Combined Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Harpe, Dr. Spencer E.
Graduate Program Director, Pharm.D./M.P.H.
seharpe@vcu.edu
(804) 828-3245
Anderson, Lisa S., M.P.H.
Graduate Program Director
lsanders@vcu.edu
(804) 828-9785
The School of Pharmacy and the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health in the School of Medicine offer a dual degree program that results in a Pharm.D. and M.P.H. This dual degree program offers students the opportunity to achieve a doctorate in pharmacy while also learning about research and the importance of population health. This five-year program requires students to spend their fourth year pursuing the M.P.H. degree and transition back to pharmacy for advanced practice experiences. The students will be required to take 36 of the 45 credits required for the M.P.H. The field study requirement will be satisfied by Pharm.D. special advanced practice experiences in community health during the fifth year of the program.
Curriculum
Typical course plan for dual degree:
| credit | |
| P1 fall semester | |
| ANAT 505 Anatomy | 3 |
| BIOC 523 Biochemistry I | 3 |
| MEDC 501 Medicinal Chemistry I | 2 |
| PCEU 503 Principles of Pharmacy | 3 |
| PCEU 517 Pharmacy Skills Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHAR 521 Pharmacy and Health Care Systems | 2 |
| PHAR 525 Pharmacy Communications | 2 |
| PHAR 556 Introduction to Pharmacy Practice | 1 |
| ________ 17 |
|
| P1 spring semester | |
| BIOC 524 Biochemistry II | 2 |
| PHIS 506 Physiology and Pathophysiology | 5 |
| MICR 501 Microbiology | 4 |
| PCEU 504 Biopharmaceutics and Dosage Forms | 2.5 |
| PCEU 506 Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics | 2 |
| PCEU 518 Pharmacy Skills Laboratory II | 1 |
| PHAR 558 Pharmacy Practicum II | 0.5 |
| ________ 17 |
|
| P2 fall semester | |
| MEDC 602 Principles of Pharmaceutical Analysis | 2.0 |
| MEDC 603 Medicinal Chemistry II | 2.5 |
| PCEU 617 Pharmacy Skills Laboratory III | 1.0 |
| PHAR 627 Principles of Pharmacy Practice Management | 4.5 |
| PHAR 643 Pharmacotherapy I | 3.5 |
| PHAR 657 Pharmacy Practicum III | 0.5 |
| PHTX 603 Pharmacology I | 3.0 |
| ________ 17.0 |
|
| P2 spring semester | |
| MEDC 604 Medicinal Chemistry III | 2.5 |
| PCEU 606 Applied Pharmacokinetics | 2.5 |
| PHAR 644 Pharmacotherapy II | 4.5 |
| PHAR 658 Pharmacy Practicum IV | 0.5 |
| PHTX 604 Pharmacology II | 4 |
| Elective(s) | 2-3 |
| ________ 16-17 |
|
| P3 fall semester | |
| EPID 600 Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| PHAR 701 Ethics in Pharmacy Practice | 2 |
| PHAR 743 Pharmacotherapy III | 3 |
| PHAR 745 Drug Literature Evaluation | 4 |
| PHAR 747 Physical Assessment | 1 |
| PHAR 757 Pharmacy Practicum V | .5 |
| Pharmacy elective(s) | 2-3 |
| ________ 15.5-16.5 |
|
| P3 spring semester | |
| EPID 603 Public Health Policy and Politics | 3 |
| PHAR 718 Pharmacy Skills Laboratory IV | 1 |
| PHAR 724 Pharmacy Law | 3 |
| PHAR 744 Integrated Therapeutics | 3 |
| PHAR 748 Self-Medication Awareness and Community Health | 3 |
| PHAR 758 Pharmacy Practicum VI | .5 |
| Elective(s) | 2-3 |
| ________ 15.5-16.5 |
|
| P4 fall semester | |
| BIOS 543 Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| EPID 571 Epidemiology I: Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| EPID 602 Public Health Organization and Management | 3 |
| EPID 604 Principles of Occupational and Environmental Health | 3 |
| EPID 693 Fundamentals of Public Health Data Management | 3 |
| ________ 15 |
|
| P4 spring semester | |
| EPID 606 Epidemiology Methods II | 3 |
| EPID 694 Research Project | 3 |
| SBHD 605 Introduction to Social and Behavioral Health | 3 |
| Epidemiology elective | 3 |
| ________ 12 |
|
| P5 year | |
| PHAR 760 Acute Care Pharmacy Practice | 5 |
| PHAR 761 Institutional Practice Rotation | 5 |
| PHAR 762 Geriatrics Practice Rotation | 5 |
| PHAR 763 Ambulatory Care Rotation | 5 |
| PHAR 764 Community Practice Rotation | 5 |
| PHAR 765 Elective I (in public health) | 5 |
| PHAR 766 Elective II (in public health) | 5 |
| PHAR 767 Elective III | 5 |
| PHAR 768 Advanced Community Pharmacy Practice | 5 |
| Total | ________ 42-45 |