About the Program

Why a UCSF PharmD Education?

  • Inclusive and Collaborative

    Each entering class has 127 students from varied backgrounds. Nearly 400 pharmacy students create a collaborative culture through active involvement in student organizations and community engagement.

  • Outstanding Results

    Exceptional NAPLEX pass rates and among the highest residency match rates in the nation. An impressive cadre of alumni professional leaders across all areas of pharmacy practice.

  • Career Ready

    Graduates go onto to excel in advanced training, residencies, and leadership roles across pharmacy practice.

    Read about our graduation rates and performance.

One program, two aims

The UCSF PharmD Degree Program prepares you academically for a wide-open future in pharmacy practice while supporting your professional growth and well-being as a student.

  • Academic preparation

    Our unique three-year, year-round curriculum is based in scientific thinking. Coursework is integrated across subject areas, and students routinely learn in groups. It’s upon this foundation that you’ll build the core knowledge, pharmacy practice skills, and patient care experiences that you’ll need for a career in pharmacy as a caring, patient-centered expert in the safe and effective use of medicines.

  • Well-being and professional success

    We want to be sure you thrive as a pharmacy student, develop skills to balance priorities, attend to your own health and well-being, have the learning resources you need to succeed, and take advantage of opportunities to lead and participate within teams and organizations. And we help prepare you for next steps after you graduate, including post-graduate training.

Program Format

Explore how our program emphasizes the development of the critical knowledge and skills needed for pharmacy practice and patient care.

  • Program Timeline

    View the detailed three-year curriculum structure, including coursework components, rotations, and break periods.

    This program requires full-time dedication Monday through Friday. Students should consult with PharmD advisors before committing to any employment.

  • Competency-Based Curriculum

    Learn about how student progress is assessed throughout the program.

Why Pharmacy?

Pharmacists have unprecedented opportunities to apply their expertise in novel ways and across many fields:
 

  • Managing entirely new types of therapeutics that lead to new possibilities for prevention and treatment

  • Encountering sea changes in where and how pharmacy is practiced and health care is delivered

  • Beginning to work under significantly expanded scopes of practice, providing aspects of primary care

Career and Advanced Opportunities

As part of the UCSF PharmD degree program, we help students prepare for success after graduation, and we encourage all students to consider and pursue post-graduate training.

  • Career Opportunities

    Discover diverse career paths in clinical practice, research, industry, and healthcare leadership available to PharmD graduates.

  • Advanced Training & Residencies

    Learn about residency programs, fellowships, and Advanced Practice Pharmacist licensure opportunities.

  • Dual Degree Programs

    Explore PharmD-MSCR (clinical research) and PharmD-PhD programs that combine pharmacy training with advanced research.