Didactic coursework is available on a self-instructional basis with strong faculty support. Experiential rotations can be completed at faculty practice sites, at Area Health Education Centers around the state or at students' own practice sites after an orientation at UAMS. This flexibility allows practicing pharmacists to fulfill the program's requirements without sacrificing their employment and income. This program is designed not only to extend professional knowledge, but also to serve as a vehicle to deliver a desired core of unique expertise and experience in contemporary, clinically oriented pharmacy practice.

Requirements for Admission. The Nontraditional Pathway is closed to new admissions effective, July 1, 2004.

Clerkship Resources: The required and selective clerkships require access to patients and patient records in an ambulatory care or adult medicine clinical setting. To complete the clerkship assignments, the pharmacists must have access to patients. Applicants who do not practice in a clinical setting, and applicants who cannot gain access to local patients and related records, will be required to complete at least two traditional, month-long clerkships on the UAMS campus.

Curriculum: As required by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, the core curriculum for this program has been constructed to insure that students will have been exposed to a series of educational experiences designed to achieve competencies comparable to those of students completing the traditional entry level Doctor of Pharmacy degree program on the UAMS campus. The program is comprised of 21 credit hours of didactic coursework and 12 credit hours of experiential coursework.

Experiential coursework requirements allow for maximum flexibility. On campus time requires approximately five days per rotation. Minimally, either the Adult Medicine or Ambulatory Care rotation must be precepted by core Pharmacy Practice department faculty.

Clerkships.

Required rotations. One is required: either Ambulatory Care/Family Practice or Adult Medicine.

Selective rotations. One is required: Community Clinical, Adult Medicine, Ambulatory Care/Family Practice, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Nuclear Pharmacy or any of the Adult Medicine specialties including, Nutrition, Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology or Oncology.

Elective Rotations. Two are required from the Selective Rotations or from the following:
Drug Information
Hospital Practice
Pharmacy Informatics
Intravenous(IV) Home Therapy
Managed Pharmacy Care (PBM)
Nursing Home Consultant
Pharmacy Association Administration
Public Health
Plus others as developed and offered by the College, or as approved by the Clerkship Coordinator.

To the extent possible, an effort will be made to accommodate the professional objectives and interests of those pharmacists in the program. Also, since demand for rotations at any specific time may exceed the resources available, and traditional student needs must take precedence over Non-traditional student needs, rotations are made available on a "first ready" basis.

Tuition: Tuition for the Doctor of Pharmacy program is set annually by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. Students also will be responsible for books and related materials required by the respective courses. This program must be self-supporting.

1.  Enrollment will close on June 30, 2004. The NTPDP will close on July 1, 2008. Pharmacists starting in July, 2004 will have four (4) years to complete the program. To date, the average time for completion is 3 to 4 years. Those starting earlier in the 2003-2004 Academic year will have slightly longer to complete the curriculum, but must all finish requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree by June 30, 2008.

2.  All didactic coursework will be available on a self-instructional basis. An effort is made to enable enrollment and completion of a course as rapidly as possible. The amount of time and effort a course will require of pharmacists will depend upon their professional background, familiarity with the subject matter, dedication and time management skills.

3.  Didactic examinations are available via full-time faculty at an accredited college or university in the pharmacist's community.

4.  The policies and procedures for this program will be revised as needed and the College reserves the right to make such revisions without notice.

Program Staff:

Director: Jonathan J. Wolfe, Ph.D.
Clinical Coordinator: Ross Vanderbush, Pharm.D.
Didactic Coordinator: Martha Carle, M.S.E.

For additional information, call or write:
Phone: 501/686-7124
Toll Free: 800/245-3256
Fax: 501/526-6872
Email: CarleMarthaH@uams.edu