Doctor of Pharmacy

Bienville, Room 102 • (318) 342-1600

Professional Doctoral Programs

The professional doctorate represents a level of education beyond the usual four-year baccalaureate degree and serves as the educational base for entry-level practice in many professions, especially those related to healthcare. The professional doctorate differs in one very significant way from traditional postgraduate academic degree programs in that it is not intended to provide extensive research training. Some professional doctoral programs admit students after the completion of a specified pre-professional curriculum (usually two to three years of post-secondary study) while others may require a prior degree as a prerequisite for enrollment. In either case, such programs transcend the traditional post-secondary educational process.

Mission Statement

The College of Pharmacy at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana’s College of Pharmacy, endeavors to create a professional learning environment that embraces the concept of continual quality improvement. This environment will enable the college to produce and maintain excellent academic, research, and service programs that directly enhance the health and environment of the state of Louisiana and beyond.

The mission of the College of Pharmacy (COP) is to educate future health care professionals to meet the diverse pharmaceutical care needs of the people of Louisiana and to serve the professions of pharmacy and toxicology through a balanced program of education, research, service, and patient care.

The strategic decisions and daily operations of the college’s faculty and staff are reflective of the following values:

Responsibility - acting morally, ethically, and with integrity, as well as being accountable for one’s actions. Students, faculty, and staff have a duty to adhere to these standards. We also recognize our duty to be thoughtful stewards of those resources entrusted to us.
Innovation - the synthesis, embodiment, or combination of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services, especially as related to promoting optimal patient and educational outcomes.
Collaboration - the development of educational, research and practice partnerships among students, practitioners, educators, and other stakeholders.
Quality - the pursuit of excellence, which is cultivated and assessed through a process of continual quality improvement.
Professionalism - the demonstration of structural, attitudinal, and behavioral attributes of a profession and its members. Certain professional attributes, including a service orientation; caring; respect for others; accountability and responsibility for one’s action; integrity; honesty; ethically sound decision making; and a commitment to life-long learning are fundamental to our functioning as learners, educators, researchers, scholars, and practitioners of pharmacy.

In addition to the values stated above, we have set the following goals:

Education

Educate entry-level pharmacy practitioners to deliver pharmacy care in a dynamic, culturally diverse society, enabling graduates to enter a wide range of existing or emerging health care practices.
Provide effective graduate education in the pharmaceutical and toxicological sciences.
Recognize professional education as an individual process that begins in the academic setting and continues throughout the professional career, not only for the student but educators and practitioners as well.
Model attitudes and values that emphasize the importance of a team approach to patient-centered care, and the importance of interprofessional learning and collaborative practice in didactic and experiential education.
Integrate basic, clinical, administrative and toxicological sciences.
Incorporate a diverse range of teaching methods and approaches that collectively enhance and promote students learning.

Research/Scholarly Activity

Promote, develop and sustain excellence in graduate study and research in the clinical, basic, social, and administrative sciences, thereby adding to the body of knowledge for scientists and educators in pharmacy, toxicology and related fields.
Promote research and scholarship that lead to improved patient care.
Promote research and scholarship that lead to improved educational outcomes.
Assess and evaluate all research and scholarly activity undertaken within the college.
Provide appropriate mentorship for faculty development.

Service

Address the healthcare and other societal needs by involving faculty, staff, and students in service activities at the university, local, state, national and international levels.
Promote wellness and disease prevention.
Promote therapeutic interventions, rational medication use, and the judicious use of economic resources.
Advance student and faculty participation and leadership in professional organizations.

Pharmacy Practice

Promote and optimize pharmacy care in order to improve patient outcomes.
Promote postgraduate professional training and assume an active role in the development of residencies and fellowships.

Reflection upon our stated mission, values, and goals has led us to develop the following educational philosophy:

The entry level Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum is an integration of biomedical, pharmaceutical, clinical, and administrative sciences to prepare practitioners who can effectively provide pharmaceutical care in a changing profession. Consistent with the educational philosophy of the university, the educational process is based on a student-centered approach that values life-long learning and the development of complex problem solving skills. Faculty demonstrate through their teaching, practice, and research the highest standards of professionalism and a passion for quality patient care.

Students will demonstrate the following:

A commitment to developing life-long learning habits.
The abilities required for a competent and contemporary patient-centered pharmacy practice.
Behaviors and attitudes necessary for professional growth and development.

General Information

The College of Pharmacy was established by the State Board of Education on August 11, 1956, and continues to serve as Louisiana’s sole State supported Pharmacy Program. The College of Pharmacy continues to evolve to meet the health care needs of the State’s population, and in 1998, began offering the Doctor of Pharmacy degree as its sole entry level professional pharmacy degree. The college also offers the State’s only doctor of philosophy degrees in the areas of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. The Bachelor of Science program in Toxicology was initiated in 1982 and is one of only six programs in the country. The College of Pharmacy currently includes three academic departments - Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Clinical and Administrative Sciences, and Toxicology.

Accredition

The Doctor of Pharmacy program in the College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The College of Pharmacy is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, an organization whose mission is to lead and partner with its members in advancing pharmacy education, research, scholarship, practice and service to improve societal health.

Doctor of Pharmacy Program

The Doctor of Pharmacy degree is the highest level of applied professional education offered in pharmacy. It is designed to assure development of clinical skills and judgment with the acquisition of the confidence necessary to assess therapeutic problems and to be an active participant in decision-making processes related to pharmaceutical care. The program is designed to provide a broad spectrum of study in the administrative, biological, clinical, pharmaceutical, and social sciences to prepare graduate for careers in academic, ambulatory, community, industrial and institutional settings.

Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy requires preparatory coursework focusing in the areas of biological, chemical and physical sciences, and written and oral communications which need to be completed prior to admission into the College of Pharmacy. Students wishing to pursue a career in pharmacy are encouraged to complete their pre-professional requirements in conjunction with pursuing a four year degree (e.g., toxicology, biology, chemistry, etc.). Pre-professional preparatory coursework may be completed at any accredited university. Students aspiring to complete their pre-professional preparatory coursework at the University of Louisiana at Monroe must meet the admission requirements for the University. Students with a “Pre-Pharmacy” major designation must present a 2.8 cumulative grade point average once they have earned 70 hours to maintain the designation. Students who fail to present a 2.8 grade point average will be required to change their major to LUIO (undeclared) or another major at the 70 hour mark.

Upon completion of the preparatory coursework, students may apply for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program in the College of Pharmacy. Admission to the program is competitive and, at a minimum, is based on cumulative pre-professional preparatory course work grade point average, written and oral communication skills, and scores on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).

Students applying for admission to the College of Pharmacy must meet the following academic requirements:

Have a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average;
Meet the Louisiana Board of Regent’s core curriculum requirements with a grade of ‘C’ or better in each core course;
Complete the following course and semester hour requirements with a grade of ‘C’ or better:

a. Biology

i. Microbiology with laboratory (4 semester credits or equivalent)

ii. Human or comparative anatomy with lab and human or mammalian physiology with lab (8 semester credits or equivalent)

iii. Cell biology or cell physiology (3 semester credits or equivalent)

iv. Genetics (3 semester credits or equivalent)

b. Business

i. Economics (3 semester credits or equivalent)

c. Chemistry

i. Inorganic chemistry with laboratories (8 semester credits or equivalent)

ii. Organic Chemistry with laboratories (8 semester credits or equivalent)

iii. Biochemistry (3 semester credits or equivalent)

d. English

i. English composition (6 semester credits or equivalent)

ii. Technical writing (3 semester credits or equivalent)

e. Humanities

i. Public Speaking (3 semester credits or equivalent)

f. Mathematics

i. Calculus (3 semester credits or equivalent)

g. Physics

i. General physics with laboratories (4 semester credits or equivalent)

h. Statistics

i. Statistics (3 semester credits or equivalent)

Meet the technical standards of the college of Pharmacy, and
Obtain a competitive Pharmacy College Admissions Test score.

For students attending the University of Louisiana at Monroe for their pre-professional requirements, courses listed online at www.ulm.edu/pharmacy/ will fulfill the College of Pharmacy’s pre-professional requirements. This list along with course descriptions provided in the undergraduate or graduate and professional catalog also provide students attending other state or out of state institutions guidance concerning course content for pre-professional requirements.

Admission to The Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Admission to the program is competitive, and is based on the student’s academic ability, communication skills, and potential for professionalism. As required by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the College of Pharmacy offers extensive experiential clerkship instruction in its educational program. For this reason, admissions are determined annually based upon the availability of the instructional resources available to the program. Preference for admission is extended to Louisiana residents. The University of Louisiana at Monroe, Office of Admissions determines residence status in accordance with the regulations of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

In addition to meeting the requirements of admission for the University of Louisiana at Monroe, applicants for admission to the Professional Program in the College of Pharmacy must have completed the required pre-professional preparatory coursework with no grade less than “C”, possess a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.750 (uncorrected, based on a 4.0 system) in all previous coursework undertaken, exclusive of developmental courses, whether passed or failed at all institutions of attendance and meet the technical standards of the College of Pharmacy.

The application process for admission to the College of Pharmacy requires the student to complete an online application with the Pharmacy College Admission Service (PharmCAS), a supplemental application with the College of Pharmacy, and a University application. Online applications to PharmCAS must be completed by February 1st immediately preceding the applicant’s effective admission date. Supplemental applications are due to the Office of Student and Professional Affairs in the College of Pharmacy no later than February 1st immediately preceding the applicants effective admission date. All pre-professional preparatory coursework and University core curriculum requirements must be completed. Coursework completed more than seven years prior to the applicant’s requested admission date may not be used to satisfy pre-professional requirements and will be excluded from all evaluations and grade point calculations associated with the professional program admission process. An appeal of the ULM College of Pharmacy admission policies and procedures shall be addressed to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The Dean will foward the appeal to the Admisions Committee for evaluation and recommendation. The committee will then forward their official recommendation to the Dean for final ruling.

Official scores from the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) must be submitted by students applying for admission to the professional program. PCAT scores must be submitted to PharmCAS by February 1. Selected qualified students will be invited to campus for interviews to evaluate their communication skills and potential for professionalism. Applicants are expected to exhibit the degree of maturity commensurate with advanced academic study, as well as motivation for the practice of pharmacy. Applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee, and foma; recommendations will be made to the Dean. All students will be notified of their status through PharmCAS. A complete explanation of application procedures pertaining to the current admissions cycle and application forms are available online at the College of Pharmacy website (www.ulm.edu/pharmacy).

Students seeking to transfer to the professional program of the College of Pharmacy from other accredited colleges of pharmacy must meet the pre-professional preparatory coursework requirements and be eligible for admission to the University. Additionally, the applicant must be in good academic standing and be eligible to continue and progress in the College of Pharmacy he/she has been attending. The student must have an overall grade point average of at least 2.750 (4.0 system) on all coursework attempted at the time of transfer. A logical sequence of professional courses and appropriate prerequisites must have been maintained. Advanced standing will be granted on comparable subject matter for which a grade of “C”, or better, has been earned. A minimum of one academic year is required for graduation. Transfer opportunities are possible only when vacancies in existing classes occur. Students admitted on a professional transfer basis to a class in progress shall be subject to all requirements and restrictions applicable to other students in the class.

Any person having been convicted of a drug related felony will not be admitted to the professional program of the College of Pharmacy.

Attendance Policy

The professional educational experience in the College of Pharmacy involves many multifaceted learning objectives, including professional interactions with faculty and peers, that do not lend themselves to traditional testing modalities and assignment of letter grades. As a result, class attendance is mandatory in all pharmacy courses. Students accumulating more than three unexcused absences in a course during an academic semester will be administratively dropped from the course with a ‘W’ grade. In accordance with College of Pharmacy policy and procedure, a grade of ‘W’ will be counted as an ‘F’ grade with respect to academic standards.

Backgroud Checks

Students applying to the College of Pharmacy may be required to undergo a background check as a part of the application process. All students enrolling in the professional program will undergo criminal background checks as a part of obtaining their Louisiana State Board of Pharmacy Intern License. Any previous activity that would preclude the issuance or continuance of an intern license may result in suspension or dismissal from the program.

Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct

The College of Pharmacy employs a code of ethical and professional conduct which relies on the honor system. The code is based on the assumption that pharmacy students, as future health care professionals will develop maturity and professionalism through self-governance. The code of ethical and professional conduct is a form of student self governance that applies to all facets of the student’s academic and professional life.

The basic assumption of the code is that central to the act of being a professional is conducting one’s self with the highest sense of honor and integrity, and primary core values that every pharmacy student should possess include honesty, integrity, responsibility, competence, and respect for people. Pharmacists do not learn to be professionals upon completion of degree requirements or through issuance of a license. Instead, the internalization of the concept of professionalism must occur as a part of the professional education process so that pharmacy students carry these concepts with them into the profession. It is the pharmacy student’s responsibility to develop a selfless sense of service that demands personal excellence and accountability. By enrolling in the College of Pharmacy, a student accepts these professional standards and requirements as a prerequisite for continued enrollment in the pharmacy curriculum and graduation.

As a condition of acceptance to the College of Pharmacy, the applicant shall be required to agree to abide by the Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct.

Computer Requirements

All students admitted to the Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to purchase a laptop for use in the classroom and obtaining notes. It is the responsibility of the student to backup their system, print their notes, and have technical service for their computer. The technical support area of the College of Pharmacy is available for connectivity issues relating to our wireless network. However, they do not provide in-depth technical support for student computers.

Fees, Expenses, and Refunds

Tuition and fees are set on an annual basis and are subject to change. Because the expenses of educating pharmacists is substantially more than the expenses associated with undergraduate training, tuition and fees, including a professional fee, are substantially higher than those associated with the undergraduate programs in the University. Students classified as non-Louisiana residents under the regulations of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors will pay out-of-state tuition in addition to general tuition and fees. Courses enrolled for audit will be charged tuition the same as courses for academic credit. In order for a student’s enrollment to be complete, the student’s registration fees must be paid in full. It is the student’s responsibility to follow-up on anticipated or pending financial aid to ensure that the student’s bill is paid in full. Payments must be received in the “University” or by mail in the Controller’s Office, or via web payment by the published deadline in order that the payments are not considered to be late payments. A student who resigns from the University may be entitled to some refund of tuition, activity and out-of-state fees, and/or room and meal plan charges. The exact amount of the refund, if any, will depend upon the resignation circumstances and timing. Refunds will be subject to an administrative fee. A complete description of the student billing and refund policy can be found at

http://www.ulm.edu/controller/sas/

Immunization Policy

In addition to the general Immunization Compliance required of all students by Louisiana R.S. 17.170, students admitted to the professional program of the College of Pharmacy must meet immunization requirements established by the College. Students accepting admission to the College of Pharmacy will be provided a set of immunization requirements and a deadline to meet the requirements. Students failing to meet immunization deadlines will have their offer of admission rescinded.

Insurance Requirements

Health insurance is required of all students enrolled in the College of Pharmacy. Students failing to show proof of health insurance may have their offer of admission rescinded or be suspended from the program until such proof is available.

Liability/Malpractice Insurance

All students enrolled in the professional program are automatically covered by professional liability insurance during their practice experiences or while participating in other practice activities that are part of the student’s curriculum. The University maintains commercial excess general and medical malpractice liability insurance administered through the State of Louisiana Office of Risk Management for itself, its agents, officers, employees and students. This coverage can be viewed from the web site located at: doa.louisiana.gov/orm/pdf/uwsummary2012-13.pdf. Primary Commercial General Liability coverage is underwritten by the Louisiana Self-Insurance Fund (Self insured by the office of Risk Management) and provides $5,000,000 per occurrence (no aggregate). Miscellaneous Tort Liability coverage is underwritten by the Louisiana Self-Insurance Fund and provides comprehensive umbrella excess of $5,000,000 per occurrence. The student professional liability insurance does not cover students when employed outside the curriculum.

Pharmacy Intern Permits

Students admitted to the professional program must apply for an active pharmacy intern permit during the first semester following enrollment into the professional program and maintain the intern permit continually throughout enrollment in the professional program. Students found to be in violation of the regulations of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy may be required to resign their enrollment.

Random Drug Screening Requirements

In the interest of public health and safety, all students enrolling in the professional program of the College of Pharmacy are subject to random drug screening. Such tests are conducted by independent laboratories and test results are reported directly to the College of Pharmacy. Results of random drug screenings will also be reported to Louisiana State Board of Pharmacy.

Technical Standards

The goal of the College of Pharmacy is to broadly prepare students to practice pharmacy with special emphasis on practicing in primary care settings. Regardless of the eventual type of practice (i.e., community, clinic, or health care system), students must demonstrate competence in intellectual, physical and social tasks that together represent the fundamentals of being able to provide contemporary pharmaceutical care. Students will be judged by their respective program faculty not only on their scholastic achievement and ability, but also on their intellectual, physical and emotional capacities to meet the full requirements of the college’s curriculum. As an advisory committee to the Dean, the Admissions Committee is instructed to exercise judgment on behalf of the faculty to recommend the entering class, and to consider character, extracurricular achievement, and overall suitability for the pharmacy profession based upon information in the application and personal interviews.

The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, the accrediting body for colleges and schools of pharmacy, requires that the curriculum provide a general professional education, enabling each student to eventually practice as a pharmacy generalist. This requires the development of broad knowledge, skills, behaviors, ongoing self-directed learning, and the eventual ability to deliver competent pharmaceutical care within a reasonable time frame and within the context of the legal and ethical framework of the profession. The basic science curriculum includes the study of biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, immunology, physiology, pharmaceutics, pathology and pharmacology; all within the context of application to solving clinical problems. The practice skill curriculum includes the behavioral, administrative, supervisory, economic, legal, ethical, analytical, integrative, historical and contextual aspects of practice. The basic sciences and practice skills curricula are interwoven and are designed to establish a core of knowledge necessary for understanding pharmacotherapeutics and undergoing advanced clinical training. The clinical curriculum includes diverse experience in primary care, in ambulatory and inpatient setting, and in specialized environments such as long term care and managed care or home infusion practices. The basic science, practice skills and clinical experiences develop the ability to practice pharmacy with the goal of providing cost effective improvement in patient outcomes, independently or with a team or other health care professionals, regardless of the future choice of practice site. The faculty requires each student to pass each required course, all of the clinical rotations, and programmatic assessments to graduate.

The following technical standards specify those attributes the faculty considers necessary for completing pharmacy training, enabling each graduate to subsequently enter clinical practice, residency or fellowship training. These standards describe the essential functions students must demonstrate in order to fulfill the requirements of a general pharmacy education, and thus, are prerequisites for entrance, continuation, and graduation from the College of Pharmacy. The University of Louisiana at Monroe College of Pharmacy will consider for admission any applicant who demonstrates the ability to perform or to learn to perform the skills listed in this document. Applicants are not required to disclose the nature of their disability(ies), if any, to the Admissions Committee. However, any applicant with questions about these technical standards is strongly encouraged to discuss the issue with the Director of Student and Professional Affairs prior to the interview process. If appropriate, and upon the request of the applicant/student, reasonable accommodations will be provided.

Certain chronic or recurrent illnesses and problems that interfere with patient care or safety may be incompatible with pharmacy training or practice. Other conditions that may lead to a high likelihood of student illness should be carefully considered. Deficiencies in knowledge base, judgment, integrity, character, or professional attitude or demeanor, which may jeopardize patient care, may be grounds for course/practice experience failure and possible dismissal.

A student must possess aptitude, abilities, and skills in five areas:

observation;
communication;
sensory and motor coordination and function;
conceptualization, integration and quantitative evaluation; and
behavioral and social skills, abilities and aptitude.

These are described in detail below. The program faculty will monitor maintenance of these standards. Students must be able to independently perform the described functions.

1. Observation - Students must be able to

a. observe demonstrations and conduct exercises in a variety of areas related to contemporary pharmacy practice, including but not limited to, monitoring of drug response and preparation of specialty dosage forms.

b. observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand, noting nonverbal as well as verbal signals. Specific vision-related requirements include, but are not limited to the following abilities:

i. visualizing and discriminating findings on drug or fluid monitoring tests;

ii. reading written and illustrated material;

iii. observing demonstrations in the classroom or laboratory, including projected slides and overheads;

iv. observing and differentiating changes in body movement;

v. observing anatomic structures;

vi. discriminating numbers and patterns associated with diagnostic and monitoring instruments and tests, and

vii. competently using instruments for monitoring drug response.

2. Communication - Students must be able to

a. relate effectively and sensitively with patients and their caregivers and or partners, and convey a sense of compassion and empathy.

b. communicate clearly with, and observe patients in order to elicit information, accurately describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive verbal as well as nonverbal communication. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing. Communicate quickly, effectively and efficiently in oral and written English with all members of the health care team. Specific requirements include but are not limited to the following abilities:

i. communicating rapidly and clearly with the health care team on rounds;

ii. eliciting a thorough history from patients; and

iii. communicating complex findings in appropriate terms to patients and their caregivers, partners and various members of the health care team (fellow students, physicians, nurses, aides, therapists, social workers, and others).

c. learn to recognize and promptly respond to emotional communication such as sadness, worry, agitation, and lack of comprehension of communication.

d. recognize signs of behavioral disorders that may impact a patient’s compliance.

e. read and record observations and care plans legibly, efficiently and accurately.

f. prepare and communicate concise but complete summaries of individual encounters and complex, prolonged encounters with patients.

g. complete forms or appropriately document activities according to directions in a complete and timely fashion.

3. Sensory and Motor Coordination or Function

Students must have sufficient sensory and motor function to monitor drug response and to prepare and or dispense pharmaceuticals.

A student should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to participate in the general care and emergency treatment of patients. They must be able to respond promptly to urgencies within the practice setting and must not hinder the ability of their coworkers to provide prompt care. Examples of such emergency treatment reasonably required of pharmacists include arriving quickly when called, participating in the initiation of appropriate procedures, and rapidly and accurately preparing appropriate emergency medication.

4. Intellectual-Conceptual Integrative and Quantitative Abilities - These abilities include:

a. measurement,

b. calculation,

c. reasoning,

d. analysis,

e. judgment,

f. numerical recognition and

g. synthesis.

Especially important is the appropriate and rapid calculation of dosages in a variety of conditions such as renal or hepatic failure, obesity, cardiac or respiratory arrest, etc. Additionally, calculations involving appropriate dilution or reconstitution of drug products, electrolytes, etc. must be made accurately and quickly. Problem solving, a critical skill demanded of all pharmacists, requires all of these intellectual abilities and must be performed quickly, especially in emergency situations.

Students must be able to:

a. identify significant findings from history, physical assessment, and laboratory data; provide a reasonable explanation and analysis of the problem;

b. determine when additional information is required; suggest appropriate medications and therapy;

c. develop appropriate treatment plans to improve patient outcomes;

d. develop patient counseling information at a complexity level appropriate to a particular situation; and

e. retain and recall information in an efficient and timely manner.

The ability to incorporate new information from peers or teachers, and to locate and evaluate new information from the literature to be used appropriately in formulating assessments and pharmaceutical care plans is essential, as is good judgment in patient assessment and therapeutic planning for disease management.

Students must also be able to:

a. identify and communicate the limits of their knowledge to others when appropriate and be able to recognize when the limits of their knowledge indicate further study or investigation is essential before participating in decision making.

b. interpret graphs or charts describing biologic, economic or outcome relationships.

5. Behavioral Attributes - Empathy, integrity, honesty, concern for others, good interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are required. Students must possess

a. the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities;

b. the exercise of good judgment;

c. the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the care of patients, and

d. the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and their caregivers and partners.

At times this requires the ability to be aware of and appropriately react to one’s own immediate emotional responses and environment. For example, students must maintain a professional demeanor and organization in the face of long hours and personal fatigue, dissatisfied patients, and tired colleagues.

Students must:

a. be able to develop professional relationships with patients and their caregivers and partners, providing comfort and reassurance when appropriate while protecting patient confidentiality.

b. possess adequate endurance to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress or with distractions. All students are at times required to work for extended periods, occasionally with rotating shifts.

c. be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.

d. develop the skills necessary to instruct and supervise technical personnel assisting with the delivery of pharmaceutical services.

Students are expected to accept appropriate suggestions and criticism and if necessary, respond quickly, appropriately, and cooperatively by modification of behavior.

Transportation

College of Pharmacy classrooms are located approximately 1 & 1/2 miles away from the main campus. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to and from classes. Additionally, Introductory and Advanced Practice Experiences may be assigned anywhere in Louisiana or the surrounding region. Students are expected to provide for their own housing and transportation during the practice experiences.

Academic, Ethical, and Professional Standards

Students admitted to the College of Pharmacy are held to rigorous academic, ethical and professional standards as outlined in the College of Pharmacy Student Handbook. To complete the Doctor of Pharmacy program, the student must have demonstrated satisfactory academic performance and ethical and professional standards. Disciplinary actions may occur based on violations of academic, ethical or professional standards as outlined in the College of Pharmacy Bulletin.

Academic Progression: Failure of a student to earn a minimum grade of ‘C’ in a professional pharmacy course precludes progression to courses for which it is a prerequisite. In the event a that a student fails to obtain a grade of ‘C’ or better in a professional pharmacy course, the student must remediate that course or its equivalent at the next offering of the course, and such remediation must be completed within one year of the original course. Course withdrawals and leaves of absences disrupt a student’s progress and are discouraged. A student who must withdraw from one or more courses for compelling circumstances beyond his or her control may petition the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs to withdraw from specific courses or from all courses. Withdrawal from a course without administrative approval will result in ‘W’ grades being treated as a grade of ‘F’ for academic progression and retention purposes. Failure of a student to earn a minimum grade of ‘C’ in all professional pharmacy courses precludes progression to the Advanced Practice Experiences. Students who fail to meet minimum progression standards may find it necessary to resign their enrollment for one or more semesters. Students who interrupt their enrollment in professional pharmacy courses for a period of more than two consecutive enrollment periods (two semesters) must apply for readmission to the professional program of the College of Pharmacy.

Probation: Any full-time or part-time student enrolled in the professional program in pharmacy who fails to maintain a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in required professional pharmacy courses, earns a semester grade-point average below 2.0 in professional pharmacy courses or earns a grade of ‘D’ in two or more professional pharmacy courses in a semester or earns a grade of ‘F’ in a professional pharmacy course shall be placed on probation. Academic probation will extend no less than two regular semesters (Fall or Spring). Students may also be placed on probation for violation of ethical or professional standards.

Removal from Probation: To be removed from probation, full-time or part-time students enrolled in the professional program of pharmacy must earn an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in required professional pharmacy courses and earn a grade of ‘C’ or better on all professional pharmacy coursework during their probationary period and meet any criteria set by the academic standards committee. Students placed on probation due to violation of ethical or professional standards will be removed from probation when they have met the requirements set by the Board of Ethical and Professional Conduct and the Dean of the College of Pharmacy in their disciplinary actions.

Suspension: Any student on probation who fails to earn a grade of ‘C’ or better on all professional course work during their probationary period or achieve an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in required professional pharmacy courses at the conclusion of their probationary enrollment shall be suspended for a period of one academic year. Upon reentry into the professional program of pharmacy after suspension for scholastic reasons, a student is placed on probation and will be suspended if an overall cumulative grade average of at least 2.0 in required professional pharmacy courses and a grad of ‘C’ or better on all required professional pharmacy course work is not achieved during the next enrollment period. Students who have their permit suspended or revoked by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will be suspended from the College of Pharmacy until their permits are reinstated. Suspensions related to violations of ethical and professional standards may vary in duration, and students suspended for non-academic reasons must meet the requirements set by the Board of Ethical and Professional Conduct in their disciplinary action to be readmitted into the program.

In order to preserve the educational environment of the College of Pharmacy, any student enrolled in the professional program of the College of Pharmacy who is formally charged by civil authorities with the commission of a drug related felony shall be suspended from the College of Pharmacy pending the outcome of the civil judicial process. The policy is applicable to all such alleged offenses whether committed on the university campus or at an off-campus location.

Courses Taken by Students Under Suspension: A student suspended from the professional program in the College of Pharmacy may not take courses within the professional program, but may retake pre-pharmacy college courses or take courses toward advancement of another degree, including those within the UL System. Credits earned under these conditions may be accepted for a degree at the suspending institution provided grades of “C” or higher are earned in each of the courses to be transferred.

Dismissal from Pharmacy: Any student enrolled in the professional program of pharmacy shall be dismissed from the program for the following:

Receiving a second scholastic suspension.
Failing to satisfy all graduation requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree within a six calendar year period immediately following his/her initial enrollment in the professional pharmacy program. If a student reaches a point from which it could not be expected for him/her to finish within the required six-year period by progressing through the normal sequencing of remaining courses, the student will be dismissed from the program at that time.
Any student enrolled in the professional pharmacy program that earns two or more ‘F’ grades or more than four non-progressing grades in professional pharmacy courses - in any sequence or combination.
Any student enrolled in the professional pharmacy program that fails to complete a required professional pharmacy course or its equivalent with a minimum grade of ‘C’ upon a second attempt (i.e. when repeating a required professional pharmacy course or its equivalent in which an initial grade of either ‘F’ or ‘D’ was earned, the student must achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ upon the first remediation attempt).
Students denied a pharmacy intern permit by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.
Any student who has been admitted to the professional program of the College of Pharmacy and subsequently convicted of a drug related felony.
Students who have their pharmacy intern permit permanently revoked.
Any student admitted to the professional program that is not compliant with the immunization requirements of the College of Pharmacy.
Students failing to attend class.
Professional and/or ethical misconduct
Inability to meet the technical standards of the College of Pharmacy

Dropping Classes or Withdrawing from the College of Pharmacy: Students admitted into the Doctor of Pharmacy Program in the College of Pharmacy are not allowed to withdraw from courses or from the college or university without academic consequences. Students withdrawing from courses without administrative support will receive a grade of ‘W’ which will be treated as a grade of ‘F’ for academic standards purposes. Students withdrawing from the college or university without administrative support may not resume activities in the College unless they are readmitted to the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

Students wishing to take a leave of absence or withdraw from the program with administrative support must send a written request to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Pharmacy. To receive administrative support for withdrawal, students must demonstrate and document a significant hardship that will impact their ability to continue in the program. Failure to maintain appropriate progress or achievement in a course is not sufficient hardship to acquire administrative support. The request will be reviewed by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in consultation with the Office of Student and Professional Affairs. Students receiving administrative support for withdrawing from the program will sign a letter of agreement from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs which states the reason they are withdrawing from the program, when they will return to the program, remediation or developmental programs that must be completed while on leave, and the status of the student upon returning to the program. Students withdrawing from the College of Pharmacy professional program with administrative support will be readmitted to the program upon completion of the requirements set forth in their letter of agreement. Students not complying with their letter of agreement will be dismissed from the program unless the letter has been modified with the consent of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy or his/her designee. Students withdrawing from the Doctor of Pharmacy Program without administrative support will be considered dismissed from the program and must appeal to the College of Pharmacy Academic Standards Committee for readmission to the program.

Appeals for Students who have Withdrawn or been Dismissed from the College of Pharmacy: Students who have withdrawn from the university or college without administrative support or have been dismissed from the College of Pharmacy for academic reasons may appeal to the Academic Standards Committee for readmission to the program. The student should write a letter of appeal to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee outlining and supporting their request to be readmitted to the program. The Academic Standards Committee will review the request and recommend appropriate action to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The Dean or his designee will communicate the decision to the student in question via certified mail.

Students dismissed from the college for professional or ethical reasons, may appeal to the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee for readmission to the program. The student should write a letter of appeal to the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee outlining and supporting their request to be readmitted to the program. The Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee will review the request and recommend appropriate action to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The Dean or his designee will communicate the decision to the student in question via certified mail.

Students who have withdrawn from the university or college without administrative support or who have been dismissed from the college for violation of academic or ethical and professional standards will not be allowed to reapply for admission as a first time student, and can only be readmitted to the college via the appropriate committee.

Any decision for readmission to the program may include conditions of remediation or development, including but not limited to repeating all or part of the program the student has already completed, that must be successfully completed for the student to reenter or remain in the program.

Degree Requirements

In addition to meeting the general requirements for graduation for the university, the candidate for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree must, after completing the requirements of the pre-professional preparatory coursework, be enrolled in the professional pharmacy curriculum for a minimum of four academic years (eight semesters or equivalence) and have earned a minimum grade of ‘C’ in all courses comprising the degree requirements. Courses graded on a credit (C), no credit (NC) basis are excluded. In addition to meeting minimum course grade requirements, students must meet programmatic requirements for graduation which may include but not be limited to attendance at student convocations, participation in professional development programs and successful completion of progression and/or competency exams. A majority of semester hours required in the professional program must be earned at ULM. All advanced practice experiences must be completed through ULM using ULM approved practitioners and practice sites. Finally, students must demonstrate the professional maturity and demeanor necessary to succeed in the profession of pharmacy.

Computer Literacy

Computer literacy for pharmacy majors is defined as an ability to effectively utilize representative commercially available pharmacy applications software in pharmacy practice. Each student must demonstrate computer literacy. Students entering the College of Pharmacy professional program should be well versed in common computer applications such as electronic mail, internet applications, word processing, presentation software, and data management software such as MS Excel(R) and MS Access(R). Students who have never used a personal computer for common applications such as word processing are encouraged to complete Computer Science 1070 (or equivalent) prior to enrolling in the professional pharmacy program.

Experiential Program Policy

The experiential program component of the professional pharmacy curriculum consists of two supervised experiences of four weeks duration each and seven supervised experiences of six weeks duration each to be completed at affiliated practice sites. This experiential component begins with mandatory registration in supervised experiences during the summer preceding both the second and third professional years of the professional program and culminates with additional supervised clinical experiences distributed over an eleven-month period beginning in May of the student’s fourth year. To accommodate the non-standard nature of the academic calendar relating to the experiential program in the student’s final year, two non-standard academic terms are scheduled. Each term is equivalent in cost to a regular semester but is structured around an academic calendar that is unique to the final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. Students must enroll in their first advanced practice experience in the first non-standard term. In addition, students must complete a mandatory practice experience orientation in the month of April or May preceding the start of experiences. Failure to complete the orientation may result in a delayed graduation date.

Although the primary administrative and instructional facilities of the College of Pharmacy are housed at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the program has numerous off-campus clinical affiliates located inside and outside of Louisiana. Students may be required to relocate for advanced practice experiences in the final year of the program. Because local sites are limited and demand is great, standing in the program, among other criteria, may be used to allocate advanced practice experience sites. The student is referred to the Introductory and Advanced Practice Experience Manuals for complete policy and procedures governing the experiential component of the program.