PharmD Program Coursework

• PHR 910 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 1 This is the first course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum. The PaCE course structure integrates PY1, PY2, and PY3 students into concurrent weekly laboratory sessions and intermittent complementary experiential fieldwork experiences. The course is designed to assist in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to fulfill the professional and technical responsibilities necessary to provide patient-centered care and manage the medication use system. Prereq: Acceptance into the UK College of Pharmacy Professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. The experiential component requires the student to be registered with the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Intern.
• PHR 911 CELLS AND MOLECULES This course covers the various tasks performed by cell components and the mechanisms used to integrate their actions. The course also covers the chemistry of biomolecules that are essential for the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells including discussions of drug metabolism, energy generation, and information storage and transmission Prereq: Admission to the first year, College of Pharmacy.
• PHR 912 FOUNDATIONS IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES I The goal of this course is to introduce students to the principles that underlie drug design and delivery. The course is divided into three components; 1) introduction to the principles of pharmacokinetics and drug delivery; 2) introduction to the principles of medicinal chemistry (drug design); and 3) introduction to the principles of pharmacology (drug action). Prereq: Admission into the College of Pharmacy.
• PHR 913 WELLNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION I A course designed to integrate and apply concepts of patient-centered care that focuses on general health, wellness, and disease prevention and appropriate self-care therapy for commonly encountered conditions and symptoms. Patient assessment and decision-making skills for ambulatory patient triage; appropriate health and wellness interventions for the purpose of general wellbeing and prevention of disease; and the recommendation and appropriation of appropriate non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic non-prescription therapies for common conditions are emphasized. The description of various health promotion concepts and theorem as they relate to the understanding and influence of patient behaviors will also be underscored. Prereq: Enrollment in UK College of Pharmacy PharmD program.
• PHR 914 CLINICAL REASONING Clinical Reasoning introduces students to: 1) general concepts of thought processes used in problem-solving from novice to expert thinking; 2) the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process as an anchor that students can apply to any drug-related problem throughout the curriculum; 3) develops consistent habits framing the essential questions of a case; 4) concise, professional-level writing and speaking communication skills providing a logic-driven solution(s) to a patient’s drug-related problem; and 5) critical self-assessment and reflection on how one can improve reasoning and communication performance. (Note: the course is 12 weeks long.) Prereq: Admission into the College of Pharmacy first year.
• PHR 915 PHARMACY AS A PROFESSION This course provides an introduction to the profession of pharmacy and its societal context. Legal and ethical standards are introduced along with the historical evolution of the field. Contemporary issues are introduced and selected methods for communicating with patients and other professionals are emphasized. Prereq: Admission to College of Pharmacy year one.

• PHR 920 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 2 This is the second course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum. Prereq: PaCE1 (PHR 910). Coreq: PHR 923, PHR 926, PHR 927. The experiential component requires the student to be registered with the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Intern.
• PHR 921 KINETICS AND DYNAMICS Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement from its site of administration to its distribution in the body and its elimination (via excretion and metabolism) from the body. Pharmacodynamics is the study of the timecourse of drug response and those factors associated with the clinical outcome. This course provides the mathematical foundation for describing physiological processes in the body that allow the prediction of how individual variations, concurrent therapy, disease states, non-linear handling and other factors can and do affect steady-state drug and metabolite levels, drug dosing, dosing intervals and dosing rates in patients. Prereq: Completion of fall semester of first-year Pharmacy. Functional knowledge of physiology and algebra/calculus.
• PHR 922 FOUNDATIONS IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE II: PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS The goal of this course is to introduce students to the principles that underlie drug delivery. The course is divided into three components: 1) basics of drug preformulation, including solubility and stability; 2) dosage form design and properties; and 3) formulation and manufacturing of dosage forms.
• PHR 923 WELLNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION II To develop pharmacists who can develop patient-centered care that focuses on general health, wellness, and disease prevention and who can recommend appropriate self-care therapy for commonly encountered conditions and symptoms. Prereq: Completion of PY1 fall semester.
• PHR 926 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASE 1: INFECTIOUS DISEASES This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with of commonly encountered infectious diseases so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states. Prereq: Completion of the first semester of coursework at the College of Pharmacy.
• PHR 927 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASE 1: GI AND NUTRITION Course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with of commonly encountered gastrointestinal and nutritional disorders so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states. Prereq: Successful completion of fall semester PY1 courses in the PharmD program.

The UK College of Pharmacy assigns all Professional Year (PY) 1 students to introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) during the summer following student's first year.

• (PHR 928) IPPE-Community: 3 weeks (120 hours) of introductory to pharmacy practice in a community setting across the Commonwealth.
• (PHR 929) IPPE-Institutional: 3 weeks (120 hours) of introductory to pharmacy practice in an institutional setting across the Commonwealth.

• PHR 903 COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING I  This service-learning component provides students experiential opportunities to serve and learn in real world environments while developing community engagement skills and a sense of civic responsibility.  Student pharmacists are expected to self- and team-direct the continued practice of professional skills and attitudes learned in their community environments.  A by-product of this experience is to afford community partners opportunities to address significant health-related (and non-health-related) needs and concerns amongst underserved populations.  Prerequisite: Admission to the first year, College of Pharmacy. 
• PHR 930 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 3 This is the third course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum.
• PHR 933 PHARMACEUTICAL OUTCOMES, POLICY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH This course provides an overview of the interaction between pharmaceuticals/pharmacists and two disciplines: public health and public policy. The course will begin with an introduction to public health, including an overview of public health metrics and research methods. The rest of the course is devoted to public policy formulation, implementation, and analysis. The impact of various health-related policies will be explored from local, state, national, and global perspectives. The course is designed to develop knowledge and skills related to population health and health policy, with specific emphasis on policies associated with pharmaceuticals.
• PHR 936 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 2: NEUROLOGY This course integrates knowledge from distinct scientific disciplines (pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics) to progressively lead students toward understanding, mastering and designing patient care plans for patients with commonly encountered neurological diseases. The method of teaching and learning employed in this course will challenge the student to develop independent thought processes and self-directed learning skills.
• PHR 937 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 2: RHEUMATOLOGY This course will describe the pathophysiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, therapeutics and non-drug therapies associated with rheumatic diseases so that students can assess the specific disease, design and manage both lab assays and other indicative tests and drug- as well as non-drug related care plans for patients with these disease states. This is an 8-week course.
• PHR 938 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 2: ENDOCRINE DISEASES This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered endocrine diseases so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.

• PHR 904 COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING II  This service-learning component provides students experiential opportunities to serve and learn in real world environments while developing community engagement skills and a sense of civic responsibility.  Student pharmacists are expected to self- and team-direct the continued practice of professional skills and attitudes learned in their community environments.  A by-product of this experience is to afford community partners opportunities to address significant health-related (and non-health-related) needs and concerns amongst underserved populations.  Prerequisite: Admission to the first year, College of Pharmacy.
• PHR 940 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 4 This is the fourth course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum.
• PHR 945 LEADERSHIP IN PHARMACY This course will include multiple modes of instruction (didactic lecture, group assignment, student presentations, and in-class discussion) to introduce the key concepts of effective leadership. Student participation will be paramount to the success of the course and to the students’ experience. The course provides an introduction to leadership in pharmacy practice. It includes an introduction to leadership, leadership fundamentals, leadership skills in various settings and discussions with professional leaders as well as assignments requiring interaction with pharmacy leaders
• PHR 946 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 3: CARDIOLOGY This course will describe the physiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered disease states in cardiology so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.
• PHR 947 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 3: GENITOURINARY This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered genitourinary (GU) disorders so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.  
• PHR 948 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 3: PULMONARY A cornerstone of good pharmaceutical care is advanced pharmacotherapy competency. The successful practitioner must critically analyze knowledge from the areas of epidemiology, pathology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, drug therapy, and monitoring to assure optimal drug efficacy and safety in conjunction with cost-effectiveness. Integration bof pathology, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetic/dynamic principles is necessary in order to design a rational treatment approach to pulmonary disease states. This course enables Doctor of Pharmacy candidates to obtain a comprehensive and intensive overview of these core areas for commonly encountered pulmonary diseases. Students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to develop and implement patient-specific therapeutic plans.

• PHR 905 COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING III  This service-learning component provides students experiential opportunities to serve and learn in real world environments while developing community engagement skills and a sense of civic responsibility.  Student pharmacists are expected to self- and team-direct the continued practice of professional skills and attitudes learned in their community environments.  A by-product of this experience is to afford community partners opportunities to address significant health-related (and non-health-related) needs and concerns amongst underserved populations.  Prerequisite: Admission to the first year, College of Pharmacy.
• PHR 950 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 5 This is the fifth course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum.
• PHR 952 RESEARCH & EBM IN PHARMACY PRACTICE Principles of Research and Evidence-Based Medicine in Pharmacy Practice will advance students’ understanding of the research process and application of evidence-based medicine to patient care. The course will aim to provide students mastery in foundational aspects of research and scholarship, including how to formulate a hypothesis-driven research question, basic study design considerations in research, and the use of descriptive and inferential statistics in biomedical research. Students will be taught how to apply these principles to appropriately locate biomedical literature in response to a clinical question, analyze and critique a research article, and apply the major findings to patient care. PharmD students are provided an iPad to facilitate a common learning platform at the college. A desktop and/or a laptop may also be necessary to complete course work that will be required of you.
• PHR 954 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS IN PRIMARY CARE The primary goal of this course is to prepare pharmacy students to accurately assess patient status, identify potential problems and diagnoses based upon symptomatic complaints and recommend the most appropriate course of action. Emphasis will be placed on clinical problem identification and therapeutic decision-making. Students will develop proficiency in systems screening, differential interviewing strategies, risk factors, and red-flag recognition. Pattern recognition and algorithmic approaches/diagnostic schematic approaches to clinical problem solving will be presented and practiced using case presentations. Emphasis will also be placed on the development of more advanced interviewing and observational skills through the reinforcement of medical history taking, physical exam skills, and laboratory interpretation.
• PHR 956 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 4: PSYCHIATRY This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered psychiatric disorders so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.
• PHR 957 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 4: ONCOLOGY This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with of hematological and oncological illnesses so that students can design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.

• PHR 906 COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING IV  This service-learning component provides students experiential opportunities to serve and learn in real world environments while developing community engagement skills and a sense of civic responsibility.  Student pharmacists are expected to self- and team-direct the continued practice of professional skills and attitudes learned in their community environments.  A by-product of this experience is to afford community partners opportunities to address significant health-related (and non-health-related) needs and concerns amongst underserved populations.  Prerequisite: Admission to the first year, College of Pharmacy. 
• PHR 960 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE EXPERIENCE 6 This is the sixth course in the six-semester Patient-Centered Care Experience (PaCE) course sequence that is part of the pre-APPE curriculum.
• PHR 964 PHARMACY OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT This course provides an introduction to fundamental management and business principles pertaining to pharmacy practice settings. The course covers concepts of operations management, human resources management, and financial management. The purpose of this course is to provide students with requisite business skills and knowledge necessary to function as a professional within a health care organization.
• PHR 966 INTEGRATED DRUGS AND DISEASES 5: CRITICAL CARE This course will describe the physiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered disease states requiring admission to an intensive care unit so students can work with a team of providers to design and manage drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.
• PHR 967 PHARMACOTHERAPY APPLICATIONS IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS This course will describe the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, pharmacogenomics, and therapeutics associated with commonly encountered special populations to facilitate the student design and management of drug-related care plans for patients with these disease states.
• PHR 974 CLINICAL ASPECTS OF PRESCRIPTION MED  A discussion of the clinical aspects of prescription medications designed to supplement, integrate and enhance the material covered in the Patient Care Laboratory course series and the Advancement Pharmacotherapy course sequence. Emphasis is placed on 1) a critical analysis of the important differences between various drugs and drug classes, and 2) refining drug information and clinical communication skills through simulated written drug consults and oral exams involving other health care practitioners.

The UK College of Pharmacy assigns all Professional Year (PY) 3 students at the end of their third professional year to APPE rotations located throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A limited number of rotation sites are available at out-of-state and international locations as well. APPE students complete seven, 6-week rotations in a variety of settings, including community hospitals, community pharmacies, acute care inpatient, and ambulatory clinics. APPE rotations are experience-based integrated problem-solving courses designed to help the student become an active participant in providing contemporary patient care services. Each rotation will stress outcome-oriented decision making in clinical situations regarding drug therapy in specific disciplines. Over the course of their experience, students will learn to develop recommendations and participate in decisions about drug therapy considering factors involving efficacy, toxicity, cost, third party coverage, and unique methods of delivery. They will also learn about the drug delivery systems, dispensing issues, and management strategies specific to each type of placement site.