University of Arizona College of Pharmacy

History

In September 1947, the School of Pharmacy opened as part of the University of Arizona Liberal Arts College. Eighty-three students were enrolled. It became a full-fledged college in 1949, with 206 students and seven faculty members. Faculty and staff moved into new pharmacy building on the Arizona Health Sciences Center part of the campus in 1982. Faculty and students also have offices and classrooms in Roy P. Drachman Hall, next to the Pharmacy building. In 2007, the College of Pharmacy opened an office on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

Deans

Six deans have led the school:

1. Rufus Lyman, MD, 1947–1950
2. Haakon Bang, PhD, 1950–1952
3. Willis R. Brewer, PhD, 1952–1975
4. Albert L. Picchioni, PhD, 1975–1977
5. Jack R. Cole, PhD, 1977–1989
6. J. Lyle Bootman, PhD, ScD, 1987–2015

Pharmacy Practice and Science

The Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science is responsible for providing instruction in how to be a pharmacist and teaches courses such as pharmacokinetics, patient assessment and quality improvement and medication error reduction. The Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science faculty oversee includes clinical studies and case overviews and experiential learning.

Pharmacology and Toxicology

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology is responsible for providing instruction in pharmacology, toxicology and medicinal chemistry to PharmD students and for providing graduate education to students in a variety of research tracks.

PharmD

The PharmD degree program is for students wishing to become pharmacists. The College of Pharmacy at the University of Arizona currently admits classes of 100 student pharmacists each fall semester. To qualify for admission to the PharmD program at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, an applicant for Fall admissions must complete 71 units/credits of specific prepharmacy courses. The Admissions Committee invites candidates to interview for admission to the college based upon the following criteria:

1. a competitive science GPA,
2. PCAT score,
3. at least 50 hours of work or volunteer experience in a pharmacy setting,
4. three strong letters of recommendation and
5. community involvement.

Graduate

Graduate degree programs (MS and PhD) are offered in pharmaceutical sciences and in pharmacology and toxicology. The specific tracks within the UA College of Pharmacy Graduate Studies Program do not accept applications for the spring semester admission. Applications are only accepted for fall semester admission. Applicants must meet the University of Arizona’s graduate admissions criteria.

Class statistics

According to the Fall of 2015 data, the number of students in the PharmD program is 414 and there are 67 postgraduate students.

The majority of PharmD students come from Arizona (83% of the graduating Class of 2016). Enrollment is about 60% female and the average age is about 24 years old. The average science GPA for the Class of 2016 is 3.62 and average cumulative GPA is 3.66.

Center for Toxicology

The center is the home for UA research and training toxicology programs at the university.

Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center

The Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center investigates mechanisms by which exposures to environmental agents (and other stresses) contribute to human disease.

Superfund Research Program

The UA Superfund Research Program is a collaborative research program among toxicologists, environmental scientists and environmental engineers from many University of Arizona colleges who address hazardous waste problems of the Southwest.

Center for Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomic Research

The Center for Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomic Research (HOPE) focuses on cost-effectiveness analysis of drug therapies, quality-of-life assessment, pharmaceutical policy analysis and drug-use evaluation

Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center and the MotherToBaby Arizona at the College of Pharmacy answer about 60,000 hotline calls a year from the public and health-care professionals. About 70 percent of received calls are managed at home, keeping Arizonans out of emergency rooms and other facilities. The center also participates in research on antivenom for snake bite, spider bite and scorpion stings.

Medication Management Center

The Medication Management Center was established in 2006 in response to the medication therapy management requirement of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. It is a pharmacist-run call center that provides services to Medicare beneficiaries and participates in research on the effects of medication therapy management. In 2013 it won a national Pinnacle Award for improving medication outcomes.

Prepharmacy

PharmD

Graduate Organizations