Why Earn a PharmD?
A Doctorate of Pharmacy from Pacific University qualifies you to become a licensed pharmacist, making a daily difference in patients’ lives in a variety of healthcare settings.
Why Earn Your PharmD at Pacific University?
Pacific is proud of our flexible program, offering the only accelerated, three-year PharmD pathway in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, and the only extended five-year pathway in the U.S. At Pacific, you’ll find a PharmD program that is tailored to meeting your career goals. You can choose the pathway that fits you best; both PharmD pathways share the same dedicated faculty, student-centered curriculum, and robust clinical experiences.
Pacific’s PharmD program is located at our Hillsboro Campus, where students interact closely with other dedicated students also earning graduate and professional degrees in healthcare fields. You can also choose to complete a concurrent PharmD and MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences by adding an extra year of study or, for students on the three-year track, an MBA in Healthcare Management.
No. 1 Private Research Institute in the Pacific Northwest
The National Science Foundation ranks Pacific University as the No. 1 private research university in the Pacific Northwest. What does that mean for you, as a graduate pharmacy student? Pacific’s PharmD students participate in research opportunities offered across a broad array of clinical and scientific topics. These opportunities include research rotations as well as collaborating with faculty on a variety of research projects including pharmaceutical science, clinical and patient care, and scholarship of teaching and learning. Participation in our PharmD research & scholarship track will even earn you a specialization on your academic transcripts.
Expert, Dedicated Faculty and Staff
You'll learn from faculty and staff who work diligently throughout the year to provide our students with a quality educational experience. They are also experts in their fields, furthering knowledge through research, volunteering their time in the community, giving presentations at key seminars, and writing and submitting manuscripts for publication.
What Can You Do with a PharmD Degree?
A Doctor of Pharmacy is the entry level degree to become a pharmacist. A pharmacist is a medication specialist who possesses the highest level of medication knowledge among all health professionals. Pacific’s PharmD degree is designed to meet the educational requirements for graduates to take the NAPLEX and MPJE board examinations. The program prepares students to apply for a pharmacist license, which is required for employment in a patient care setting, and is sufficient to meet licensure requirements in all 50 states to practice as a registered pharmacist.
In some states, such as Oregon, pharmacists also have provider status and practice under clinical pharmacy agreements. This enables pharmacists in Oregon to prescribe or change medications, order and monitor labs, conduct independent patient visits, and more. By getting your PharmD degree at Pacific University in Oregon, you will be prepared to practice at the top of your pharmacy licensure.
What is the average salary of a pharmacist?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pharmacist salary is more than $140,000 per year. Due to specific training and education, a pharmacist — as a medication expert — is an important member of the health care interprofessional team, practicing in a variety of different settings ranging from community pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics to the government or pharmaceutical companies in medical and regulatory affairs.
How Do I Apply To Pharmacy Programs?
Get a head start on your career in pharmacy with Pacific Priority! Our dedicated pathway programs give you a direct route to your degree and career as efficiently as possible. Our 3+3 program lets you earn a bachelor's (at Pacific or a partner school) plus your doctor of pharmacy in a total of just six years. Or, skip the bachelor's degree and follow our Jump Start Early Assurance Pharmacy Program: Complete two years of prerequisite courses at any school before embarking on your pharmacy degree!
Pharmacists are in high demand — especially in underserved communities. That's why we're also committed to supporting the needs of vulnerable and underserved communities through healthcare. Learn about our special admissions opportunities and clinical experiences for students from Hawai‘i and Alaska!
What Degrees Can I Combine with PharmD?
At Pacific University, you can combine your PharmD with an MS in Pharmaceutical Studies or even an MBA. Whether you’d like to pursue pharmaceutical sciences, interprofessional education, or healthcare management, we have a pathway for you.
Joint PharmD and MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Maximize your impact with a joint PharmD and a MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Earn two prestigious degrees simultaneously and combine professional clinical training with high-level scientific research. Gain a distinct competitive edge for leadership roles in industry, academia and clinical research.
Concurrent PharmD and MBA Degree
Students earning a three-year accelerated PharmD can also pursue and MBA concurrently. Pacific University’s MBA in Healthcare Management prepares students for leadership and administration in the field.
Interprofessional Education
Pacific’s pharmacy program provides opportunities for students to build interprofessional healthcare skills to prepare for a collaborative career in a changing healthcare environment. Students interested in interprofessional experiences beyond what is required by the PharmDprogram can earn the Concentration in Interprofessional Education. This formal recognition is documented on transcripts as a specialization, indicating that students have gained specific competencies in interprofessional healthcare education.
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Graduate and Professional Admissions
503-352-7229 | pharmd@pacificu.edu
The Doctor of Pharmacy program at Pacific University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). This program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in these U.S. states and territories. Graduates are eligible to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX®). View our quality indicators. Student learning outcomes and additional curriculum information is available in the academic catalog.
