Diabetes Concentration
Acquire specialized tools to provide care for those suffering from one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions in the U.S.
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
See how this unique training fits within Drake’s broader Pharm.D. preparation.
Diabetes Concentration
Add vital knowledge and clinical competencies to your professional tool kit. This integrated learning experience prepares you to coordinate care for patients with diabetes, monitor medication safety and effectiveness, recommend prescription and non-prescription therapies, and understand the marketing behind and the population-level effects of common treatments.
Meet the Faculty
Gain an up-to-date clinical and research-based perspective from faculty who bring both practical and scholarly expertise to the classroom.
Outside the Classroom
You won’t just be adding knowledge. The Diabetes Concentration integrates hands-on learning, mentorship, and complementary coursework to build your skills and support your professional growth.
Experiential Education Requirement
In addition to the internships and rotations required of all pharmacy students, you’ll complete two five-credit-hour rotations focused on clinical experience directly related to diabetes management.
Flexible Electives
Examine the social and cultural factors that influence how patients access diabetes care, monitor their glucose levels, and manage potential complications. You can review a comprehensive list of "Elective Coures" further down this page.
Mentorship
Interested in pursuing the Diabetes Concentration? Your advisor will direct you to faculty who will answer your questions and introduce you to career options that leverage this expertise.
Careers & Skills
Enhancing your professional preparation, the Diabetes Concentration helps you understand how pharmacists can meet the needs of the growing number of people living with this chronic condition. Whether for tracking and reporting on treatments or educating patients on glucose monitoring supplies, a specialty in diabetes management helps you stand out for positions in community pharmacy, ambulatory care, clinical pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Employers
- Community pharmacies
- Government agencies
- Hospitals
- Managed care organizations
- Pharmaceutical companies
Skills
- Coordinate diabetes care and management
- Collaborate with patients and providers
- Create therapeutic treatment plans and provide interventions
- Recommend appropriate prescription and non-prescription therapies
- Counsel patients on insulin injections, blood glucose monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring, etc.
Salary & Growth Outlook
The median salary for pharmacists as of 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
"“I feel the Drake education really prepared me enough to feel confident when discussing the material, even with specialists who work with diabetes patients every day.”"
Courses and Requirements
The professional coursework that will need to be taken includes the following courses:
- PHAR 126 - Principles of Nutrition (Prior to the P3 year) 2 credits - WWW
- PHAR 128 - Advanced Diabetes Care (P3 Fall) 3 credits - WWW
- PHAR 129 - Integrated Diabetes Cases (P3 Spring) 2 credits
Note: The above courses will also fulfill professional elective course requirements.
Elective courses previously determined to provide an appropriate background in psychosocial issues, educational principles, and cultural aspects of chronic disease. Potential courses include the following:
- BIO 032 - Wellness and Nutrition
- EDUC 164 - Perspectives in Race, Ethnicity, and Gender (Self Service Subject: Teaching and Learning)
- SOC - Specific courses as approved by the Associate Dean.
- PSY 030 - Social Psychology
- PSY 044 - Adult Development and Aging
- PSY 060 - Principles of Behavior
- PSY 124 - Health Psychology (PSY 1 prerequisite)
- HSCI 103 - Narrative Health Care
- HSCI 106 - Culture Care and Health Literacy
- HSCI 148 - Exercise Testing and Prescription
- *PHAR 120 - Health Coaching (PHAR 071 or HSCI 055 prerequisite)
- *PHAR 114 - Advances in Cardiac Disease (PHAR major required)
- *PHAR 119 - Topics in Neuropharmacology (PHAR major required)
- Courses offered through the Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration
- HSCI 144: Introduction to Public Health
- HSCI 104: Global Health
- POLS 169: Comparative Public Health Policy
- HSCI 142: Community Health Education (2 credits)
- HSCI 143: Epidemiology
- PHIL 124: Health and Social Justice, OR PHIL 151: Environmental Justice
- WLC 148: Intercultural Communication
- WLC 150: Spanish for Health Care Providers
* 2 credit course; additional 1 credit will be fulfilled by Global and Cultural Understanding AOI requirement.
Note that not all courses listed above are offered each semester and/or year; Self Service includes each semester's course listings. Other courses may be used as approved by Associate Dean, including transfer courses from DMACC, Grandview, among other institutions. Complete the Transfer Credit Request Form on the Registrar's website to ensure that the course will fulfill the requirement.
Students will complete two 5-credit APPEs to provide practice-based application of the intensive diabetes coursework required for the concentration. APPEs meeting the requirements of the concentration will be designated by the Experiential Education Office. Students will submit preferences for these placements. Assignments are at the discretion of the Experiential Education Office.
Attributes of these APPEs include, but are not limited to, significant prevalence of diabetes in the practice, pharmacist leadership in the patient care process, and active roles for students in assisting the health care team with diabetes management, education, and prevention.
Take the Next Step
Your pharmacist training at Drake already sets you apart. Gain an extra edge to provide patient-centered care by adding the Diabetes Concentration to your studies.
Contact
Jamie Pitlick, Pharm.D.Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Practice Department Chair
jamie.pitlick@drake.edu
515-271-1849
