Professional Competencies

Students in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Pathway develop a unique set of skills and competencies in the research arena. The courses and research experience are intended to complement the clinical foundation gained through the doctor of pharmacy core curriculum by providing a solid foundation in drug discovery and drug development.

The pathway links students with some of the world's foremost pharmaceutical and medical researchers, and the small size of the pathway lends itself to the development of an individualized educational plan focused on the students' academic and professional interests.

Pathway coursework and research experience are designed to ensure pathway graduates develop competence in the following areas:

Drug Discovery and Delivery	Understand the physical, chemical, and biological basis for the discovery of new drugs and methods for their successful delivery to the site of action.
Drug Development	Understand the drug development process from drug design and discovery to approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Components include instruction on: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles, methods for biological and clinical dynamic modeling, and cellular and molecular mechanisms of drug transport, metabolism and targeting.
Research Design	Develop skills in optimum study design and hypothesis testing with consideration of ethical constraints and proper conduct of research.
Pharmacogenomics	Understand the impact of genetic variability on pharmacologic response.
Bioanalysis	Develop basic skills in drug assay development, implementation and validation.
Biostatistics	Develop skills in intermediate level biostatistical topics. Multivariate regression, classification and partitioning of populations, mixed effect models, Bayesian estimation.
Research Administration	Understand important administrative aspects of carrying out research including acquisition of funds, personnel issues, documentation and publishing.

Go To: Pharmaceutical Sciences Pathway