Before considering the admissions and application processes involved for any of the School's undergraduate programs you should become familiar with what each program offers. A complete description of the academic programs offered by the School of Pharmacy is provided elsewhere. Specifically, you should be familiar with the Pharm.D. program.

Prior to admission into the Purdue University professional pharmacy program, students must complete the Pre-Pharmacy program requirements. Usually this is done during the two years immediately prior to starting the professional curriculum, although alternative paths have been successfully followed by many students. For students attending Purdue University, this usually is accomplished as a Pre-Pharmacy major during their freshman and sophomore years.

Admissions to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program

Pharm.D. Program Admission Criteria

All Pre-Pharmacy requirements must be completed prior to entry into the program (except PHPR 100 for transfer students). Students may complete these requirements at other colleges and universities. International transfer credit is accepted. However, the two semesters each of organic chemistry and anatomy/physiology must be completed in the U. S., regardless of whether they have been taken previously. Because of the integrated nature of the curriculum, there is no opportunity to be admitted to the professional program with advanced standing beyond the beginning of the first professional year. The Pre-Pharmacy requirements are as follows (see the specific courses in the Purdue Pre-Pharmacy program that meet these requirements):

• Anatomy and physiology (six semester hours, with lab)
• Calculus (six semester hours)
• Economics (three semester hours - micro, macro, or general)
• English composition (four semester hours)
• General biology (eight semester hours, with lab)
• General chemistry (eight semester hours, with lab)
• Microbiology (four semester hours, with lab)
• Organic chemistry (eight semester hours, with lab)
• Pharmacy orientation (West Lafayette Students only)
• Physics (four semester hours, with lab; can be non-calculus based)

Admissions decisions by the Admissions Committee involve consideration of several factors including:

• cumulative grade point average for all coursework taken after high school, with particular attention to Pre-Pharmacy science courses;
• previous work experience and leadership experience;
• volunteer service experience;
• two letters of recommendation (required);
• writing, verbal, and interpersonal abilities; and
• initiative to learn about pharmacy career paths.

A personal interview is required. This will be arranged for the most qualified students after applications have been received.

Students applying for the Pharm.D. program must currently and continually meet the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Technical Standards for Admission and Retention, which are available in the Student Handbook.

Application for admission to the Pharm.D. Program

Before considering the process of application, please familiarize yourself with the Pharm.D. program and the policies concerning admissions into the Pharm.D. program at Purdue (see above).

Application Process

Students applying for admission into the professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) must complete an application through the Pharmacy College Application Service, known as PharmCAS. Purdue's PharmCAS deadline is December 1, 2009 for admission for the class starting in Fall 2010. The PharmCAS application is available through the PharmCAS web site (www.PharmCAS.org). In addition, all applicants must complete an Admissions Form 9 and a supplemental Purdue application. The Admissions Form 9 and the supplemental Purdue application are due by December 1, 2009. These forms may be downloaded through this web site (see below). Finally, two (2) letters of reference must be completed on the Letters of Reference form included in each applicant's PharmCAS application and submitted to PharmCAS by December 1, 2009.

Applicants must submit all materials by the December 1, 2009 deadline to be guaranteed consideration for admission. In general, late applications are not considered. A presentation on the admission process and the factors considered by the admissions committee can be found in this PDF file.

Obtaining Materials for Application to the Pharm.D. Program

Application materials for the Fall 2010 semester can be downloaded from the links below. These are Adobe Acrobat documents. The deadline for application is December 1, 2009.

• Application Instructions (Please print out and read thoroughly)
• Supplemental Application form (to be postmarked by December 1, 2009)
• Admissions Form 9 (to be postmarked by December 1, 2009)
• You must fill out an application at www.PharmCAS.org by December 1, 2009.

Alternatively, if you are not able to download the supplemental application materials, please contact us via e-mail at: admissions@pharmacy.purdue.edu or by phone at (765) 494-1361. Please include your mailing address when requesting that this information be mailed to you.

Action on Applicants

1. The Admissions Committee will select the best qualified applicants for the Pharm.D. program based on a composite assessment of the characteristics stated above.
2. All applications will initially be reviewed for evidence of basic qualifications for admission to the professional program, and those most qualified will be invited for a personal interview.
3. All interviews will be conducted on the West Lafayette campus in the School of Pharmacy primarily during the week of February 22 – 26, 2010. Letters of invitation for an interview will specify the date and time. It will be the student's responsibility to arrange his/her other commitments in order to be available at the assigned time. Each applicant will also be asked to participate in two brief exercises that will provide evidence of extemporaneous writing and verbal communication ability.
4. The Admissions Committee will then thoroughly evaluate the application materials pertaining to each applicant in arriving at a rank ordering of applicants based on overall qualifications.
5. Admissions will be granted during March 2010 to the most highly qualified applicants.
6. The next most highly qualified applicants will have their names placed on a rank ordered waiting list to compete for residual spaces available at the end of the spring semester or quarter.
7. Some students will not be admitted. They will be referred to appropriate advising offices for assistance in choosing other areas of study.
8. All admitted students will again be reviewed at the end of the spring semester or quarter. Those students whose academic performance has slipped below an acceptable level (minimum grade of C- in all required prerequisite courses and no more than three prerequisite course grades less than B-, total or in any individual semester) will have their admission offer withdrawn.

Confirmation of Admission

1. If you receive an offer of admission to the School, it must be accepted within 14 days after the date of the letter of offer.
2. All students must make an advance deposit of $250 (non-refundable) by May 1, 2010. Students admitted after May 1, 2010, will have 14 days from the date on the letter of offer to pay the deposit.
3. Transfer students who are admitted must submit the following to Purdue:
   1. One copy of your Spring 2010 grade report. Fax (765) 494-7880 or e-mail: stevenbs@purdue.edu this information as soon as it is available.
   2. One copy of your high school transcript AND two official copies of your college transcripts showing all courses completed with grades (including Spring 2009 semester or quarter grades). Mail to Chair, Committee on Admissions, School of Pharmacy, Purdue University, 575 Stadium Mall Drive, Room 104A, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091.
4. There will be an orientation program during the week just prior to the beginning of classes that all admitted Pharm.D. transfer students will be expected to attend. Additional orientation activities will occur during the first week of classes. Admitted students will receive information on this program during the month of July.
5. Prior to beginning any IPPE or APPE, it is necessary for students to be inoculated against and have evidence of absence of tuberculosis, measles, rubella, and hepatitis B. The hepatitis B vaccine series, if acquired through Purdue University Student Hospital (PUSH), will not be completed until the end of the first professional year. Students may elect to sign a waiver in lieu of receiving the Hep B series. Students are responsible for the arrangement and payment of any medical inoculations.
6. Students are required to submit to a limited criminal history search at the state level prior to entering the professional program and once again before beginning the APPE portion of the curriculum in the third professional year. Students are responsible for the cost of these checks.

Program Costs and Financial Aid

1. A differential tuition/fee will be assessed each fall and spring semester students are am enrolled in the program. The final fourth professional year of the program consists of up to 40 weeks of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) clerkship rotations, beginning in May following the third professional year and students will be enrolled in a summer session in addition to the fall and spring semesters. Regular University fees and tuition will be assessed during this summer session based on the number of credit hours scheduled. There may be an adjustment to the summer fee schedule in future years.
2. Admission into the Pharm.D. program has financial aid implications in terms of need-based scholarships. Students are advised to contact the Division of Financial Aid to obtain information and assistance.
3. Beginning in the first professional year and continuing through the third professional year, students will be required to leave campus for the IPPE portion of the curriculum. This includes approximately 300 hours of off-campus experience including experiences during the academic year and the summers. Students are responsible for their own transportation to these sites as well as housing if necessary.
4. In the fourth professional year of the program, stuidents will be required to leave campus for the APPE portion of the curriculum (clerkship) that will be conducted at approved sites throughout Indiana. This currently consists of 40 weeks of experience divided among 4 weeks each of Community and Hospital Operations Rotations; 8 weeks each in Inpatient Direct Patient Care and Ambulatory Medicine Advanced Practice Rotations; and 16 weeks of elective rotations related to career preparation interests. Relocation between clerkship sites should be expected.
5. Students are responsible for their own housing, transportation, and incidental expenses during all IPPE and APPE rotations. It is imperative that students plan in advance for their financial needs and any other arrangements that will be required.
6. Students will be assessed a fee to purchase malpractice liability insurance provided through the School prior to each academic year, as well as a laboratory coat meeting stated criteria. In addition, students are required to pay rental charges for a pager, as specified by the School, throughout the clerkship rotation period. They are also responsible for the cost of any drug screen that a clerkship site may require.
7. The Purdue Division of Financial Aid (DFA) administers a variety of financial aid programs. Programs at the federal, state, and University levels are available to students who demonstrate need for financial assistance. If you are interested in receiving financial aid, you should file the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA) by March 1, 2010. The FAFSA may be obtained through DFA, or you may apply using the the RENEWAL FAFSA or at the web-site: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
    
   If you have general questions, please contact DFA (765) 494-5050 (e-mail: facontact@purdue.edu). Should you have questions in completing the FAFSA form, please contact the financial aid administrator for the Pharm.D. program, Trudi Horner at (765) 494-5081 (e-mail: tmhorner@purdue.edu).