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College of Pharmacy >
Pharm.D. Program
Pharm.D. Program
Frequently Asked
Questions
The URI
College of Pharmacy is a
0/6 program and how is this different from a 2/4 program?
A 0/6
program admits you directly as a freshman to the Pharm.D.
program. Generally you need to maintain a minimum grade
point average to keep your seat for the professional
curriculum (P1 – year 3)
A 2/4
program admits you as a freshman to a pre-pharmacy program.
During your sophomore year, you need to formally apply to
the professional part of the curriculum. You will take PCAT
Exams, prepare an application, and compete with many other
candidates for the available seats.
Why is it so
difficult to gain admission into a pharmacy program?
There is a
great shortage of pharmacists in the country. While this
information has been well communicated, there are simply not
enough available seats nationally to accommodate the
individual candidates. It is very expensive to train a
pharmacist, and many schools do not have the financial or
the physical resources to accommodate a significant increase
in enrollment. This is particularly an issue with state
supported schools who must compete for any available
funding.
If I am
accepted at the URI College of Pharmacy, must I reapply to get
into the professional curriculum (year 3)?
No, your
admission to the professional curriculum is automatic as
long as you maintain a 2.5 qpa in your science and math
pre-requisites with no grade less than C-. You must meet
and maintain this requirement by the end of your third
semester to retain your seat.
If I don’t
get pharmacy as my first choice, can I transfer into the third
year?
Since a
significant number of students are not admitted as freshmen,
they choose to compete for any open seats for entry at the
end of two years. Anyone choosing this option must
understand there is no guarantee that they will get a seat
even though they have met the pre-requisites with good
grades. It is not unusual to have 5 or 6 “want to be’s” for
every open seat. We normally recommend Biology, Chemistry,
or Clinical Lab Science as the back-up major for access to
the required labs. Students need to have a clear plan B if
they are not successful in gaining admissions by this route.
Can I take
my pre-pharmacy courses at another school and apply for transfer
to URI.?
The
University has recently approved a limited number of
external transfers beginning 2009. The requirements for
admission are listed on the Admission website under
transfer admission. You can take course work at another
school, however there are other requirements which must be
met as well.
Can I take
courses off campus that are part of my pre-pharmacy and general
education work?
A limited
number of courses can be taken off campus, with prior
approval from the department chair. It must be understood
that you must get a C or better, and that you will only get
the credits. The grade does not transfer back into your URI
qpa.
Can I
qualify for the New England Regional Rate for the Pharmacy
Program if I come from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont or
Massachusetts?
At this
time, students in Pharmacy from these states can enroll at
the NEBHE rate. Beginning Fall 2009 new freshmen will not
be eligible for this program until they reach year 3 (P1).
All students currently enrolled before 2009 will be
grandfathered.
I have a lot
of AP and EEP credits. Can I skip ahead and finish early?
No, you can
work on a minor or another major, study abroad, engage in
some other university activity, or lighten your load each
semester until the professional curriculum begins. You must
never fall below 12 credits.
When I
graduate, do I have to take my licensing exam in Rhode Island?
No, you
will be eligible to take the National Licensing Exam for any
state you choose. You will need to pass the law exam in the
state(s) in which you are planning to practice.
When do I
start my rotations? Do you find spots for me? Can I get paid
for this?
Your
advanced practice rotations begin in year 6 and run through
the whole year. You are assigned to sites based on your
interest and availability of preceptors. You may propose a
rotation, provided it meets the education outcomes of the
program. You are not paid, you are earning credits.
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