PharmD Courses

This course introduces the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) as a framework for delivering holistic, person-centered care. Students explore the psychosocial dimensions of pharmacy practice, with a strong emphasis on developing an empathetic understanding of each patient’s unique needs and preferences. The course equips students with a working knowledge of the terminology used in healthcare and develops the knowledge and skills necessary to interpret and analyze clinical laboratory values.

This course focuses on the general scientific and mathematical principles that form the foundations of the practice of pharmacy. Biological, chemical, mathematical, and physical principles are applied to the properties of drugs and the functioning of the human body. The topics are covered at an introductory level, ensuring competency for further application in subsequent science and therapeutics courses.

This course explores the physical principles governing the behavior of chemical entities in different physical and biological contexts. Topics include thermodynamics, kinetics, states of matter, properties determining solubility and stability, diffusion and transport. These principles are applied to dosage form design and drug absorption and distribution as a foundation for applied pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice.

This course explores the biochemical basis of biological processes at the molecular level with an emphasis on pharmaceutical applications. Subjects covered include enzyme kinetics and inhibition, and basics of metabolism and metabolic regulation including carbohydrate, fatty acid, cholesterol, nucleic acids, and amino-acids metabolisms. The metabolic and molecular bases of inherited disorders and their pharmacological management are explored.

This course introduces students to the basic organization of human cells and the molecular machinery involved in regulating cellular functions. The course covers aspects of DNA replication, transcription, and translation of genetic information, protein processing and transport, receptors, signal transduction, second messenger systems, and basic concepts of pharmacogenomics. This course also introduces basic knowledge of biologics, biosimilars, and gene and cell therapies.

This course focuses on drug design and development. Topics include use of ligand- and target-based rational drug design to modify the activity of proteins, structure-activity relationships, pharmacodynamic concepts of drug-receptor interactions, agonists/antagonists and dose-response relationships, and chemical characteristics that affect drug action including solubility, stability, and metabolism strategies to enhance bioavailability. Medicinal chemistry knowledge gives pharmacists the unique ability to critically evaluate the efficacy and potential adverse effects of drug treatments based upon chemical structures and drug classes.

The course explores core immunologic concepts and principles that form the foundation of drug development. Topics include innate and adaptive immunity, antigen recognition and presentation, and generation of antigen receptors. Students also explore how these principles lead to hypersensitivity and autoimmune disorders.

This course introduces students to concepts related to systems within the human body that affect drug delivery, absorption, transport, metabolic and other elimination pathways. Students explore drug delivery and dosage forms to optimize drug delivery as well as how drug properties and pathophysiology may impact metabolism and excretion of medications.

This course covers the basic principles of microbiology and its relevance to infectious disease. The basic biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are covered with a focus on pathogens that cause clinical disease. Specific organisms are discussed with an emphasis on the mechanisms by which they cause disease, virulence and pathogenesis. Topics are covered at an introductory level, ensuring competency for applications in subsequent therapeutics courses.

This course explores the principles and applications of pharmacokinetics. Students learn about the key processes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, and how these impact drug concentrations over time in blood, plasma, or serum. This course focuses on these processes and the primary parameters of clearance, volume of distribution and bioavailability.

This course builds upon principles discussed in Applied Physical Chemistry. Topics include an assessment of the stability of both active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and dosage forms under various environmental conditions (pH, temperature, light), and the fundamental material properties of liquids and solids. The course will also focus on the differences between sterile and non-sterile formulations, and the regulations behind generic formulations and biosimilars. Students explore the mechanisms of drug delivery for a range of dosage forms, including oral tablets, capsules, thin films, liquids, semisolids, transdermal patches, injectables (short and long acting), infusion pumps, implantable devices, suppositories, and inhaled/nasal products.

This course focuses on how to quantitatively analyze and predict drug behavior in the human body, including the influence of physiological and pathological conditions. The course emphasizes the clinical relevance of pharmacokinetic models and parameters, guiding students in optimizing drug therapy, personalizing patient care, and understanding drug interactions. The course addresses key patient intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect drug concentrations and biological responses so that therapy can be optimized for each patient.

This course focuses on verbal communication, including collecting patient information and educating on medications and disease states. Students learn to tailor education to learner-specific needs including health literacy and culture. Students will be certified to provide intramuscular and subcutaneous injections.

The emphasis on verbal communication continues and includes completing a patient encounter. Community-based and ambulatory care concepts, including physical assessment (measuring blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate), and community-based dispensing and verification will be taught.

This course builds on foundational verbal communication skills, and emphasizes written information, including Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) notes, drug information, and non-sterile compounding.

This course introduces health-systems pharmacy practice skills including sterile product compounding, electronic health records (EHR), and order verification. Written communication skills are emphasized through medication reconciliation, discharge counseling, and Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) notes.

This course prepares students for advanced practice experiences by addressing complex longitudinal patient cases. This course expands on person-centered skills such as transitions of care, drug information, written and oral communication, and complex medication orders.

This course prepares students for advanced practice experiences by addressing complex longitudinal patient cases. This course expands on person-centered skills such as transitions of care, drug information, written and oral communication, and complex medication orders.

This course serves as the foundation for a seminar series that integrates the curricular themes of medication expertise, pharmapreneurship, and professionalism. It prepares students for advanced study and practice in pharmacy by emphasizing technical skills, interpersonal development, and interprofessional collaboration. Through this course, students gain a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacy field, equipping them for their future roles in healthcare.

The PharmFusion seminar series integrates the curricular themes of medication expertise, pharmapreneurship, and professionalism, offering student pharmacists a holistic understanding of modern pharmacy practice. The series addresses current and future challenges in the field as well as the importance of interprofessional collaboration while exploring a variety of topics and exposing students to emerging trends, policies, and practices that shape the profession. The flexible approach ensures that students are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of pharmacy and meet the demands of their future roles.

The PharmFusion seminar series integrates the curricular themes of medication expertise, pharmapreneurship, and professionalism, offering student pharmacists a holistic understanding of modern pharmacy practice. The series addresses current and future challenges in the field as well as the importance of interprofessional collaboration while exploring a variety of topics and exposing students to emerging trends, policies, and practices that shape the profession. The flexible approach ensures that students are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of pharmacy and meet the demands of their future roles.

This course reinforces core concepts regarding medication-specific knowledge and pharmaceutical calculations. Additionally, it introduces new elements needed for effective pharmacy practice, including regulations impacting health-system pharmacy and dosage calculations for compounding. This course expands students' competencies in medication management and regulatory compliance, preparing them for the complexities of pharmacy practice.

The PharmFusion seminar series integrates the curricular themes of medication expertise, pharmapreneurship, and professionalism, offering student pharmacists a holistic understanding of modern pharmacy practice. The series addresses current and future challenges in the field as well as the importance of interprofessional collaboration while exploring a variety of topics and exposing students to emerging trends, policies, and practices that shape the profession. The flexible approach ensures that students are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of pharmacy and meet the demands of their future roles.

The PharmFusion seminar series integrates the curricular themes of medication expertise, pharmapreneurship, and professionalism, offering student pharmacists a holistic understanding of modern pharmacy practice. The series addresses current and future challenges in the field as well as the importance of interprofessional collaboration while exploring a variety of topics and exposing students to emerging trends, policies, and practices that shape the profession. The flexible approach ensures that students are well-prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of pharmacy and meet the demands of their future roles.

This is the first course in the course series designed to develop essential medication-specific knowledge, including brand and generic names, drug class and schedule, mechanisms of action, and indications for use, and foundational pharmaceutical calculation skills crucial for success in pharmacy practice. This course provides a solid base for future coursework and professional practice, preparing students for their roles as pharmacists.

This course reinforces the core concepts regarding medication-specific knowledge and pharmaceutical calculations. Additionally, it introduces new elements needed for effective pharmacy practice, including regulations impacting community practice, more complex calculations involving prescriptions and patient-specific doses, as well as critical thinking and communication. Medication knowledge expands to include common adverse effects and important counseling points. This course emphasizes the integration of these skills to prepare students for practical challenges in pharmacy practice and to enhance their proficiency in delivering quality patient care.

This course reinforces the core concepts regarding medication-specific knowledge and pharmaceutical calculations. Additionally, it introduces new elements needed for effective pharmacy practice including clinical calculations and medication considerations specific to special populations and contraindications. This course expands students' competencies in medication management, preparing them for the complexities of pharmacy practice.

This course reinforces the core concepts regarding medication-specific knowledge and pharmaceutical calculations. Additionally, it introduces new elements needed for effective pharmacy practice, including regulations impacting health-system pharmacy and dosage calculations for compounding. This course expands students' competencies in medication management and regulatory compliance, preparing them for the complexities of pharmacy practice.

This is the final course in the course series designed to develop essential medication-specific knowledge and pharmaceutical calculation skills crucial for success in pharmacy practice. This course focuses on advanced topics and practical applications including pharmacokinetic calculations and a review of clinical guidelines and introduces enteral and parenteral calculation nutrition calculations. This course ensures that students are well-prepared to apply their knowledge and skills effectively in real-world pharmacy settings.

This course provides an overview of the evidence generation and pharmaceutical distribution processes to assure the availability of safe and effective drug products in the healthcare system. It examines health care organizations, services, and social determinants to understand the interrelationships of pharmacy within and across settings. Key topics include insurance coverage of pharmacy benefits, including formulary management, and cost and payment models that influence patient access to medications.

This course prepares future pharmacists for leadership and management roles in diverse healthcare settings, focusing on efficient and effective patient care. Key topics include leadership principles, financial management, human resources, strategic planning, informatics, and continuous quality improvement. Equity and inclusion are highlighted, focusing on respect, cultural responsiveness, and addressing biases that impact effective patient care. Students apply management concepts to real-world pharmacy situations, developing plans to ensure safe and effective patient care and contribute to system-level efforts to reduce healthcare oppression.

This course emphasizes biostatistical literacy and critical thinking in the rigorous evaluation of premarketing clinical trials and post-market pharmacoepidemiologic and pharmacoeconomic studies. The goal is to equip students with the skills to effectively assess pharmaceutical evidence and make informed medication-related decisions for patients and health systems.

This course introduces the principles of population health ranging from smaller groups to larger scale public health initiatives. It explores how data analytics and social determinants of health are used to identify population needs and develop solutions to address them. A key focus is the role of the pharmacist in population and public health, particularly in bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application.

This course involves an examination of the legal and regulatory issues pertaining to drugs and devices and the practice of pharmacy. Students learn the various laws and regulations which govern their usual daily activities in a variety of practice sites. The principal focus is on drug laws and regulations related to licensure and personnel, pharmacist practice, dispensing requirements, and pharmacy operations.

This course provides a thorough overview of clinical pharmacology for drugs used to treat syndromes taught in Foundations of Therapeutics I. Students will learn mechanisms of action, effects attributed to the mechanisms of action of the drugs, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics of drug binding and response, monitoring, contraindications, interactions, therapeutic applications, and pharmacogenomic principles for drugs used to treat cardiovascular, renal, endocrine and respiratory conditions. Students will be able to compare and contrast drugs within a therapeutic class.

This course will introduce core diseases and common syndromes that students will frequently encounter in pharmacy practice including cardiovascular, renal, endocrine and respiratory syndromes. Students will design person-centered therapeutic regimens, including monitoring and education, for each disease state utilizing medications they have learned about in Clinical Pharmacology I. This course will emphasize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process including the general approach to assessment and interpretation of patient subjective and objective data. This course will also introduce the concept of triage and self-care.

This course is the second in the course series and continues to provide a thorough overview of clinical pharmacology for drugs used to treat syndromes taught in Foundations of Therapeutics II. Students will learn mechanisms of action, effects attributed to the mechanisms of action of the drugs, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics of drug binding and response, monitoring, contraindications, interactions, therapeutic applications, and pharmacogenomic principles for drugs used to treat neurologic, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, oncologic and infectious syndromes. Students will be able to compare and contrast drugs within a therapeutic class.

This course will build upon Foundations of Therapeutics I, introducing core diseases and common syndromes that students will frequently encounter in their future practices including neurologic, psychiatric, infectious, gastrointestinal, and oncologic syndromes. Students will design person-centered therapeutic regimens, including monitoring and education, for each disease state utilizing medications they have learned about in Clinical Pharmacology II. This course will emphasize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process including the general approach to assessment and interpretation of patient subjective and objective data.

In this course series, students are exposed to increasingly complex cases where new disease states will be integrated with review of previously covered disease states and inclusion of special populations such as pediatric patients and critically-ill patients. Realistic clinical scenarios of patients with multiple comorbid disease states will require students to design cost-effective therapeutic regimens, including monitoring and education, focusing on person-centered care. This course will emphasize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process for making therapeutic decisions to approach person-centered care.

This course is the third in the course series and continues to provide a thorough overview of clinical pharmacology for drugs used to treat syndromes taught in the Applied Therapeutics courses. Students will learn mechanisms of action, effects attributed to the mechanisms of action of the drugs, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics of drug binding and response, monitoring, contraindications, interactions, therapeutic applications, and pharmacogenomic principles for drugs used to treat infectious, urologic, gynecologic, dermatologic, ophthalmic, and immunologic syndromes. Students will be able to compare and contrast drugs within a therapeutic class.

This course will build upon Applied Therapeutics I course. Students work on increasingly complex cases where new disease states including infectious and immunologic syndromes, will be integrated with review of previously covered disease states and inclusion of special populations. Realistic clinical scenarios of patients with multiple comorbid disease states will require students to design therapeutic regimens, including monitoring and education, focusing on person-centered care. This course will emphasize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process for making therapeutic decisions to approach patient care.

This course will build upon Applied Therapeutics II course. Students work on increasingly complex cases where new disease states such as oncologic, women’s health, and nutrition syndromes will be integrated with review of previously covered disease states and inclusion of special populations including terminally ill and geriatric patients. Realistic clinical scenarios of patients with multiple comorbid disease states will require students to design therapeutic regimens, including monitoring and education, focusing on person-centered care. This course will emphasize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process for making therapeutic decisions to approach patient care.

The competency assessment aims to assess a student’s retention of knowledge obtained in previous course work. The assessment will focus on foundational concepts and skills necessary for pharmacy practice. The assessment will involve two exams focusing on 1) essential medication information and 2) calculations needed for success on the NAPLEX. Emphasis will be placed on materials learned during the fall semester of P1 Year. The assessment exams will focus on pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/medication order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

The competency assessment aims to assess a student’s retention of knowledge obtained in previous course work. The assessment will focus on foundational concepts and skills necessary for pharmacy practice. The assessment will involve two exams focusing on 1) essential medication information and 2) calculations needed for success on the NAPLEX. Emphasis will be placed on materials learned during the fall semester of P1 Year. The assessment exams will focus on pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/medication order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

The best new chemical entity (NCE) in the world is of no benefit to a patient without an acceptable delivery system. Pharmaceutics applies fundamental principles and basic science knowledge to the multidimensional problems associated with formulation, development, evaluation, production, distribution, selection and administration of safe, effective, reliable, drug delivery systems. These systems range in sophistication from simple oral solutions to transdermal patches to biologics. In class- and pre-recorded lectures provide essential background that emphasizes a problem-solving approach to exploring critical aspects of traditional and novel routes of drug administration. The course bridges the gap between fundamental principles of drug delivery and the problems encountered by pharmacists in clinical practice & research.

The abilities lab is a series of courses that occur during the fall and spring terms during years one through three of the curricula. The purpose of the abilities lab course is to assist student pharmacists in achieving proficiency in professional abilities, through the integration of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values to function as an independent pharmacy practitioner in a variety of health care environments. The sequence requires the integration of didactic and experiential content across the first three years of the curriculum. This semester focuses on institutional practice. We will have exercises related to inpatient medication order verification, the electronic health record, I.V. product verification, medication reconciliation, drug interactions, drug information, medication errors, writing SOAP notes, and pharmacokinetics.

The Abilities Lab is a series of courses that occur during the fall and spring terms during years one through three of the curriculum. The purpose of the Abilities Lab is to assist student pharmacists in achieving proficiency in professional abilities, through the integration of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values in order to function as an independent pharmacy practitioner in a variety of health care environments. The sequence requires the integration of didactic and experiential content across the first three years of the curriculum. This course specifically focuses on community pharmacy including workflow, automation, dispensing, immunization technique, patient counseling, SOAP note development, drug information, patient assessment and patient education.

Pharmacokinetics is the science that deals with what the body does to the drug or biologic. The course trains students on applying pharmacokinetic principles to guide dosing strategy decisions in a clinic or when filling prescriptions. Students will understand the key factors that determine the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs and how they affect dosing regimen decisions. Pharmacokinetics requires critical thinking to support clinical decisions; and it is not about number crunching.

The Abilities Lab is a series of courses that occur during the fall and spring terms during years one through three of the curriculum. The purpose of the Abilities Lab is to assist student pharmacists in achieving proficiency in professional abilities, through the integration of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values in order to function as an independent pharmacy practitioner in a variety of health care environments. The sequence requires the integration of didactic and experiential content across the first three years of the curriculum. This course specifically emphasizes competency in compounding, selected top 200 medications, suicide, overdose and applicable state and federal pharmacy laws.

The Pharmacotherapy course will prepare students to manage drug therapies in patients with multiple disease states/conditions and who have complex drug therapy problems. Students will be expected to identify discriminating data and analyze patient-specific information at an advanced level. Using their understanding of pathophysiology, they will then make independent therapeutic decisions. After making an initial therapeutic decision, students will make recommendations for drug therapy monitoring and patient evaluation. This course will incorporate the Maryland Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process.

The Pharmacotherapy course will prepare students to manage drug therapies in patients with multiple disease states/conditions and who have complex drug therapy problems. Students will be expected to identify discriminating data and analyze patient-specific information at an advanced level. Using their understanding of pathophysiology, they will then make independent therapeutic decisions. After making an initial therapeutic decision, students will make recommendations for drug therapy monitoring and patient evaluation. This course will incorporate the Pharmacists Patient Care Process.

This course involves an examination of the legal and regulatory issues pertaining to drugs and devices and the practice of pharmacy. Students will learn the various laws and regulations which will govern their usual daily activities in a variety of practice sites. The principal focus will be on drug laws and regulations.

Applied Science and Therapeutics introduces students to the integration of pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. They will utilize basic and clinical sciences and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) integrating the Therapeutic Experiment to collaborate with other providers to drive a patient-centered approach to making therapeutic decisions to optimize patient health and medication outcomes.

Applied Science and Therapeutics introduces students to the integration of pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. They will utilize basic and clinical sciences and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) integrating the Therapeutic Experiment to collaborate with other providers to drive a patient-centered approach to making therapeutic decisions to optimize patient health and medication outcomes. Topics include renal and hepatic disorders.

Applied Science and Therapeutics introduces students to the integration of pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. They will utilize basic and clinical sciences and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) integrating the Therapeutic Experiment to collaborate with other providers to drive a patient-centered approach to making therapeutic decisions to optimize patient health and medication outcomes.

Applied Sciences and Therapeutics (AST) introduces students to integrate pathologic "Applied Sciences and Therapeutics (AST) introduces students to integrate pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. Students will utilize basic and clinical sciences, and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) for therapeutic decision-making in their approach to patient care. Students will explore population based public health considerations for select diseases and/or conditions, including health promotion, disease prevention, and patient safety. AST 6 will use a combination of asynchronous lectures and team-based learning (TBL). Topics covered include endocrine (diabetes, obesity, thyroid disorders), women’s health disorders (contraception, menstrual cycle disorders, gender affirming care, pregnancy, lactation), and genitourinary (erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hypertrophy).

This course focuses on the principles of pharmacy practice leadership and management to meet patient care objectives efficiently and effectively. Included are elements of operations management, informatics, quality assessment and performance improvement, medication safety systems, financial and human resources management, and personal reflection. Students are expected to select and apply management concepts to a variety of pharmacy situations and case studies and to evaluate and develop management plans for safe and effective patient care services.

Self-Care and Nonprescription Pharmacotherapy builds on the basics of pathophysiology, pharmacology and therapeutics. With the use of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process, the major focus of the course will be assessing and triaging complaints, recommending and selecting self-care and nonprescription medications, and educating patients. Students will be able to assess complaints, determine which conditions are amenable to self- treatment, make independent therapeutic decisions, develop self-monitoring plans, and educate patients accordingly. Students will use a variety of communication skills aimed at maximizing therapeutic outcomes.

Self-Care and Nonprescription Pharmacotherapy builds on the basics of pathophysiology, pharmacology and therapeutics. With the use of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process, the major focus of the course will be assessing and triaging complaints, recommending and selecting self-care and nonprescription medications, and educating patients. Students will be able to assess complaints, determine which conditions are amenable to self- treatment, make independent therapeutic decisions, develop self monitoring plans, and educate patients accordingly. Students will use a variety of communication skills aimed at maximizing therapeutic outcomes.

The Infectious Diseases Therapeutics I (IDT) course builds on the School of Pharmacy pre-requisite course, Microbiology, in addition to Biochemistry and Immunology. This course is a required, 3 credit, didactic course, that focuses on the pharmacology of anti-infectives, medical microbiology of pathogenic microorganisms, and disease state management for infections. This course provides pharmacy students Page 2 of 6 Updated: August 10, 2023 Created by: AO, EH, NSP, AW, MN with the skills to assess patients presenting with an infection, identify appropriate anti-infective therapy, and the skills to monitor for both efficacy and toxicity.

The Infectious Diseases Therapeutics II (IDT) course builds on the School of Pharmacy pre-requisite course, Microbiology and the School of Pharmacy required course Infectious Diseases Therapeutics I. This course is a required, 3 credit, didactic course, that focuses on the pharmacology of anti-infectives, medical microbiology of pathogenic microorganisms, and disease state management for infections. This course provides pharmacy students with the skills to assess patients presenting with an infection, identify appropriate anti-infective therapy, and the skills to monitor for both efficacy and toxicity.

PharmD Capstone: Professional Life After Graduation is designed to support a student’s licensure, transition into professional practice, and habits of continuing professional development (CPD). A year-long series of activities designed to inculcate precepts of self-directed life-long learning followed by on- line and in-person, intensive review sessions, organized by body systems to prepare students for success on the NAPLEX foster the transition from student to pharmacist.

The Abilities Lab is a series of courses that occur during the fall and spring terms during years one through three of the curriculum. The purpose of the Abilities Lab is to assist student pharmacists in achieving proficiency in professional abilities 2 through the integration of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values in order to function as an independent pharmacy practitioner in a variety of health care environments. As the final course in the series, Abilities Lab 6 builds on prior didactic and experiential content. This course specifically emphasizes competencies in complex transitions of patient care, oral and written communication skills, and APPE readiness.

Applied Sciences and Therapeutics (AST) introduces students to integrate pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. Students will utilize basic and clinical sciences, and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) for therapeutic decision-making in their approach to patient care. Students will explore population based public health considerations for select diseases and/or conditions, including health promotion, disease prevention, and patient safety. AST 7 will use a combination of asynchronous lectures and team-based learning (TBL). Topics covered include mental health (schizophrenia, delirium, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder) and toxicology.

Applied Sciences and Therapeutics (AST) introduces students to integrate pathologic mechanisms, the relationship of these mechanisms to subjective and objective findings, disease progression, and potential targets of treatment. Students will utilize basic and clinical sciences, and the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) for therapeutic decision-making in their approach to patient care. Students will explore population based public health considerations for select diseases and/or conditions, including health promotion, disease prevention, and patient safety. AST 8 will use a combination of asynchronous lectures and team-based learning (TBL). Topics covered include substance use disorders (opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder, nicotine dependence) and neurologic disorders (sleep disorders, neuropathic pain, headache disorders, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease).

This course introduces students to the mechanisms and policies of health care delivery in the US and examines the social, legal, economic, professional and patient care implications on pharmacy practice and health disparities.

Emphasizes biostatistical literacy and critical thinking in the rigorous evaluation of premarketing clinical trials and post-market pharmacoepidemiologic and pharmacoeconomic studies. The goal is to equip students with the skills to effectively assess pharmaceutical evidence and make informed medication-related decisions for patients and health systems.

The NAPLEX Readiness course emphasizes foundational concepts and skills necessary for success in pharmacy practice. It focuses on essential medication specific information and calculations needed for success on the NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination). Emphasis is placed the Top 300 most frequently prescribed medications. The course reviews pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/drug order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

The Precision in Practice- Mastering Calculation Knowledge is designed to review the foundational concepts and skills necessary for success in pharmacy practice. It focuses on essential medication specific information needed for success on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). Emphasis is placed on pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/drug order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

The Precision in Practice- Mastering Medication Knowledge is designed to review the foundational concepts and skills necessary for success in pharmacy practice. It focuses on essential medication specific information needed for success on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). Emphasis is placed on materials covered in the previous semester or years of curriculum. The course will review the disease states.

The competency assessment aims to assess a student’s retention of knowledge obtained in previous course work. The assessment will focus on foundational concepts and skills necessary for pharmacy practice. The assessment will involve two exams focusing on 1) essential medication information and 2) calculations needed for success on the NAPLEX. Emphasis will be placed on materials learned during the fall semester of P1 Year. The assessment exams will focus on pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/medication order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

The competency assessment aims to assess a student’s retention of knowledge obtained in previous course work. The assessment will focus on foundational concepts and skills necessary for pharmacy practice. The assessment will involve two exams focusing on 1) essential medication information and 2) calculations needed for success on the NAPLEX. Emphasis will be placed on materials learned during the fall semester of P1 Year. The assessment exams will focus on pharmaceutical calculations necessary for prescription/medication order preparation, compounding dosage forms, and medication dosage calculations based on patient specific factors.

This course will allow student pharmacists to explore and evaluate areas of management responsibilities in the community pharmacy setting. The areas of emphasis include financial, human resources and operational aspects of community pharmacy management. This course utilizes primarily external lecturers with a particular area of expertise in community pharmacy management.

Case Based Management of Infectious Diseases provides a forum for students to build knowledge and skills in evaluating the management of selected patients with infectious diseases. Students are expected to prepare for these classes by reviewing relevant assigned literature and guidelines, prepare their assigned topic /journal club article, conduct a small medication use evaluation, and play a role in the class discussion throughout the semester. The discussion of the cases focusses on the major decisions made in clinical management and evaluation of literature supporting or rejecting them and are meant to build off materials learned in PHAR 5016/5017. Topic discussions will highlight important aspects of pathophysiology, microbiology, and standards of care. Journal club articles will be related to a specific high-level topic and highlight recent practice advancements and evidence-based medicine. A significant amount of self-directed activity, with faculty mentorship, is required for this course. Students are expected to utilize knowledge developed from this and prerequisite courses to collect relevant data, assess patient cases, develop treatment plans, and identify follow-up and monitoring parameters as detailed in the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP).

The course presents a wide range of information on the health and well-being of older adults through clinical, research, and policy presentations. This is a hybrid longitudinal course that will be offered both online as well as monthly in-person classes. Course content will be conveyed through lectures, panel discussions, team and case presentations, role play, and videos.

Comprehensive pediatric care is a two-credit course offered in the fall semester for third year students in the entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy Program. This elective course is designed to prepare students to optimize medicine use in pediatric patients in the ambulatory or institutional setting. The course will cover cognitive and physiological development, psychosocial factors affecting medicine use, pharmacist role, and pediatric pharmacotherapy for various disease states. Students in this class will utilize the pharmacists patient centered care process (PCPP) to collect information, assess problems, plan for treatments, monitoring, and education of pediatric patients.

Interindividual variability in drug effects and the lack of reliable prediction of this variability has been recognized as major barriers to safe and efficient therapeutics. Genetic makeup is one of the intricate factors that has substantial influence on drug efficacy or toxicity. Pharmacogenomics deals with hereditary and effects on drug response. It combines traditional pharmaceutical sciences with contemporary knowledge of genes, proteins and SNPs. This course focuses on the pharmacogenetics of major drug metabolism related genes, such as cytochrome P450 (e.g. CYP2D6, CYP2Cs, and CYP2B6), phase II conjugates (e.g. UGTs, NATs, and GSTs), and drug transporters (e.g. MDR1, MRPs, and BCRP). The content will also cover basic concepts of pharmacogenomics, the promise of personalized medicine, interethnic differences in drug response, and perspectives from clinical practice and regulatory agency. An in-class genotyping exercise will be offered to students attending the course. Students will present their genotyping findings in class referring to the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines. The objective of this course is to enable the student to understand basic pharmacogenomic principles, and their potential use for developing better and safer drugs. Currently, there are increasing numbers of Schools of Pharmacy offering pharmacogenetics/pharmacogenomics as a standalone course. Acquiring knowledge in this evolving field complements the mission of pharmaceutical care.

This course involves independent investigations consisting of library or laboratory research, seminars, or other assignments appropriate to the problem investigated. It is a DIDACTIC elective that may include self-study and gathering background information. The focus is learning a body of knowledge rather than building specific pharmacy practice skills, which may be a portion but not the entire focus of this experience. The individual projects should relate to several of the school’s competency-based outcomes of the PharmD curriculum based on what course-specific outcomes are identified.

This course provides students the opportunity to observe and be involved in a clinically oriented pharmacy practice setting early in their education. Students learn about the Poison Center’s operation and resources and the potential for pharmacist participation in this area of patient care. The course consists of on-line lectures, role playing and activities in the Maryland Poison Center. Students prepare a presentation and paper on a hospital-managed overdose patient.

Provide the students with an understanding of the recent progress in basic and clinical pharmacology research, from new concepts in Pharmacology to the new techniques and trends in Pharmacology.

This course will focus on: 1) the application of economic theory to evaluation of the pharmaceutical marketplace; 2) methods used for comparative effectiveness research (CER), patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and pharmacoeconomic evaluation of prescription drugs and health technology assessment.

(1) The application of economic theory to the evaluation of the pharmaceutical marketplace Fundamental principles of microeconomics will be used as tools for analyzing the complex nature of demand (preferences, willingness to pay) and supply (pharmaceutical R&D, production and sales) of pharmacueticals. A broader view of ""economic analysis"" will be utilized to discuss the pharmaceutical industry in the United States within the context of market incentives (e.g. insurance and government programs.)

(2) Methods used for comparative effectiveness research (CER) and pharmacoeconomics An introduction to methods and empirical approaches relevant to CER will be presented. Discussion will focus on the major areas of debate in the evolving fields of CER with an emphasis on measuring health outcomes in a manner that is both scientifically rigorous and meaningful to post-regulatory decision makers interested in assessing “value.” Data analysis techniques relevant to the pharmoceconomic assessment of drugs and other health care technologies will be explored, with emphasis on methods for quantifying costs and effectiveness using regression-based approaches as well as decision-analytic techniques. Presentations and critiques of empirical studies will be an integral part of the learning process.

Through interactive discussions, video presentations, panel discussions, field trips, and student presentations. The student will gain familiarity with the following:

• history of the mental health system
• the media’s perception of mental illness
• tools and techniques used in the assessment of psychiatric diseases
• current guidelines for psychiatric hospitalization, including civil and criminal commitment
• mental health controversies with which the practicing pharmacist is likely to be faced

Communication at its core is about selling your message to the intended audience. “Making the Sale” requires persuasive communication to different audiences in a variety of formats support our graduates as they enter a diverse range of health and scientific careers. This course will develop effective communicators that allows students to confidently adapt their message to any audience or context. Approaches toward this will include: developing techniques to reduce presentation anxiety, using storytelling and narrative for persuasion, and using best practices for various presentation formats and technologies.

Students participating in this course will assist laboratory instructors by facilitating Abilities Lab activities in ABL courses 1, 2 & 4. The goal of this course is to provide students experience in an academic training environment. Students will have the opportunity to develop and improve their communication and teaching skills by helping to facilitate activities in the Abilities Lab courses (ABL 1, 2, &4). Students will be expected to utilize skills previously learned in the curriculum to engage students in meaningful discussions related to the assigned activities. Teaching activities in this course are primarily in small group formats. Enrolled students are expected to also participate in lab preparation activities, activity revisions, and discussions with faculty and P4 students.

This course prepares pharmacy students to interact with terminally ill patients through increased understanding of the social and psychological aspects of death and dying as well as pharmaceutical care approaches when dealing with terminally ill patients. Students will utilize the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) when making therapeutic decisions to approach patient care.

This course presents a unique interprofessional opportunity that engages students from various UMB professional schools and overseas universities. Trainees will learn about caring for older adults by working with neighbors living in senior housing facilities through a “shared classroom” experience.

The Pharmapreneurism Seminar elective will prepare students to evaluate information related to Pharmapreneurism, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business Innovation, Problem-Solving and Creative Thinking and integrate this information with previously learned content to develop a Pharmapreneurism mindset. Topics will vary each semester to reflect the advances in the field. Students will attend and participate in COVID-complaint lectures, seminars and activities at UMB and reflect on the implications of the information provided as well as the application for future practice, business and research opportunities. Students will also develop skills as lifelong learners in the acquisition, interpretation and application of Pharmapreneurism concepts and principles by participating in other co-curricular activities at the School and the UMB campus. Students will be expected to apply information learned to create innovative solutions to address practice, research and business challenges.

For Pharmapreneurship Seminar I the focus will be on foundation concepts and critical components of Pharmapreneurism, Innovation, Creativity and Problem Solving.

The Pharmapreneurism Seminar elective will prepare students to evaluate information related to Pharmapreneurism, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business Innovation, Problem-Solving and Creative Thinking and integrate this information with previously learned content to develop a Pharmapreneurism mindset. Topics will vary each semester to reflect the advances in the field. Students will attend and participate in COVID-complaint lectures, seminars and activities at UMB and reflect on the implications of the information provided as well as the application for future practice, business and research opportunities. Students will also develop skills as lifelong learners in the acquisition, interpretation and application of Pharmapreneurism concepts and principles by participating in other co-curricular activities at the School and the UMB campus. Students will be expected to apply information learned to create innovative solutions to address practice, research and business challenges.

For Pharmapreneurism Seminar II the focus will be on the application of Pharmapreneurism principles to create innovative solutions to address practice, research and business challenges.

The Introduction to Integrative Medicine elective will provide students with an overview of the principles of Integrative Medicine. We will explore various Integrative Medicine modalities and themes including; wellness, stress management, nutrition, acupuncture, yoga, therapeutic massage and aromatherapy. This elective will provide students with tools to use in support of their own wellness as well as for their future patients.

This course will prepare students to participate in the University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (M-CERSI) “America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent” Competition. The competition involves each team developing and presenting a proposed solution to a current opportunity in regulatory science. The competition aims to promote student interest in regulatory science – the science of developing new tools, standards and approaches to assess the safety, efficacy, quality and performance of FDA-regulated products.

Pharmacotherapy of Solid Organ Transplantation is an elective 2-credit live course open to third-year student pharmacists who are interested in learning about the pharmacotherapeutic management of solid organ transplant recipients. This elective will provide students with additional exposure to relevant disease states (e.g., end-stage kidney, liver, and heart disease; opportunistic infections), individualizing treatment regimens based on patient-related variables, and applying transplant concepts to case-based scenarios and discussions.

Clinical Pharmacology is a broad field that focuses on the discovery and development of drug. In the industry setting, clinical pharmacologists design and evaluate clinical trials, develop regulatory guidelines for new therapies, and evaluate drug use on a population level. This course trains students on applied clinical pharmacology principles that are necessary to work in industry. By the end of the course students will have a strong understanding of the key clinical pharmacology studies required for drug approval, including how to analyze and interpret the results of such studies. Students will likewise gain a foundational understanding of drug development as a whole.

In this introductory course, participants will learn about the cultural history of medical cannabis use, explore how federal law and policy relating to medical and non-medical use of cannabis has evolved in the United States, and discuss ethical issues related to medical cannabis. Additionally, students will learn how to identify credible sources of information related to medical cannabis and educate patients and other professionals.

Students will learn about receptor theory, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and drug tolerance and dependence as related to cannabis, along with a critical assessment of the clinical utility of cannabis for a range of indications. This course will develop participants’ skills to evaluate cannabis (and its components) from a mechanistic and pharmacologic perspective with the ultimate goal of providing the most appropriate cannabis regimen for individual patients for their particular indication.

This course provides students with an opportunity to gain skills necessary for effective formulary review and management. Students will be exposed to resources and have access to faculty and instructors to improve knowledge and understanding of the formulary review process. Students will apply their learning by developing content for formulary management. Students will work in teams to prepare a written evaluation of an assigned drug that includes recommendations for formulary placement and present an oral summary supported by slides. The highest scoring team in the course will be eligible to compete in the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s National P&T Competition.

Since students will have completed P&T Competition I, this second course provides students with an opportunity to enhance their formulary review and management skills. The expectation is that the knowledge and skills gained during P&T Competition I will improve the student’s efficiency and reduce the expected workload to complete the assignments. Students will work in teams to prepare a written evaluation of an assigned drug that includes recommendations for formulary placement and present an oral summary supported by slides. The highest scoring team in the course will be eligible to compete in the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s National P&T Competition.

This course is intended for students who intend to apply for post graduate residency or fellowship training. Students who are interested in learning more about the selection, interview and application process as well as qualities that make candidates more marketable for a residency and or fellowship program are encouraged to take this course. Please note we have no control over placement, however this course is designed to help strengthen the skills necessary when applying for post graduate positions.

Ambulatory Care is an elective 2-credit live course open to third year pharmacy students who are interested in providing pharmaceutical care in an ambulatory care setting. Providing patient care in this setting requires understanding of core clinical topics, application of primary and tertiary literature to patient care, and practice management topics including billing, communication, and scope of practice. This elective will provide students with additional practice reviewing relevant disease states, individualizing treatment regimens based on patient-related variables, applying concepts to case-based scenarios, and describing ambulatory care practice models. The skills emphasized in this course will strengthen students’ ambulatory care pharmacotherapy skills in preparation of the required ambulatory care advanced pharmacy practice experience.

This course provides students with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of managed care principles and practices and their impact on the healthcare system. The course will cover topics related to the prescription drug benefit, formulary management, specialty medications and economic considerations. The course will also discuss the roles and responsibilities of a managed care pharmacist. By course completion, students will obtain knowledge and skills of managed care pharmacy that can be valuable preparation for experiential education and career opportunities in a variety of practice settings, including a managed care organization, pharmacy benefit management company, the pharmaceutical industry, and community pharmacy management.

This elective expands upon concepts in medication safety with a focus on high-reliability, Just Culture, pharmacovigilance and risk mitigation strategies across healthcare and industry settings. Through project-based learning, students will evaluate real-world medication use challenges and propose evidence-based recommendations. Designed for P-3 pharmacy students, the course supports the development of medication-use safety leadership skills applicable to clinical, operations and administrative pharmacy roles.

This course exposes students to career paths within industrial pharmacy, such as medical affairs, medical information, drug development, pharmacovigilance, and marketing. Pharmacists working in industry settings will describe their roles in the drug and medical device development and marketing sector. Students will have opportunities to engage in discussions with course instructors and learn more about specific areas of interest.

The clinical toxicology course will provide students with an overview of the clinical manifestations, assessment and treatment of poisonings with common drug, chemical, and biological agents. The format includes online lectures by faculty members and in-person case discussions with students. Course evaluation includes discussion sessions, and online midterm and final exams. Note: This course is highly recommended as preparation for APPC 484 Poison Information Rotation.

The Culinary Health and Medicine Elective will provide comprehensive, evidence-based nutrition instruction followed by an opportunity to prepare several recipes in the style of the diet discussed. The students will then eat what they have cooked together during synchronous culinary conversation. All culinary health and medicine sessions will include a practical focus on surmounting common barriers to healthy nutrition habit changes to enable better patient care. For instance, students will learn how to help their patients (and themselves) overcome barriers of limited time, financial resources, and taste barriers through strategies such as utilizing slow cookers, cooking in bulk, and replacing added sugar and sodium with flavorful spices and herbs. This practical, hands-on experience offered to the culinary health and medicine course will add to the breadth of patient care.

Pharmacotherapy of the Critically Ill Patient is an elective 1-credit live course open to third year Doctor of Pharmacy students who have completed the prerequisite. This elective course focuses on unique considerations for a clinical pharmacist taking care of critically ill patients and prepares the student to understand principles of pharmacokinetics, physiology, and pharmacotherapy essential to the management of the critically ill. During this course, faculty will provide lectures to illustrate topics and disease states they encounter daily. Instructors will emphasize connections between disease state management and collection of relevant data, assessment of the patient, development of treatment plans, and identification of follow-up and monitoring parameters, as detailed in the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP). Students will also enhance their understanding through background readings, and evaluation of primary literature through a journal club presentation and reading articles while participating in classmates’ journal club presentations. By the end of the course, students should be well-versed in the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and monitor patient-specific pharmacotherapy plans in a variety of critical care settings.

This graduate-level, interprofessional seminar series exposes students from schools of medicine, law, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and graduate programs to faculty leaders who present and reflect on their distinct career journeys in global health. Through structured faculty-led storytelling, sector panels, and career-focused workshops, learners hear concrete examples of career transitions, role negotiation, partnership-building, and ethical decision-making across academia, government, NGOs and multilateral agencies. Sessions emphasize applied takeaways—how skills from different professional schools translate to global health practice, strategies for interdisciplinary collaboration, networking and mentorship approaches, and actionable steps for career development.

This interprofessional healthcare elective course brings students from multiple disciplines together to develop a holistic understanding of ethically sound, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive care for people with disabilities (PWD) across the lifespan and care settings, with emphasis on policy, access to care, professionalism, collaboration, advocacy, care transitions, and discipline-specific roles within advanced healthcare practice. Using interprofessional learning, lectures, videos, case studies, experiential activities, and assessments, the course is grounded in the lived experiences of PWD and guided by the principle “Nothing about us without us,” with an optional in-person intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) inclusive healthcare simulation in collaboration with Special Olympics providing applied, team-based learning. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate competency in interprofessional collaboration and the application of disability-informed, ethical, and inclusive practices to deliver high-quality, person-centered care for people with disabilities in diverse healthcare settings.

How do patients around the world access prescription medications? Using a global lens, students will explore how regulatory frameworks, drug distribution systems, and payment models, intersect to shape access to medication. Through applied case studies and comparative analysis, students will be better prepared to apply concepts related to pharmaceutical access in diverse practice settings, including integrated health systems, health plans, pharmacy benefit management organizations, pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and public health organizations.

This Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) course introduces student pharmacists to the professional practice of pharmacy through five one-day observational experiences (40 hours) in which a student is paired with a P4 student and/or preceptor. The goal is to provide early exposure to career options in health-system, community, and nontraditional pharmacy practice settings and develop competency in communication and professional behavior. The course facilitates the initial integration between prior knowledge and skills with application in pharmacy practice. The course sets foundational expectations for professionalism for subsequent experiential learning courses.

This Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) course builds on IPPE100 and allows students to explore practice areas of interest through five one-day observational experiences (40 hours). Students are paired with a P4 student and/or preceptor providing person-centered care to observe the use of the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP) in a real-world setting. The goals are to build on professionalism, further refine communication skills, and reinforce the role of the pharmacist as the medication expert.

This three-week (120 hours) Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) course provides students with a concentrated experience in a community pharmacy environment. Skills learned in the Skills Lab, such as dispensing, counseling, and immunization, are reinforced. Students participate in the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP), primarily focused on patient information collection and assessment. The goal is to develop the foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes for community pharmacy practice through observation and direct participation.

Legacy PharmD Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

The goal of this rotation is to provide students advanced experience in a health system pharmacy setting. Students will be expected to utilize abilities learned previously in the curriculum in order to oversee drug distribution systems, evaluate and monitor drug therapy, complete medication performance improvement, and educate health professionals. This will be accomplished through a variety of oral and written communication techniques.

The goal of this rotation is to provide exposure and experience in an ambulatory care environment. Ambulatory care pharmacy practice is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by pharmacists who are accountable for addressing medication needs, developing sustained partnerships with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. The ambulatory care setting involves interprofessional communication and collaboration to provide acute and chronic patient care that can be accomplished outside the inpatient setting. Students will be expected to utilize abilities/skills and knowledge learned previously in the curriculum in order to participate in the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process, which includes collecting and assessing patient specific information; developing and implementing individualized patient-centered care plans; and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of care plans. Students will also educate patients or caregivers and respond to drug information inquiries. This will be accomplished through a variety of oral and written communication techniques.

The goal of this rotation is to provide students with an experience in a team-based acute care environment. Students will be expected to utilize skills learned previously in the curriculum in order to participate in the Pharmacist’s Patient Care Process, which includes collecting and assessing patient-specific information; implementing individualized patient-centered care plans; and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of care plans. Additionally, students will function effectively as part of an interprofessional team and formally present patient information. These tasks will be accomplished through a variety of oral and written communication techniques.

The goal of this rotation is to provide students advanced experience in a community pharmacy setting. Students will be expected to utilize abilities/skills and knowledge learned previously in the curriculum in order to participate in the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process, which includes collecting and assessing patient-specific information; developing and implementing individualized patient centered care plans; and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of care plans. Students will also educate patients or caregivers and respond to drug information inquiries. This will be accomplished through a variety of APPE 453: Longitudinal Ambulatory Care © 2023 University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. All rights reserved. oral and written communication techniques.