The UCSF PharmD curriculum is designed for you to consistently apply scientific thinking across all coursework. Asking why, why not, how, what if, and questioning the status quo will become your new norm. You’ll dive into instructional materials and online discussions before class and come to class ready to actively collaborate, discuss, and problem solve with your classmates. You’ll have opportunities to learn with students in other health professions programs.

You’ll start the curriculum by building a shared base of science and professional knowledge that you’ll then apply through the lens of organ systems and diseases. At the same time, you’ll develop patient care skills, from how to interview a patient to how to give an injection.

You’ll experience pharmacy early on in real-world pharmacy practice. And you’ll explore what’s on the horizon in science and pharmacy practice through a unique, insiders’ look at pioneering work under way at UCSF by world-class faculty members. You’ll develop your own inquiry skills and apply them to a group research project.

How will you know you’re succeeding in the curriculum? You’ll be assessed on your competency—your ability to identify and solve problems relevant for pharmacy practice—in a pass/no pass system (see Progress and Feedback).

Throughout the curriculum, you’ll participate in sessions intended to support your success as a student and as a professional. Session topics include self-care, learning strategies, professionalism, career development, and leadership. And you’ll be set to consider additional training beyond the PharmD degree.

The UCSF PharmD curriculum will prepare you to thrive as a compassionate, team-oriented pharmacist with a keen scientific mindset, an unmatched professional skillset, and a limitless future—a pharmacist who easily adapts to continual changes in health science and patient care, and a pharmacist who leads those changes.

Coursework integrates throughout. Students actively engage in learning.

Scientific thinking underlies all coursework.