Practice Rotations

Your Pharmacy Practice Experiences, commonly known as rotations, will be in clinical settings where you’ll participate in activities that reflect the situations and challenges you’ll face as a practicing pharmacist.

Your experiences will gradually increase in complexity over time, from introductory to advanced. They’re planned to complement your other coursework in real time, and to add value to patient care at your practice sites.

Throughout these experiences, you’ll learn under the guidance of seasoned pharmacist preceptors and by serving richly diverse patient populations. You’ll continually hone your scientific thinking, communication, and clinical skills.

Practice experience overview

 SettingAssignment locationsTime
Year 1 IPPEsCommunity pharmaciesSan Francisco Bay Area1 day/ week, 8 hours/day (approx.) through year 1
Year 2 Concentrated IPPEsHealth systemsSan Francisco Bay Area and locations throughout California5 days/week, 8 hours/day (approx.) for 2 weeks during summer between years 1 and 2
Year 2 Longitudinal IPPEsHealth systemsSan Francisco1 day/week, 8 hours/day (approx.) through an 8 week block
Year 3 APPEs
  • Community pharmacies
  • Medical centers and hospitals
  • Ambulatory care clinics
  • Managed care
  • Industry

Locations through one of five APPE programs:

  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • North Bay
  • Greater Sacramento
  • Fresno
  • Southern California

Full-time immersion: 6 weeks/rotation in late year 2 and through year 3

  • Some experiences fall outside the 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. workday.
  • Some responsibilities to patients may occur on weekends or evenings.

Learn more about our practice rotations