters, will lose their place in the professional program. Students who lose their place in this manner may re-take courses to try to meet the academic requirements and reapply as internal transfer students to the first professional year of the Pharm.D. program. These students must meet all the requirements for transfer students as outlined below and will compete with internal and external transfer students for a place in the professional program.

All students enrolled in the Pharm.D. program are expected to adhere to the Professional Standards of Behavior of Pharmacy Students.

Interview
During their sophomore year, all students will be required to have a formal interview. The student’s progression to the professional program will be contingent upon a successful interview. The interview is designed to assess students‘commitment to the profession of pharmacy, knowledge of the profession and ability to communicate with patients.

 

Student Interviews