School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
270 Pharmacy BuildingSouth Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214-8033
James O'Donnell
Dean
prepharm@buffalo.edu
Kathleen M. Boje
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor, Undergraduate Director and Advisor
boje@buffalo.edu
Sara Robinson
Associate Director of Admissions and Advisement, Academic Advisor for Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Pharmaceutical Sciences
smeskill@buffalo.edu
Why study Pharmacy PharmD at UB?
*This is not a baccalaureate degree program; instead, it is a graduate level doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree.
The doctor of pharmacy degree, also called the PharmD, is a professional degree that enables one to work as a pharmacist, interacting with patients and other health care practitioners about medications. It is not an undergraduate degree (such as a BS or BA). An undergraduate degree is not currently required as an admissions prerequisite.
Since 1886, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPPS) is one of the most established, innovative and progressive schools of pharmacy in the country and a pioneer institution in drug development and biopharmaceutics. The school and PharmD program are ranked by U.S. News and World Reports #1 in New York State and #22 in the United States; SPPS represents the premier pharmacy school and PharmD program within the State University of New York system.
Learning Outcomes
To achieve the mission of our PharmD program, students must develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable them to competently perform these functions. The following outcomes reflect the terminal skills that all UB PharmD graduates should be able to demonstrate upon program completion.
- Patient/Pharmaceutical Care
- Medical and Science Foundations
- Practice Based Learning and Improvement
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Professionalism
- Systems Based Practice and Management
The Learning Environment
The PharmD curriculum integrates the latest technologies throughout the professional coursework. Students enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, "smart" classrooms, and centers for research. Thanks to a 10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, students work side-by-side with faculty. It's all part of an environment based on community and teamwork to create an atmosphere of active collaboration, professional development, and mentorship.
The coursework is integrated with progressive patient-centered practice experiences. It is capped by a 9-month experiential program. This program in pharmacy leads to licensure in any state provided that the graduate passes board exams and obtains licensure.
About Our Facilities
The Pharmacy Building, home of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, opened in 2012, and includes many green-design features, such as maximizing natural daylight, while offering warm and inviting social and study spaces. The Pharmacy Building integrates the latest technologies into its classrooms and provides ample teaching, educational and research laboratory space for undergraduate, graduate and professional education and research.
Additional details about the learning spaces in the Pharmacy Building:
- simulated hospital pharmacy complete with a drug information center, and an IV preparation area
- professional practice lab and a sterile preparation laboratory
- community pharmacy area
- patient assessment rooms for clinical counseling and assessment
- video monitoring facility for immediate feedback and review
- pharmacogenetics laboratory
- general research laboratories
Visit the Pharmacy Building page to learn more about the PharmD facilities.
About Our Faculty
Our faculty are recognized as academic leaders due to their many distinguished professor appointments, professional teaching awards, as well as recognition by our students. Our faculty are leaders in their fields of science and clinical health and we are proud to have in our ranks members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Foundation awardees, ISI Most Highly Cited List members, and many Distinguished Investigator awardees.
Faculty in the Department of Pharmacy Practice conduct research as part of the school's Pharmacotherapy Research Center. Some of the areas of study include the following patient care environments, many funded through federal grants and contracts:
- adult medicine
- pediatrics
- geriatrics
- nephrology
- transplantation
- infectious diseases
- HIV
- oncology
- neurology
- psychiatry
Visit the School News page to learn about our faculty.
Faculty List Directory
Please visit our Faculty Directory page for additional information about our faculty.
Career Outlook
Pharmacists are the drug experts among healthcare professionals. They understand how a drug heals and how it can hurt, how it reacts with foods and other drugs. They know its desired effects and its side effects. Tens of thousands of medications, herbals and supplements are available in the United States, and particularly because of the newer more potent drugs that have highly specific cellular targets, the management of drug therapy is one of the most important challenges in health care.
Pharmacy is a well-respected profession for individuals with an aptitude in science and a desire to apply their knowledge of drug therapies to patient care in a variety of settings.
Visit the PharmD Career Resources site to learn more.
Academic Advising
Academic advisement is an ongoing, deliberate process that fosters student growth and development.
Advising is a collaborative relationship between a student and advisor that can be successful only when both participants regularly share information in an open exchange throughout the student’s academic career. Advisors assist students with many issues including academic coaching, course concerns, research opportunities, and identifying university resources and support services.
All UB students are assigned to a professional academic advising center based upon their major and/or affiliation with a special program. It is recommended that you meet with your advisor at least once a semester. To schedule an undergraduate advisement appointment, call 716-645-2825. For questions that don't require an appointment, email the pre-pharmacy advisor.
Academic Advising Contact Information
Sara Robinson, Academic Advisor/Associate Director of Admissions and Advisement
270 Pharmacy Building, South Campus
716-645-2825
Email the pre-pharmacy advisor
Scholarships and Financial Support
Pharmacy students are eligible for scholarship consideration upon entering into the first professional (P1) year. Awards are available through the admissions review, upon achieving Latin Honors, and based upon financial need. A number of outside scholarships are also available.
Visit the Student Scholarship site to learn more.