Curriculum

The 4-UT curriculum is designed to produce knowledgeable, skilled, and caring pharmacists who are practice and team ready to provide patient-centered, population-based care.  The integrated, forward-thinking curriculum is delivered by pharmacy and research leaders in their fields. Additional information about the curriculum or courses can be found at the Academic Catalog.

The experiential program includes introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) and comprises more than one-third of the curriculum. Students learn from experts in various pharmacy areas and will have extraordinary opportunities to learn from prestigious institutions, about pharmacy in other countries, and within various governmental facilities.

Additional information about the experiential program at UTHSC COP can be found at the Office of Experiential Learning and International Programs.

During the curriculum, students have the opportunity to concurrently earn other dual degrees and certificates. In addition, all students enter APPEs with certificates in Immunization Delivery and Point-of-Care Testing. More information about our dual-degree and certificate programs can be found on the Dual Degree and Optional Certificate Opportunities page.

The Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum at the UTHSC College of Pharmacy integrates basic and clinical sciences with the social and administrative sciences and skills-based competency to produce a practice-ready pharmacist. The integrated didactic coursework is purposefully aligned to provide current clinical knowledge with the development of skills to deliver patient-centered and population-based care utilizing the pharmacists’ patient care process. The curriculum and co-curriculum integrate an inclusive approach to pharmacy practice with development of patient care, pharmacy management, and professional skills. The curriculum incorporates simulation activities to teach and assess skills, in addition to interprofessional and experiential activities. The co-curriculum includes community activities for Tennesseans to foster a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and service. Early immersion into patient care begins in the first semester of the curriculum with layered learning activities within local healthcare institutions. Numerous creative simulations and team-based interprofessional events prepare students to enter Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences and deliver high quality, team-based care. Student pharmacists complete their education in various health care settings with the ability to practice and hone their knowledge and skills to demonstrate practice- and team-readiness. The College of Pharmacy believes continuous quality improvement is essential to providing the best learning experience for the student pharmacist. The curriculum is globally assessed to provide a learning environment that adapts to the changing needs of the learner and health care delivery. The faculty’s goal for the curriculum is to produce highly qualified leaders in the pharmacy profession ready to enter the pharmacy profession and exceed the expectations of future employers or residency programs.