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Overview

The PharmD + MSPS dual degree program is designed for students that have an interest in the complete drug development pipeline, from discovery to delivery. Graduates of the PharmD + MSPS program may choose to pursue research and drug development opportunities with large pharmaceutical companies, managed care organizations, academic institutions, or governmental agencies. 

Eligibility

PharmD students without a bachelor’s degree are eligible to participate in these programs, as their prerequisite and pharmacy course credit hours meet the graduate school requirements.

Application Process

Attendance at MSPS Overview Session in early spring PY1: An in-depth session will be organized by the DGS and faculty members who are offering positions during the current recruitment cycle. The session will last for approximately 2 hours and will cover the following topics: program description, program requirements, the attractions and realities of science/research, and the role of research in clinical careers. Faculty offering placement in their research groups will present a brief overview of the projects that are available. Students will then need to take responsibility to communicate with faculty that they are potentially interested in to express interest and to ascertain additional information.

Application to participate in the rotation pool in mid-March PY1: Students who are interested in advancing to post-baccalaureate status and participating in research rotations will apply. The application will include a CV, personal statement highlighting the student’s reason for pursuing the program, a letter of recommendation, and an interview. Faculty on the GPC and those who are recruiting during the current cycle will then conduct interviews of the applicants to make decisions on whom to admit to the Rotation Pool. Students admitted to the rotation pool will apply to the UK Graduate School for post-baccalaureate status prior to enrolling in coursework (generally summer admission for POP interested students and fall admission for non-POP).

Research Rotations (Spring PY1, summer, and Fall PY2): Students admitted to the Rotation Pool will participate in research-related experiences with faculty who have submitted a project for a dual degree student for the current recruitment cycle. Each experience will last 4-6 weeks and vary according to the type of project and experience desired by both the faculty member and trainee. Students will be able to complete up to 3 rotations. Each student will submit an anticipated rotation schedule to the DGS upon acceptance to the Rotation Pool, and rotations will be conducted within “rotation windows” that are set as follows (although flexibility will be allowed upon request):

                Window 1:  Mid-April through June

                Window 2:  July through Mid-September

                Window 3:  Mid-September through Mid-December

Formal MSPS Program Application in March PY2: Students who have identified a mentor who has agreed to accept them as a student will formally apply to the master’s degree program. The GPC will review applications which include the student’s transcript (must maintain a minimum 3.0 PharmD GPA to be considered for the program), research rotation evaluations, research proposal, and recommendation letter from the proposed mentor. Faculty mentors will be consulted as needed to assist the GPC in making admissions decisions.

Programmatic Objectives

Objective 1:   Submission of a written research proposal for MS application

Objective 2:   Presentation of the background and proposed approach/methods

Objective 3:   Submission of a written manuscript to the committee (which can serve as the basis of a thesis, publication, or both)

Objective 4:   Scientific presentation of the project and results to the college

Research Track (except POP)

RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE

PY1: Professional Year One

PY1 SPRING

  • Attend MSPS Overview Session
  • Explore research areas of faculty
  • Application to participate in the rotation pool

PY1 SUMMER

  • Research Rotations
  • Apply for postbac status for the fall term and, after admission, enroll in specified courses for the fall

 

 

PY2: Professional Year Two

PY2 FALL 

  • PHS 701: TRiPS (3 credits)
  • PHS 760: Intro to Pharm Sci (1 credit)
  • PHS 778: Seminar (1 credit)
  • Research rotations

PY2 SPRING 

  • PHS 711: Responsible Conduct of Research (2 credits)
  • PHS 778 Seminar (2 credits)
  • PHS 760 Track Course (3 or 4 credits)
  • Formal MSPS Program Application

PY2 SUMMER

  • PHS 790 Research Credit
  • STA 570: Basic Stat Analysis (3) (offered online)

 

 

PY3 & PY4: Professional Years Three & Four

PY3 FALL 

  • Elective
  • PHS 778: Seminar (1 credit)
  • PHR 952: Research and Evidence Based Medicine in Pharmacy Practice (4 credits)

PY3 SPRING / PY4 

  • PHS 760 Innovations in Pharm Sci (3 credits)
  • PHS 778: Seminar (1 credit)

PY4

  • PHS 790: Research Credit for 1-2 research rotations (6 or 12 credits)
  • Thesis Presentation
  • Thesis Exam

 

 

Electives

May be recommended by advisory committee (this is not an exhaustive list of courses that may be recommended by the committee):

  • PHS 660: Biosynthesis of Natural Products (3)
  • PHS 663: Molecular Neurobiology of Abused Drugs (3)
  • PHS 750: Pharm Sci Journal Clubs (1)
  • PHS 760: Application of NMR and Other Spectroscopic Methods in Molecular Structure Determination
  • PPS 764: Drug Development Regulation and Clinical Research (3)
  • IBS 601: Biomolecules and Metabolism (3)
  • MI 598: Clinical Microbiology (3)

POP Research Track

RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE

PY1: Professional Year One

PY1 SPRING 

  • Attend MSPS Overview Session 
  • Explore research areas of faculty
  • Application to participate in the rotation pool
  • Apply for postbac status for the summer term

PY1 SUMMER

  • Research rotations
  • PPS 760: Spec Topics Pharm Prac Sci - Epidemiology for Pharmacists (3 credits)
  • BST 600: Intro to Biostatistical Methods (3 credits)

 

 

PY2: Professional Year Two

PY2 FALL 

  • PHS 701: Translational Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences (TRiPS) (3 credits)
  • PPS 700: Intro Pharm Outcomes & Policy (3 credits)
  • Research rotations

PY2 SPRING 

  • PHS 711: Responsible Conduct of Research (2 credits)
  • Electives
  • Formal MSPS Program Application

PY2 SUMMER

  • PPS 790 Research Credit

   

PY3 & PY4: Professional Years Three & Four

PY3 Fall 

  • PPS 710: Techniques in Secondary Data Research (3 credits)
  • PHR 952: Research and Evidence Based Medicine in Pharmacy Practice (4 credits)

PY3 Spring 

  • PPS 701: Pharmacoepidemiology (3 credits) This course is offered every other year. It may be offered during PY2 or PY3 depending on the cycle.
  • Electives

PY4

  • PPS 790 Research Credit ( 6 or 12 credits)
  • Thesis Presentation
  • Thesis Exam

Required Options

PPS 750: POP Journal Club (1 credit) - offered every semester, must take at least two.

Electives

Electives depending on committee recommendation:

  • PPS 704: Pharmacy Informatics - offered every other spring
  • PPS 778: Seminar - offered every semester

Certificates

Accentuate your resume with a certificate in a focused area of study. Receive a certificate in focus areas such as Global Health, Gerontology, Maternal & Child Health, and Public Health Management.  Graduate certificates are managed independently of the College of Pharmacy, and students must meet all program requirements for admission.

Learn More

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We wish to remember and honor those who inhabited this Commonwealth before the arrival of the Europeans. Briefly occupying these lands were the Osage, Wyndott tribe, and Miami peoples. The Adena and Hopewell peoples, who are recognized by the naming of the time period in which they resided here, were here more permanently. Some of their mounds remain in the Lexington area, including at UK’s Adena Park.

In more recent years, the Cherokee occupied southeast Kentucky, the Yuchi southwest Kentucky, the Chickasaw extreme western Kentucky and the Shawnee central Kentucky including what is now the city of Lexington. The Shawnee left when colonization pushed through the Appalachian Mountains. Lower Shawnee Town ceremonial grounds are still visible in Greenup County.

We honor the first inhabitants who were here, respect their culture, and acknowledge the presence of their descendants who are here today in all walks of life including fellow pharmacists and healthcare professionals.