Pharmacy in Downers Grove

Program Description

Midwestern University's Chicago College of Pharmacy (CCP) Pharm.D. program provides students with enhanced experiences in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical sciences. Six years of coursework are required, with the first two years at another college and the last four years at CCP. The College has two paths leading to the Pharm. D. degree:

1. Students will be enrolled in the full-time traditional Pharm.D. Program with the start of the first professional year.
2. Students who are registered pharmacists and have a valid U.S. or Canadian pharmacist license can apply to the Nontraditional Pharm.D. Program. This is a self-paced, largely self-instructional, flexibly scheduled program in which a part-time student can complete degree requirements over approximately two to four years. This program is being phased out and is no longer accepting students.

Supported by a CCP faculty mentor, small groups of students work together to complete projects and assignments, and gain extensive clinical knowledge. The fourth professional year provides immersion in hands-on learning at diverse clinical rotation sites, emphasizing problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. Settings include community pharmacies, hospitals, managed care facilities, physician offices, and other rural and urban sites.

Program Expectations

CCP educates and graduates competent and motivated pharmacists who will provide pharmaceutical care in a wide range of community and institutional settings. CCP's standards for admission outline the academic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by faculty and by the ACPE, the pharmacy accrediting agency, to obtain the Pharm.D. degree. Candidates must have abilities and skills in five areas: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) motor; 4) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and 5) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.

Mission

Chicago College of Pharmacy fosters lifelong learning through excellence in education, postgraduate programs, and scholarship. The College encourages the development of professional attitudes and behaviors to prepare pharmacists who will provide exemplary patient care in a culturally diverse society.

Values

The Chicago College of Pharmacy embraces the values of learning and discovery, excellence, professionalism, and collegiality in everything that we do:  teaching, patient care, research, and service.

Vision

The Chicago College of Pharmacy will lead advances in pharmacy education, practice and scholarship through innovation and collaboration to meet the health care challenges of tomorrow.

College Strategic Goals

Goal One:  Educate and graduate patient centered caring pharmacists to meet society's health care needs. 

Goal Two:  Contribute to the advancement of patient centered pharmacy practice.                                     

Goal Three:  Become a leader in pharmacy education and research.                                                                  

Goal Four:  Foster professional development of faculty, preceptors, staff and students.                                  

Goal Five:  Develop and nuture alumni relationships.                                                                                            

Goal Six:  Optimize and enhance all resources needed to fulfill the College's mission. 

Planned Program Improvements

The Chicago College of Pharmacy is implementing its revised curriculum.  Major changes in the revised curriculum include an increased number of hours of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) courses, an inter-professional health care communications course, an increased number of lectures and workshops in the Pharmacotherapeutics course sequence, and the use of reflective portfolios.  All students will be required to purchase laptop computers from the University, effective with the entering class Fall 2010.  Students will use their laptops for their reflective portfolios and for other classes.

Admission Requirements

1. Completion of 62 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of nonremedial, prerequisite coursework from regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities, or from recognized postsecondary Canadian institutions that use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation
   • Minimum cumulative GPAs and science GPAs of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale
   • Grades of "C" or better for prerequisite courses (grades of C- are not acceptable)
2. Direct submission of scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) to the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) using PCAT code 104
   • PCAT exams are offered multiple times per year by Harcourt Assessment, Inc., (also known as Pearson), 800/622-3231 or www.pcatweb.info
   • Only scores earned from the test offered in 2008 or more recently are acceptable
3. Demonstration of a people or service orientation as evidenced by community service or extracurricular activities
4. Motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer work, or other life experiences
5. Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues
6. Completion of the CCP on-campus interview process (by invitation only)
7. Satisfactory Midwestern University criminal background check
8. Commitment to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy

The Pharm.D. Program at CCP is rigorous and challenging. The CCP Admissions Committee will therefore assess the quality and rigor of the prepharmacy academic records presented by applicants. When assessing the prepharmacy academic records of applicants, the Admissions Committee will:

1. View applicants with cumulative GPAs below 2.75 on a 4.00 scale with particular concern; although 2.50 on a 4.00 scale is the minimum cumulative GPA for admission consideration, higher cumulative GPAs are more competitive and recommended  
   • The average cumulative GPA of applicants admitted for Fall 2011 was 3.22 on a 4.00 scale
2. View component and composite PCAT scores below the 50th percentile with particular concern, although there are no minimum PCAT scores
   • The average composite PCAT score of applicants admitted for Fall 2011 was in the 68th percentile
3. View with concern applicants whose prepharmacy math and science coursework was completed longer than 10 years ago
   • More recent (within four years) prepharmacy math and science coursework is preferred
4. Consider the reputation for quality and rigor of the institutions where applicants have taken previous coursework, the extent of completion of science prerequisites, the credit load carried per term, the difficulty level of previous coursework, and trends in applicant grades

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Prerequisite Courses

Additional Application Information

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Fast Facts

Degree

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

General Requirements

• Two years of prerequisite course work
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50
• Minimum science GPA of 2.50
• PCAT scores

Length of Program

4 years, full-time

Class Size

214

Incoming Students Fall 2012

• Female: 66%
• Male: 34%
• Average Age: 23
• Average Overall GPA: 3.22
• Class Size: 215
• Top Home States: Illinois (53%), California (17%), Michigan (7%)

Residency Placements (Class of 2012)

About 25% of CCP graduates go on to assume residency training after graduation

Graduation Rate (Class of 2012)

Approximately 99% of each class graduates from the program

Licensing Examination Scores (2012)

NAPLEX 2012 first time test-taking pass rate

• CCP graduates: 99.46%
• National rate: 95.21%

MPJE 2012 first time test-taking pass rate

• CCP graduates: 95.67%
• National rate: 93.95%

Pharmacist Professional Responsibilities

• Recommend drug therapies
• Monitor drug regimens for efficacy and safety
• Counsel patients regarding their drug regimens and disease states
• Work with other health care providers to ensure positive outcomes with the use of medications
• Respond to questions regarding drug therapy
• Educate the public regarding chronic disease management and drug therapies

Career Opportunities

Community pharmacies, hospitals, educational institutions, laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, managed care organizations, home health care

Job Placements for CCP Alumni

Community Pharmacy: 52%
Hospital Pharmacy and other position: 23%
Residencies: 25%

US Employment Projections through 2020

Employment of pharmacists is expected to increase by 25% from 2010 to 2020.¹

2010 Median Salary

$111,570¹

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S., Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-2013 Edition, Pharmacists, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm  (accessed1/9/2003)

Accreditation

The Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, Illinois 60603-4810; 312/664-3575, 800/533-3606; Fax 312/664-4652; or www.acpe-accredit.org.

Midwestern University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413.

Related Links

MWU Pharmacy Program in Glendale

Pharmacy as a Career

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

American Association of Pharmacy Technicians

American Pharmacists Association

American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)

National Community Pharmacists Association

National Pharmacy Technician Association

PharmCAS

Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)