Newly Launched 5-Year PharmD Program: The First in the U.S.

Our School is proud to offer the first in the country, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) approved and currently available 5-year extended PharmD program, an extended version of our high-quality accelerated 3-year PharmD program. It includes 4 classroom years, each with reduced course load, then one full experiential year spent at different pharmacy practice sites in and/or outside Oregon. The total tuition cost is the same as our 3-year program, with the cost of the degree spread over five years instead of three.

This new program was developed with a deliberate focus toward accessibility and innovation since we understand that everybody has different needs and circumstances. The extended design, one year longer than traditional 4-year programs in the country, provides learners with more time outside the classroom for greater opportunity to balance their work/school/personal life throughout the entire year. It enables them to work 20+ hours weekly in fall and spring semesters and fulltime during summer in the first 3 years of the degree study. As this program is unique and first in the country, it also provides a different pathway for many learners to earn a PharmD degree and become a pharmacist. We purposely designed the curriculum to ensure we can limit the need to be on the campus (for 2 to 2.5 days a week) to enable an easier schedule for students to schedule work hours or take care of their families.

The program launched in July 2023 with our first matriculated class that began studying together with students from our 3-year PharmD program.

Here's what current students enrolled in the 5-year PharmD program are saying:

• "The credit load is very manageable and I can keep working during my fall semester in pharmacy for 20-25 hours/week."
• "I am exploring the opportunity to complete my PharmD and concurrent MBA program in 5 years."
• "I really appreciate morning classes and how the classes have been grouped to Wed, Thu, Fri. It makes it easier to schedule work for consecutive days."
• "I'm grateful this program exists as I would not be able to attend another 3-year or 4-year PharmD program because of family responsibilities and needing to work."
• “The decreased course load is giving me an opportunity to focus and immerse in one topic at a time, like the Pharmacy Foundations course.”
• “The material taught in our first-year fall semester is interesting and more application-based than what I experience during my undergrad education.”

The students enrolled in this extended PharmD program will have similar access as our students enrolled in our 3-year PharmD pathway to engage in research, community service, and professional organizations. They also have the option to complete joint PharmD/MS degrees or concurrent PharmD/MBA degrees within the 5 years of their study.

This new program was added under our ACPE continuous accreditation that we received in July 2023 after the full site visit in April 2023.  Due to its status as a new program, ACPE will be back on our campus in April 2025 for a one-day focus visit to speak with our 5-year PharmD students and further evaluate the program and review qualitative and quantitative assessment data.

We encourage you to connect with us to learn more about this program and also to share the information about this new, innovative, and unique program that is the first in the country.