Doctor of Pharmacy
Empower patient outcomes as a confident, reflective, and entrepreneurial pharmacy practitioner who takes an active role in the health of those you serve.
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
Discover multiple paths toward pharmacy practice plus a flexible structure that combines your training with other disciplines to unlock unique career directions.
Pharm.D. Program
Prepare for a pharmacy career through a four-year program that blends didactic coursework, lab-based learning, extensive clinical experience, and comprehensive career and professional preparation.
6-Year Extended Pathway
Earn a Pharm.D. degree on your timeline. This accessible, partially part-time option lets you complete Drake’s traditional Pharm.D. program in six years with a concentrated format that accommodates those with preexisting work or family obligations. Work and learn with classes held only a few days a week in the morning or afternoon, with a full-time schedule of rotations for your final year.
Pre-Pharmacy
When you picture a future as a pharmacist, this pre-professional track gets you where you need to be sooner. You’ll take the necessary prerequisites to apply to the Pharm.D. program in your second year while accessing opportunities for career exploration, advising, and mentoring.
Dual Degree Programs
Combine your Pharm.D. with another advanced degree to create distinctive career possibilities. You can add a Juris Doctor, an MBA, a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Public Health, or an M.S. in Leadership on top of your pharmacy studies.
Diabetes Concentration
Gain expertise in caring for patients with diabetes. This concentration allows you to build the necessary background and clinical skills through the Pharm.D.’s general and professional electives.
CPHS Minors and Concentrations
Add a minor or concentration to acquire additional skills that increase your effectiveness as a pharmacist and healthcare professional. Discover possibilities in business and entrepreneurship, language, global and comparative public health, and leadership.
Meet the Faculty
Get support throughout your studies from faculty mentors and dedicated career development staff.
Craige Wrenn, BS, PhD
Professor, Pharmacology; Department Chair, Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences
Outside the Classroom
At Drake, you get so much more than expert classroom and lab instruction. Research and clinical experiences paired with robust career support and mentoring position you to improve the lives of others.
Mentoring and Advising
Go further with a team beside you. From your first semester, we invest in you through strategic advising and faculty mentoring, helping you navigate the Pharm.D. program and your career path even after graduation.
Research
Advance your knowledge and career prospects by collaborating with faculty on lab-based and clinical research projects. Many students co-author papers and present research at professional conferences.
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)
Find your footing as a professional in a range of pharmacy-related healthcare environments. Completed over your first three years, these placements build your technical, patient care, health promotion, and advocacy skills through 300 hours of clinical experience.
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE)
In your final year, you’ll develop your skills and deepen your knowledge through eight five-week clinical APPEs. Four of these are elective, letting you tailor your training to your career interests.
Career Development
Receive targeted support to prepare for and secure a position that aligns with your goals. From dedicated career development staff to an active alumni network, we set you up to promote patient- and population-level health as a leader and entrepreneur.
Scholarships
Access funding to offset the costs of your training. The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has over three dozen individual scholarships earmarked for students earning their Pharm.D.
Careers & Skills
As a graduate of Drake’s Pharm.D. program, you’ll have so much more than clinical competence. Your multifaceted training also equips you with skills in collaboration, problem-solving, patient advocacy, leadership, treatment management, cultural awareness, communication, and research, positioning you to address patient health settings ranging from community pharmacies to pharmaceutical research.
Additionally, more than 50% of graduates secure a residency or fellowship to deepen their training for advanced roles and specialized career opportunities.
Opportunities for Pharm.D. Students
- Hospitals
- Community pharmacies
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Government agencies
- Managed care organizations
- Universities
Skills
- Comprehensive clinical knowledge of therapies and patient care
- Communication
- Cultural sensitivity
- Interprofessional collaboration
- Patient-centered care
- In-depth knowledge of regulations, laws, and safety protocols
Salary & Growth Outlook
The average salary for pharmacists as of 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
"I was pushed to continue to grow throughout the Pharm.D. program, which allowed me to be best prepared for my future. Whether this was professors encouraging me to try something new or classes that challenged me, I was able to develop many skills that were beneficial when looking for residency programs. I believe these skills will continue to benefit my pharmacy career."
Program Information
The Drake College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60603-3466, 312/664-3575; FAX 866/228-2631, web site www.acpe-accredit.org.
Complaints regarding the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' compliance with accreditation standards may be directed to ACPE:
- The student who wishes to file a complaint with the pharmacy accrediting organization (ACPE) should do so at: https://www.acpe-accredit.org/complaints/. The college will then be contacted by ACPE for a response.
- In addition, the student may communicate this to the Drake CPHS via this link. This form will be directed to the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, where it will be considered, recorded, and a response provided.
- The file of student complaints will be made available for inspection to ACPE at on-site evaluations, or otherwise at ACPE's written request. The findings of this inspection, and the resulting implication(s) to the accreditation of the professional program, shall be noted in the Evaluation Team Report.
| Year | Drake | National Average |
| 2024 | 82.8% | 77.5% |
| 2023 | 80.3% | 78.6% |
| 2022 | 78.0% | 80.0% |
| 2021 | 92.0% | 84.0% |
| 2020 | 85.6% | 88.4% |
| 2019 | 93.0% | 90.6% |
| 2018 | 93.1% | 88.5% |
| Year | Rate |
| 2024 | 90.9% |
| 2023 | 92.6% |
| 2022 | 91.0% |
| 2021 | 95.8% |
| 2020 | 96.0% |
| 2019 | 94.3% |
| 2018 | 93.6% |
| Year | Drake | National Match Rate |
| 2024 | 82.6% | 81.2% |
| 2023 | 85.7% | 81.8% |
| 2022 | 75.6% | 76.5% |
| 2021 | 81.13% | 64.95% |
| 2020 | 64.5% | 63.1% |
| 2019 | 87.5% | 64.4% |
Take the Next Step
Chart your path forward to a rewarding and exciting career in pharmacy. Whether you have your sights set on community pharmacy or advanced research, Drake gives you the foundation to uplift others as you define your impact.
Contact
Lauren Sharp, MAC (she/her/hers)
Director of Enrollment Services
lauren.sharp@drake.edu
515-271-2247
