Undergraduate Degree
	None
Professional Degree
	PharmD from the College of Pharmacy
Graduate Degree
	MS, PhD in Pharmacy
Competitive Admission
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Iowa pharmacy students say they chose the major because of the number and variety of career options they have, potential salary levels, the status of a doctoral degree, and the college’s 100 percent placement rate. They enjoy chemistry and biology, and want to combine the two subjects with their concern for others.

• Why Study Pharmacy at Iowa?
• Facilities
• Admission
• Course Work
• Student Activities
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study Pharmacy at Iowa?
Iowa’s College of Pharmacy has a superb national reputation. The program is ranked 16th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

It also has a historic tradition. As the fourth-oldest pharmacy college at a state-supported university, Iowa has been educating pharmacists to meet increasingly complex drug therapy needs since 1885. In the past 125 years, the University has developed nationally and internationally recognized research programs in pharmaceutics, medicinal and natural products chemistry, and administrative and clinical sciences, as well as pharmacy practice.

Many pharmacists and other professionals have praised this strong program for its personalized atmosphere and emphasis on individual attention (thanks to a low student-to-faculty ratio), exceptional faculty, and location in Iowa City—home to a world-class health sciences campus.

The College of Pharmacy features a small college atmosphere, yet has internationally recognized faculty. It is adjacent to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, one of the nation’s largest public university-owned teaching hospitals.

Iowa’s pharmacy curriculum is practice-oriented, and the professional degree program is centered on the delivery of pharmaceutical care in primary care settings. The University also is home to extraordinary research facilities, including a unique university-affiliated, full-service, FDA-licensed drug development and production lab.

Facilities
The College of Pharmacy operates small and large classrooms with state-of-the-art technology. The student practice lab is a technologically advanced, licensed pharmacy that provides real and simulated practice experiences. The Banker Student Activity Center features quiet, individual and small-group study environments, and houses student organization offices.

Other facilities in the college include the Iowa Drug Information Service, a computerized drug information database relative to the clinical use of drugs and the University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals (UIP), an FDA-registered pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.

Admission
There are about 440 students in the professional program; admission is highly competitive. Minimum requirements include satisfactory completion (2.50 minimum overall grade-point average [GPA] based on a 4.00 system) of:

• Principles of Chemistry I-II
• Principles of Biology I-II
• Calculus for the Biological Sciences
• Rhetoric (two semesters)
• Organic Chemistry I-II
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Principles of Human Anatomy
• Human Physiology
• A statistics course
• A microbiology course
• A physics course with lab or one year of high school physics
• Electives (minimum 12 semester hours [s.h.] to apply; 20 s.h. required for graduation)

Students apply online through a national pharmacy application
service called PharmCAS. The application calls for a personal essay and information about extracurricular activities and work experiences. Two letters of reference and a supplemental application sent directly to the College of Pharmacy are required. A personal interview (also required) is then offered to selected candidates.

The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is required for all students applying for admission to the College of Pharmacy. Students should take the PCAT by October to be considered for the next fall session.

For registration materials, write to the PCAT office at Pearson Assessment, 19500 Bulverde Road, San Antonio, TX 78259; call 800-211-8378; or apply at www.pcatweb.info.

The application deadline for the College of Pharmacy is Dec. 1 each year for fall admission. Completion of requirements does not guarantee admission.

Course Work
As a pharmacy-interest student, you will complete prerequisite studies in chemistry, mathematics, biology, and rhetoric. In addition to formal course material, you will learn critical skills needed to practice as a pharmacist—problem solving, critical thinking, and use of technology-based information retrieval sources.

The following is a typical schedule, with a total of 15-18 hours each semester, for the first year:

Fall semester

• Rhetoric (4 s.h.)
• Principles of Chemistry I (4 s.h.)
• Calculus for the Biological Sciences (4 s.h.)
• A physics course with lab, if needed (4 s.h.)
• Electives (3-6 s.h.)

Spring semester

• Rhetoric (4 s.h.)
• Principles of Chemistry II (4 s.h.)
• Principles of Biology I (4 s.h.)
• Electives (3-6 s.h.)

A total of 20 s.h. of elective courses is required for graduation. Suggested electives include, but are not limited to, courses in reasoning or ethics, computer science, and/or the behavioral and social sciences.

Student Activities
Eight pharmacy student organizations offer opportunities to become involved in the profession locally, statewide, and nationally. Students can attend national conferences, participate in community service, educate children, assist with immunizations, and organize social events.

Pharmacy students also have opportunities to become involved in the college through committees and meetings with the dean, advisory councils, and alumni boards.

Careers
The College of Pharmacy has had a 100 percent placement rate for many years; every graduate has had a job offer before graduation day. Pharmacists often choose to practice in a community pharmacy or hospital setting. Students select positions in government, independent businesses, home health care, consulting, clinical pharmacy, managed care facilities, higher education, or the pharmaceutical industry.

The broad range of career choices gives graduates considerable flexibility in their personal and professional lives.

Scholarships
Scholarship opportunities for incoming pharmacy students include the College of Pharmacy Tuition Scholarship, which is awarded based on GPA, and the College of Pharmacy Opportunity Scholarship. Criteria for the Opportunity Scholarship include unique personal abilities, perseverance in overcoming obstacles to academic success, previous experience in the health care environment, and the extent to which the student would likely contribute to racial or ethnic, geographic, and intellectual diversity.

For more information on scholarships, refer to the Office of Student Financial Aid.