Pharmacy is consistently ranked as one of the most respected professions in the nation, and the Creighton pharmacy program is considered one of the best pharmacy programs in the country. Creighton believes that pharmacists must be responsive to patient needs by providing a level of patient care that focuses on disease state management, prevention of disease, patient outcomes and wellness.
In an innovative move in 2001, Creighton University started the first and only accredited Doctor of Pharmacy Program Distance Pathway providing a full-time educational method to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. This innovative pathway covers the same material as the traditional campus pathway, but allows students to take didactic coursework using the latest in distance education technology, from wherever they live. Interactions with faculty and mentors occur via conferencing software, discussion boards, Internet chat rooms, e-mail, telephone, and others.
The didactic portion of the distance pathway is taught on a semester basis. Students complete the laboratory courses in a condensed manner during the summers. The on-campus laboratory sessions last for 1-2 weeks.
The Doctor of Pharmacy degree requires a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy and four years of professional education. Many students complete three years or a baccalaureate degree before beginning professional education.
Creighton’s program has changed to reflect changes in the practice of pharmacy that focuses on pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care is the direct, responsible provision of medication-related care for the purpose of achieving definitive outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life. Today’s pharmacy education focuses on:
The clinical component of the distance pharmacy
pathway is the same as the campus pharmacy pathway. A
total of eight five-week clinical rotations are
required, five
of which are in required subject areas. The
remaining clinical rotations are in elective subject
areas. These unpaid clinical rotations provide
experience in actual pharmacy practice. Sites for
clinical rotations are in a variety of locations
throughout the country, with some international sites.
New sites are being constantly identified and developed.
It may be necessary for students to travel to sites
during at least a portion of the last year, depending on
the availability of suitable clinical rotation in their
location.
Graduates enter practice with strong basic knowledge,
communication skills, critical thinking abilities and an
empathic attitude toward their patients. Specialized
clinical and internship programs are available to
students who have particular interests in fields ranging
from critical care to family medicine, pediatrics to
gerontology, cardiology to home care and neurology to
psychiatry. Graduates find ready employment at excellent
salaries in a wide range of health service settings
including private businesses, hospitals, clinics,
government, military, and academic and research
institutions.
At the Creighton University Medical Center 2006 Commencement, Fr. John P. Schlegel, S.J., Creighton University President stated, "Your professors have challenged you to be leaders in your professions. As a student, you were expected to go beyond the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary. Your patients will expect no less of you. Do not disappoint them. Ethics, service, and excellence: These three words have been consistent across the 127 years of Creighton's existence; they serve as the foundation for what we do today. You will carry these with you; they are marks of a Creighton health care professional."
Victoria F. Roche, Ph.D., professor of pharmacy sciences and senior associate dean at the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, received the 2007 Robert K. Chalmers Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award presented by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) during its annual meeting in July 2007.
