Experiential learning makes up nearly a third of our PharmD curriculum and equips students with the practical knowledge and skills required for safe and effective pharmacy practice.
Our experiential education opportunities are course-based and structured to ensure that students are exposed to diverse practice settings within an educational model that is relevant, consistent, and aligned with professional requirements and expectations. Students have opportunities to learn from pharmacists and other health care practitioners across a variety of experiential sites.
Our program works with over 1,000 pharmacy preceptors locally, nationally, and internationally. Many of our preceptors are alumni of our program and are recognized leaders in the profession. On graduation, our students complete over 40 weeks of hands-on learning through experiential education.
Experiential Learning 1 (EL1)
Experiential Learning 1 is the first of two early experiential courses, consisting of 160 hours of community pharmacy practice site experience, one day per week, longitudinally during Year 1. Students will actively participate in day-to-day activities within a direct patient care community pharmacy practice setting, enabling application of knowledge, skills and values learned in faculty-based courses and simulated practice environments.
Experiential Learning 2 (EL2)
Experiential Learning 2 is the second of two early experiential courses consisting of 160 hours in community based institutional or hospital settings and takes place longitudinally during Year 2. Students will continue to build and enhance their patient care and clinical problem-solving skills.
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE)
Early experiential learning focuses on developing foundational skills in pharmacy practice, while Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) courses help students transition from pharmacy learners to skilled practitioners. A total of 36 weeks of advanced practice experience blocks take place during Year 3 and provide learning opportunities across a broad range of direct and non-direct patient care environments.
Direct Patient Care (DPC):
- Opportunities that are designed to strengthen and integrate students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the provision of patient care across diverse settings.
Non-direct Patient Care (NDPC)
- Opportunities that allow insight into the structure and functions of various areas of pharmacy practice within the health care system and awareness of pharmacists' various roles.
