The University of Charleston is a small private university in Charleston, West Virginia, a community of approximately 200,000 people. Our 40-acre campus rests amidst magnificent mountains, rivers, and the capital city. The city is alive with restaurants, shops, historic sites and plenty of outdoor recreation.
Program Description:
The program of study within University of Charleston School of Pharmacy is competency-based, with a focus on the implementation of pharmaceutical care in traditional healthcare environments, and serving the needs of rural America. The overall goal of the curriculum is to develop a competent, highly engaged, generalist practitioner who can successfully practice pharmacy at an entry-level. The curriculum emphasizes the management of disease states and the assurance of quality of care through the analysis of medical care outcomes in a highly integrated, technology driven environment.
The curriculum is also designed with a comprehensive focus on patient care, medication therapy management, and disease management. Students completing the Pharm.D. program receive two certifications; an Immunization Certification and Medication Therapy Management Certification. Additional curricular experiences focus on the pharmacists role in diabetes management. Graduating students consistently exceed expectations on the NAPLEX, or North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination with, a five year passage rate of 95%. The Class of 2013 achieved a 100% pass rate on the NAPLEX for the first-time takers. We believe this is a testament to our curriculum, our faculty and our students.
The professional pharmacy curriculum at University of Charleston entails an interprofessional, competency-based framework, using integrated content and teaching, simulated patient environments, problem-based approaches when appropriate, and experiential exposure threaded throughout. The curriculum has been designed to provide knowledge, teach models of care management, allow students to demonstrate their understanding, and allow plentiful experiential opportunities for practice. Finally, the curriculum is designed to transition learners from dependent to independent learners as they progress.
We are committed to the development of a well-rounded, professionally active pharmacist who is able to demonstrate both technical competence and the embodiment of other essential professional characteristics. Consequently, curricular and programmatic offerings provide instruction, hands-on opportunities, and initiatives designed to encourage the growth and development of professional stewardship, citizenry, leadership, responsibility, and active involvement in issues that impact the profession and practice of pharmacy. Each student is provided membership to the professional organization of their choice, and funding is allocated to support conference, workshop, or other professional development attendance. We offer a variety of professional organizations that operate under the guidance of the Pharmacy Student Governance Association (PSGA) and provide opportunities for student engagement and involvement with the campus community and beyond. Additional leadership development opportunities include collaborations with the local, state, and national government officials on policy development, study abroad, and unique APPE rotation experiences across the country.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy is to prepare pharmacists who will provide comprehensive patient care, to advance the profession through research and advocacy, and to serve the community as leaders in rural health care.
Program Outcomes:
The School of Pharmacy has five program outcomes that describe the graduate of the program. These end-of-program outcomes reflect the graduate level liberal learning outcomes (citizenship, communication, creativity, critical thinking, ethical practice and science) for the University of Charleston as well as the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Outcomes of 2013.
The graduate of the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy will:
Use scientific principles of inquiry to design, implement and evaluate evidence-based practices to provide complete pharmacotherapy and medication counseling for individual patients and diverse populations.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills by transitioning foundational knowledge into a patient-centered practice, ensuring safe and effective medication management leading to promotion f improved health, sustained wellness and prevention of disease.
Collaborate and communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, other healthcare members, policy makers, and members of the community to effectively participate in a team approach to patient care.
Engage in innovative activities when evaluating and implementing medication distribution and related management systems.
Demonstrate legal, ethical and professional principles and judgment in pharmacy practice.
Achievement of these outcomes are evaluated for each student as they progress through the curriculum.
Admissions Process:
The University of Charleston School of Pharmacy seeks to identify talented, qualified, and committed individuals through a competitive admissions process. Each applicant’s academic background and achievement, PCAT scores, letters of recommendation, and record of participation in advocacy, leadership, and extra-curricular activities are reviewed to determine the granting of an invitation for an on-campus interview and admission into the program. In addition to these areas, the Admissions Subcommittee places emphasis on personal merit, leadership, maturity, citizenship, moral reasoning, communication skills, previous pharmacy experience, and dedication to professional goals.
Competitive applicants will have a 2.75+ grade point average and a composite score of 50 or higher on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). PCAT tests must have been taken within 3 years of the date of application. Prospective applicants must successfully complete (with a C or better) 60 credit hours of pre-requisite course work. All pre-pharmacy course work must be completed prior to beginning the professional program in August. Please visit http://www.ucwv.edu/pharmacy for additional information.
ExRx Summer Boot Camp
Fellows Scholarship Program