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PharmD Admission
Looking for undergraduate admission and Pre-Pharmacy? Visit our Pre-Pharmacy Admission page.
Students who are currently enrolled in pre-pharmacy at Drake should refer to the Drake Direct PharmD requirements for more information.
International students: for more information about requirements for international applicants, visit our international student admission page.
Admission to the Drake University PharmD program is based on academic and personal qualifications that are necessary for successful, competent practice as a pharmacist. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of the fit between their personal goals and the mission and goals of the PharmD program. Prior education, work experience, honors, awards, service to others and leadership activities are also considered in the admission process. Prior shadowing in a pharmacy environment is helpful, but not required.
No PCAT required!
Students who complete their prerequisite coursework at another regionally accredited institution or in a major other than pre-pharmacy at Drake may apply to our PharmD program by meeting the following requirements. Please note that these are the requirements applicants must meet in order for their applications to be considered complete. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the PharmD program. These requirements can also be found on our PharmCAS School Directory page.
- Submit an application through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS).
- Complete the required Drake-specific questions within the PharmCAS application.
- Complete at least 2 years of undergraduate coursework (approximately 64 credit hours).
- No minimum GPA is required, although 3.0 (as calculated in PharmCAS) is considered competitive.
- Complete (or be in the process of completing) the prerequisite coursework outlined in the table below. All required courses must be completed by the end of the summer term prior to entering the PharmD program.
| Subject | Credit Hours | Drake Courses |
|---|---|---|
|
General (Inorganic) Chemistry |
2 courses/8 credit hours (including labs) | CHEM 001, 002, 003, 004 |
|
Organic Chemistry |
2 courses/8 credit hours (including labs) | CHEM 097, 098, 108, 110 |
|
Biological Sciences |
2 courses/8 credit hours (including labs) | BIO 012, 012L, HSCI 141, 141L |
|
Microbiology |
1 course/3 credit hours | BIO 095 |
|
Statistics |
1 course/3 credit hours | STAT 060 or HSCI 060 |
|
Calculus |
1 course/3 credit hours | MATH 050 (or MATH 070 or 100) |
|
English Composition/Writing |
2 courses/6 credit hours | FYS and Written Communication AOI |
|
Public Speaking |
1 course/3 credit hours | SCSR 073 or ENG 037 |
|
General Electives |
22 credit hours | Drake Curriculum Areas of Inquiry |
Students must earn a grade of C or higher in order to fulfill prerequisite courses. Students who wish to fulfill prerequisites using Advanced Placement (AP) scores must earn a 4 or higher on the AP exam. Students may transfer in a cumulative maximum of 66 credit hours from all 2-year institutions they have attended. Please see Drake University's Transfer Credit Information page or contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at (515) 271-3018 for more information.
Drake University's Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program operates on a rolling admission process. We will interview and admit students until the P1 class is full and a sufficient number of applicants have been identified for the wait list. We recommend submitting application materials early in order to ensure your application is processed and considered in a timely manner. Students with strong applications and academic credentials will be invited to complete the second phase of the admission process, which includes a required virtual or on-campus admission interview.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Please visit our PharmDScholarships website to view a list of scholarships that are available to Drake pharmacy students. In addition to the scholarships listed, we encourage interested applicants to look into other types of financial assistance by visiting our Financial Aid Office website. The Financial Aid Office also provides a summary of tuition and fees for all Drake programs.
Where Do Drake PharmD Students Go After Graduation?
Please visit our Pharmacy Careers website for more information on career pathways and state of residence of our recent graduates.
Advanced Standing for Transfer Applicants
Students currently in a PharmD program at another University who wish to transfer and pursue advanced standing in the PharmD program at Drake are encouraged to complete an official request form on our website. "Advanced Standing Students" must be in good academic and professional standing at their current school. If there are seats available in a class, an evaluation will be completed to determine admissibility and qualified candidates will be offered an interview. If admissible, a curricular evaluation will be conducted by Drake CPHS which will determine one’s class standing in our program on a case-by-case basis. Due to didactic and experiential curriculum differences between PharmD programs, transfer students who enter the professional pharmacy program may experience delays in completing their degree. Questions may be directed to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Enrollment Services team at dupharm@drake.edu.
Technical Standards for the PharmD Program
Please view our Technical Standards for the PharmD Program.
