Location: Boston Start Term: Fall, Spring
As a pharmacist, you are part of patients’ daily lives and pivotal healthcare moments. This program educates students to become practicing pharmacists, critical thinkers and responsible healthcare professionals.
This full-time, six-year direct entry Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program includes a two-year pre-professional phase that combines the liberal arts, communications, and basic sciences followed by a four-year professional phase that focuses on the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice. And, because the program is direct-entry, you don't need to reapply at the end of the pre-professional phase. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside professional experts through clinical experiences in our immersive laboratories and through clinical rotations covering inpatient medicine, institutional pharmacy, ambulatory care, and community pharmacy at more than 1,000 partners across the country.
Freshman applicants may view the admission requirements and deadlines on our Undergraduate Applicants page.
Transfer and Graduate Admission Deadlines
September 3 – Early Decision Application deadline for fall applicants.
If MCPHS is your first choice for your Doctor of Pharmacy degree, then you can choose Early Decision when you apply. If admitted, you are committed to enrolling at MCPHS. Applying Early Decision will give you earlier access to interviewing for the program, earlier decision notification, and earlier consideration for scholarships. Please contact the Admission Office if you have any questions about Early Decision or to help determine if it is the right fit for you.
July 1 - Application deadline for fall applicants.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications submitted and completed earlier in the process will be considered more favorably for admission and scholarships, including when you could be invited to campus to interview for the program.
Transfer and Graduate Admission Requirements
Students with 12 or more college credits may transfer in to the first or second year of the program depending on availability of seats. Courses must have been completed at a regionally accredited college or university with a grade of C or better for transfer. Math and science courses taken more than ten years prior to the anticipated date of matriculation to MCPHS will not be accepted.
While there are no specific required courses for entry into the first year of our program, the admission committee will look for success in any math and science courses you have already taken. If you complete any of the non-math/non-science courses listed below, you may receive transfer credit and your first year course load may be lighter. However, due to the block registration nature of MCPHS programs, entering the first year of the program with transfer credits will not change the total length of your program. Courses, other than elective courses, may not be moved forward in your schedule. All students transferring in to the first year of the PharmD program must complete all math and science courses at MCPHS and therefore may need to repeat courses previously completed.
Linked courses are available through the MCPHS School of Professional Studies
One course from each of the following Distribution Elective categories, for three total Distribution Electives:
** Students will be block registered for their required courses in Year II. These courses may be taken either semester.
Total credits to complete degree*: 206
During the final year of study, PharmD students earn 36 credit hours by completing 36 weeks of advanced experiential rotations. The rotations start as early as May and run consecutively through late November or December. The rotations resume in January and finish in May.
Students are required to complete rotations in internal medicine, institutional pharmacy practice, ambulatory care, and community pharmacy practice. Additionally, students complete two elective rotations from areas such as administration, cardiology, community practice, critical care medicine, drug information, emergency medicine, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, nephrology, oncology/hematology, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, poison information, and psychiatry.
Elective rotations chosen by the student are reviewed by the coordinators of experiential education to determine whether the rotations provide appropriate emphasis and balance to the student's overall program. Scheduling of the rotations is completed by the Office of Experiential Education and may be modified at the discretion of the coordinator(s).
Students must also successfully complete on-line NAPLEX review modules and regularly scheduled assessments (i.e. RxPrep) during the 6th year as a condition for graduation. Although no credits or grade are assigned, students will be required to achieve a minimum score on assessments. Students must also attend a required Board Review during the last week of the final APPE rotation and complete a mandatory diagnostic exam.
Our students learn from faculty who are leaders in their fields and are committed to the success of each student. Discover our full list of PharmD faculty.
Each student must have access to a laptop for the duration of each year. (Please note - tablets (e.g., iPads) are currently not compatible with the newer features of ExamSoft ExamID and ExamMonitor.)
To begin utilizing ExamSoft software at this time, students need to ensure that their laptops fulfill the following minimum requirements based on the type of device they choose to use with ExamSoft:
Windows Computers
Mac OS Computers
Note: ExamSoft will be changing their minimum system requirements for Fall 2020 please make sure to scroll to the bottom of the article and ensure your computer meets the requirements listed in the "The following requirements apply for exams with ExamID or ExamMonitor enabled" section..
To confirm that computers meet ExamSoft's minimum requirements, students should consult these help pages on locating system specifications:
Students in the Boston PharmD program may elect to apply for the 5-Year Accelerated PharmD Pathway and complete the professional phase of their degree in three years (instead of four) by transferring to the Worcester or Manchester campus after the initial two years of pre-professional study in Boston. Interested students are eligible to apply in the spring of the second year of the program, provided they have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and submit an internal application of intent. (Students with these qualifications will receive a guaranteed interview at the campus of their choice).
The five-year pathway features a year-round, concentrated curriculum in the professional phase. Upon transferring to the Worcester or Manchester campus, students will enroll in eight classes during the Fall P1 year and complete the PharmD curriculum in a total of 8 semesters that include two summer terms. The transfer process is seamless— MCPHS ‐ Boston students will maintain their existing scholarships.
The Doctor of Pharmacy Honors Program offers highly motivated and academically talented students the opportunity to pursue their professional interests and advance their skills and talents beyond the level possible in the standard PharmD curriculum.
The School of Pharmacy – Boston (SOP-B) is committed to the development and delivery of quality programs that prepare a culturally diverse student body to become qualified practitioners of patient-centered care, services and research in the pharmaceutical professions while maintaining a multidisciplinary environment conducive to excellence in teaching, scholarship and professional advancement.
The School of Pharmacy – Boston undertakes planning and evaluation in order to accomplish and improve the achievement of its mission. Long-term planning objectives are articulated in the School of Pharmacy Boston Strategic Plan.
MCPHS University – Boston School of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60602-5109; tel.: 312.664.3575, 800.533.3606; fax: 312.664.4652, website: www.acpe-accredit.org.
MCPHS' pharmacy programs utilize the industry leading PioneerRX pharmacy software. This software enhances the learning experience for students through hands-on simulations featuring the functions and workflow processes found in pharmacies. Learn more about PioneerRx's cutting-edge pharmacy software.
Find out what makes this program unique at MCPHS.
Career opportunities in pharmacy extend far beyond the retail counter.