The Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum provides our students with the scientific background and clinical skills to offer patient-centered, team-based care in an evolving health care system. Washington State is at the forefront of pharmacy practice innovation, and we train world-class pharmacists who are ready to practice at the top of their license and are agile leaders at the forefront of patient-centered medical care.
Our curriculum integrates world-class classroom instruction with early experiential learning to teach our students practical application of pharmacy concepts and knowledge. The wide range of available electives empowers students to explore career options and interests.
The PharmD Curriculum overview below has been updated for the Class of 2028 and future students of the PharmD program. If you are a current student, please refer to the PharmD Curriculum Overview for your class year in Canvas.
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Curriculum
| Autumn | ||
| MEDCH 500 | Fundamental Medicinal Chemistry | 2 |
| PCEUT 531 | Pharmaceutical Formulation | 4 |
| PHRMCY 501 | Foundations of Being a Pharmacist I | 3 |
| PHRMCY 511 | Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
| PHRMCY 512 | Fund. of US Health Care, Pharmacy Safety & Law | 3 |
| PHRMCY 541 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness I | 2 |
| PHRMPR 511 | Pharmacist Provider Experience I | 2 |
| Core Credits | 18 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 0 | |
| Winter | ||
| MEDCH 501 | Medicinal Biochemistry | 3 |
| PCEUT 532 | Clinical Pharmacokinetics | 4 |
| PHRMCY 502 | Foundations of Being a Pharmacist II | 2 |
| PHRMCY 531 | Pharmacotherapeutics I | 4 |
| PHRMCY 542 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness II | 3 |
| PHRMPR 531 | Pharmacist Provider Experience Year I | 1 |
| Core Credits | 17 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| MEDCH 561 | Immunizing and Antimicrobial Agents | 3 |
| PCEUT 534 | Principles of Precision Medicine | 2 |
| PHRMCY 513 | Applied Patient Safety and Quality | 2 |
| PHRMCY 514 | Design and Analysis of Medical Studies | 2 |
| PHRMCY 532 | Pharmacotherapeutics II | 4 |
| PHRMCY 543 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness III | 4 |
| PHRMPR 531 | Pharmacist Provider Experience Year I | 2 |
| PHRMPR 541 | IPPE – Institutional Health-System* | 1 |
| Core Credits | 19 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 0-1 | |
| Summer | ||
| IPPE – Institutional Health System (2 weeks) | ||
| Core Credits | 0 | |
| Autumn | ||
| MEDCH 532 | Chemical & Molecular Pharmacology I | 5 |
| PHRMCY 533 | Pharmacotherapeutics III | 4 |
| PHRMCY 544 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness IV | 3 |
| PHRMPR 514 | Pharmacist Provider Experience IV | 2 |
| PHRMPR 541 | IPPE – Institutional Health-System | 2 |
| Core Credits | 16 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 4-5 | |
| Winter | ||
| MEDCH 533 | Chemical & Molecular Pharmacology II | 4 |
| PHRMCY 534 | Pharmacotherapeutics IV | 4 |
| PHRMCY 545 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness V | 3 |
| PHRMPR 515 | Pharmacist Provider Experience V | 2 |
| Core Credits | 13 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 4-5 | |
| Spring | ||
| PCEUT 537 | Chemical & Molecular Pharmacology III | 4 |
| PHRMCY 535 | Pharmacotherapeutics V | 4 |
| PHRMCY 546 | Pharmacy Provider Readiness VI | 3 |
| PHRMCY 580 | Current Trends in Pharmacy Science and Practice | 1 |
| PHRMPR 516 | Pharmacy Provider Experience VI | 2 |
| PHRMPR 517 | Pharmacist Provider Experience VII* | 1 |
| PHRMPR 542 | IPPE – Community Practice* | 1 |
| Core Credits | 16 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 4-5 | |
| Summer | ||
| IPPE – Community (3 weeks) | ||
| Core Credits | 0 | |
| Autumn | ||
| MEDCH 580 | Current Trends in Pharmacy Science and Practice | 1 |
| PHRMCY 515 | Population Health and Pharmacy Management | 3 |
| PHRMCY 536 | Pharmacotherapeutics VI | 4 |
| PHRMCY 547 | Pharmacist Provider Readiness VII | 3 |
| PHRMPR 517 | Pharmacist Provider Experience VII | 1 |
| PHRMPR 542 | IPPE Experience – Community Practice* | 2 |
| Core Credits | 14 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 4-5 | |
| Winter | ||
| PCEUT 580 | Current Trends in Pharmacy Science and Practice | 1 |
| PHRMCY 503 | Advanced Pharmacy Leadership | 2 |
| PHRMCY 537 | Pharmacotherapeutics VII | 4 |
| PHRMCY 516 | Law & Ethics | 2 |
| PHRMCY 550 | Readiness for APPEs | 5 |
| Core Credits | 14 | |
| Suggested Elective Credits** | 4-5 | |
| Spring | ||
| APPE Rotations (EE Manager enrolls students in courses) | 14 | |
| Core Credits | 14 | |
| Summer | ||
| APPE Rotations (EE Manager enrolls students in courses) | 7 | |
| Core Credits | 7 | |
| Autumn | ||
| PHRMCY 551 | Case Conferences and Continuous Professional Development | |
| APPE Rotations (EE Manager enrolls students in courses) | 14 | |
| Core Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| PHRMCY 551 | Case Conferences and Continuous Professional Development | 2 |
| APPE Rotations (EE Manager enrolls students in courses) | 14 | |
| Core Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| APPE Rotations (EE Manager enrolls students in courses) | 7 | |
| Core Credits | 7 | |
*PHRMPR 541, PHRMPR 517, and PHRMPR 542 are hyphenated courses; students complete them in Spring and Autumn.
**Students must earn 23 elective credits,17 of which must be professional electives. This document includes recommended quarterly ranges of elective credits.
IPPE = Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience
APPE = Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience
Download the curriculum as a PDF
Course Topic Areas
Fundamentals
Students learn how to apply their prior learning in basic sciences and drug knowledge to the context of pharmacy practice.
Example Course: Clinical Pharmacokinetics
Chemical & Molecular Pharmacology
Students learn about the chemical and molecular properties of drugs, their mechanism of action, and adverse effects.
Example Course: Chemical and Molecular Pharmacology I; Chemical and Molecular Pharmacology II: Blood, CNS, Endocrine and GI Drugs
The Pharmacist Provider Series
Students develop and refine pharmacy practice skills necessary for success in introductory, intermediate and advanced level learning experiences. Specific skills developed will include those that are essential for contemporary and future pharmacy practice, including but not limited to patient-centered care, communication, clinical decision-making, and many more.
Example Courses: Pharmacy Provider Readiness I; Pharmacist Provider Readiness VII
Experiential Education
Students complete a comprehensive series of pharmacy practice experiences that allow them to apply their classroom learning within real-life patient care settings. Courses include a “Wednesdays in Practice” series, which runs from the beginning of the program through the fall of the third year, two 3-week Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences, and eight Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences over 48 weeks. Learn more on our Experiential Education page.
Example Courses: Pharmacist Provider Experience I; Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience in Community Practice Settings
Pharmacy Systems and Quality
Courses examine the concept of population health and the pharmacist’s role in it. Students also learn the pharmacy management skills that they may need to use as future healthcare practitioners.
Example Courses: Fundamentals of US Health Care, Pharmacy Safety and Law; Population Health and Pharmacy Management,
Clinical and Population Therapeutics
This course series provides a foundation in knowledge for patient-centered clinical case management. Students develop the critical thinking and decision-making skills necessary to deliver the medical treatment of patients.
Example Courses: Pharmacotherapeutics I; Pharmacotherapeutics IV