Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy

Daniel K. Inouye

The late United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, after whom the school is named, broached the idea of establishing a school of pharmacy in Hawai'i in 1998. Even before that, he had been a supporter of rural America, sponsoring bills that sought to provide better education and healthcare in under-served areas.

The senator was able to secure funding for the school in 2001. Then in 2004, legislation was passed in the state legislature to fund the college. The legislation, supported by Hawai'i State Representatives Chang, Evans, Herkes, Hale and others was aptly titled "Encouraging a College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo". By the end of 2004, approximately $20 million was allotted to the development of the College of Pharmacy. Later that year, the search for a dean for the College of Pharmacy was approved by State Legislature. In 2011 Senator Inouye supported pharmacists by introducing the S.48 - Pharmacist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act of 2011, which helped student pharmacists afford their education.

The first Dean

John Pezzuto (Ph.D.) was selected to be the founding dean of the new College of Pharmacy in Hilo. Pezzuto had been at Rutgers University, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Chicago, and College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences at Purdue University. His cancer research established his relationship with the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i.

Accreditation

The ACPE granted the college accreditation in 2011.

Emblem

The school uses an emblem with a torch entwined by a snake superimposed on the outline of the volcano Kilauea. The torch symbolizes enlightenment; combined the serpent, usually seen on the Rod of Asclepius or Bowl of Hygeia, this the symbol of medicine and pharmacy, respectively. The volcano pays homage to the home of the college and emphasizes the unique environment to learn and practice pharmacy.

Campus

The current campus consists of four main buildings located just above the main UH Hilo campus. Across the intersection is the Imiloa Astronomy Center. One of the buildings houses laboratories for research projects that are undertaken by the faculty and students. The main lecture halls, LPLH1&2, are named after J.M. Long for his donation to the school, and consist of two large rooms that each accommodate roughly 90 students, with a lounge and restrooms separating the halls. The campus also has a mock pharmacy, wherein students may practice counseling or participate in practical exams. This building also has faculty office spaces, a pharmacy laboratory for compounding lessons, and a sterile hood room to simulate IV preparations. The fourth main building has more office space for administration as well as study and breakout rooms.

The DKICP also has laboratory operations at the Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens, located roughly fifteen minutes south of Hilo. The campus also has several faculty members with offices at the Annex and the Hilo Medical Center, approximately five minutes from campus. The Hawai'i Island Family Health Center is also a partner with the campus and clinical pharmacy professors work on site.

In 2010, Governor Linda Lingle approved funding requests and the schematics for a permanent campus were introduced in 2011, the work of WCIT Architecture of Honolulu. Construction of the building was then delayed multiple times due to funding obstacles and stalls in legislation. However, as of 2016 the process is back in motion and the bids for construction are currently being discussed.

Pharm.D.

The DKICP offers the Doctor of Pharmacy degree to students who complete the four-year program which consists of six semesters plus a fourth year dedicated to rotations. The first year of the program is primarily an introduction to important pharmacy topics, such as "Self-Care" and "Biostatistics". The second and third years cover "integrated therapeutics," which encompasses pathophysiology, pharmacology of treatments, medicinal chemistry, and therapeutics. Other core classes are: "Communications for Pharmacists", "Healthcare Systems" and "Complementary Medicine". There are also electives, such as "veterinary medicine", and a full semester course that focuses on antibiotics.

During these first three years of schooling, introductory experiential courses are embedded throughout the semester and also during a rotational block in the summer each year. This allows students to gradually merge textbook learning and hands-on experience. The fourth and final year is dedicated to advanced experiential courses, which are divided into six-week blocks with four required core rotations and several elective rotations.

BAPS Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Pharmacy Studies (BAPS) is an option for students who are accepted to the school without completing the undergraduate degree.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is focused on "natural products discovery and development". This program takes full advantage of the fact that the DKICP is located on an island with a unique diverse flora.

Pre-Pharmacy Program

This is a preparatory program that guides undergraduate students toward becoming competitive candidates for any Doctor of Pharmacy program. The curriculum for the Pre-Pharmacy Program is about two to three years long and does not guarantee acceptance into DKICP.

M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology

The Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) degree is a two-year program involving both didactic and experiential courses. The program requires a doctoral degree in clinical psychology with an active license.

Reputation & Community Involvement