What Do Pharmacist Schools Teach?

There are no set rules for the curriculum of the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. This is why the details of the learning program at one pharmacist school may differ from those of another.

There is, however, a common purpose to the degree course. There are also strong similarities among pharmacist schools in the fields of study and the main teaching areas.

Purpose of the Pharm.D. degree

The purpose of the Pharm.D. degree course is to create technically and scientifically competent pharmacists. These pharmacists should be able to use their knowledge to give patients the best possible health care.

The skills the course teaches cover:

  • the provision of drug education and information
  • the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients
  • pharmacy management
  • the promotion of public health
  • the development and management of drug distribution and control systems

Fields of study

There are four fields of study that feature in the Pharm.D. program. These are biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

The study of biology provides an understanding of natural drugs found within the body, and their effects. This complements a pharmacist's knowledge of the uses of medicine. The aspects of biology included in a Pharm.D. program are anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and zoology.

The inclusion of chemistry in pharmacist schools is necessary because chemicals are the ingredients of drugs. Students learn how to analyze chemicals, preserve them, dissolve them, and combine them. They also learn how to handle and package them.

Physics is useful because its concepts are common to most practices in the pharmaceutical world. Physics also has close links with chemistry, and can aid a student's understanding of chemical processes.

Mathematics are at the heart of dispensing drugs, calculating doses, and creating formulas. A good working knowledge of mathematics also makes some aspects of chemistry and physics much clearer.

As well as the above, pharmacist schools may provide courses in the social sciences of English, psychology, and sociology. These give students the skills to communicate with people as effectively as possible.

Main teaching areas

The main teaching areas of the Pharm.D. course are pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy practice, business management, and clinical studies.

  • Pharmacognosy concerns natural drugs from animals and plants. Students learn about the sources of natural drugs and the applications of the main chemicals within them. They also learn how companies harvest and promote natural drugs.
  • Pharmacology deals with the effects of drugs on humans and animals. It covers areas such as the dosages required for different people and different conditions, and includes studies of toxins and antidotes.
  • Pharmaceutical chemistry applies the principles of chemistry to medicinal drugs. In other words, students discover how chemicals can become medicines.
  • Pharmacy practice covers a wide range of practical subjects. These include dispensing drugs, the responsibility of a pharmacist to doctors and patients, and laboratory work.
  • Business management also goes under the name of pharmacy administration. This part of the course teaches skills such as accounting, management and the use of computer software. These are invaluable if a student takes a job in a community pharmacy.
  • Clinical studies vary in nature but their goal is the same. They aim to encourage students to see patients as their priority. To do this, clinical studies improve communication skills so that students can interact comfortably with doctors and patients. The studies also help students apply their knowledge to real situations.

Published on 2009-11-10