Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

*The 18 hours of nonprofessional electives must include six hours of social or behavioral sciences, six hours of humanities, and six hours of fine arts, as defined by the University of Mississippi. Performance and foreign language course credits are not acceptable. Correspondence courses are accepted as elective credits (humanities, fine arts, social science, behavioral science, etc.). Although quality grades for nonprofessional elective courses and any other electives are recorded, they are NOT included in the calculation of the grade-point average (GPA) utilized in admissions, progression, or school scholarship decisions.

*A C or higher is required for all undergraduate coursework, including electives.

To learn more about the transfer equivalency report for the required undergraduate coursework, visit registrar.olemiss.edu or contact Lindsey Cooper, Admission Coordinator, at Lindsey@olemiss.edu. 

Step 1: Submit your PharmCAS application by March 1 of your final year of undergraduate required coursework.

*The PharmCAS application is accepted July-March 1 of your final year of required undergraduate coursework.

*Enter any AP courses on your official transcripts under the term your college granted the credit. Mark courses as “Advanced Placement” during the Transcript Review.

*Transcripts from all institutions where coursework was completed must be received by PharmCAS before a student is eligible for interviews. The School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs will contact students for the selection of an interview date.

*The School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs does not recommend using the paid service for transcript entry available through PharmCAS.

Step 2: Take the Casper Test. This is an evaluation of non-cognitive skills, interpersonal characteristics, and personal values and priorities that our school believes are important for successful students and graduates of our program.

*The School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs will give more instructions on the Casper Test before interviewing.

Step 3: Accept an Applicant Interview Day.

Step 4: Submit your final transcript.

*All undergraduate required coursework must be completed and transcripts received by the School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs by June 30th before final admission is granted into the School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. professional program.

Set up a virtual or in-person meeting with any questions or concerns with Lindsey Cooper, admissions coordinator.

Contact: lindsey@olemiss.edu. 

March 1 is the deadline for Regular Admissions applications, although applicants are encouraged to apply early from July to September. Per our rolling admissions policy, applicants are interviewed, and admissions decisions are made continually from October until the final interview date has been held in March.

The applicant is responsible for ensuring that PharmCAS receives all materials before the March 1 deadline. PharmCAS requires 2-4 weeks for verification purposes before an application is forwarded to individual colleges of pharmacy. Applications that PharmCAS does not verify will not be released and will not be considered for interviews.

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy requires a $200 seat deposit 14 days after an offer of provisional admission has been made. After March 1, a second seat deposit of $300 is required. Upon enrollment to the program, the total seat deposit will be applied to the first semester fees. Applicants may contact the School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs with questions about their application status at lindsey@olemiss.edu. 

Our curriculum is tailor-made to help guide students through the courses they need to complete to get where they want to go.

First Professional Year (P1)

Upon completion of the first professional year, all P1 Pharmacy students will be awarded their Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Second Professional Year (P2)

Third Professional Year (P3)

The third year of coursework is held at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

Fourth Professional Year (P4)

Each student will participate in five required four-week rotations (Community Pharmacy Practice Experience, Institutional Pharmacy Practice Experience, Adult Medicine Practice Experience, Ambulatory Care Practice Experience, and a Selective Ambulatory Care or Adult Medicine Practice Experience) and five four-week elective rotations for a total of 40 weeks of experiential education during the period beginning in May following completion of the P3 year and ending in April before May commencement of the succeeding year. Students also must register for Personal and Professional Development Courses (PHCY 666 and PHCY 667) during the fall and spring semesters of the P4 year.

An * denotes year-long courses for which students will register during the spring semester only.

The UM School of Pharmacy is committed to every student’s personal and professional career development. Our students participate in a series of courses aimed at increasing their self-awareness, helping them to become more effective communicators, and teaching them how to plan and document their personal and professional growth.

Students are assigned personal and professional development advisors who they meet with once each semester to discuss career and other goals. Additionally, students must maintain a professional portfolio and complete a series of assignments intended to build their competence as communicators and self-developers. The series culminates in their final professional year with the students demonstrating their presentation skills and completing required national pharmacy board exam preparation activities.

2023

• July 1- Special Programs and Scholarship Application Open
• September 22- Pharm.D. Regular Entry Applicant Day 1
• October 27- Pharm.D. Regular Entry Applicant Day 2

2024

• January 10- Special Programs and Scholarship Application Deadline
• February 2- Pharm.D. Regular Entry Applicant Day 3
• March 25- Pharm.D. Regular Entry Applicant Day 4
• June 30- All transcripts delivered and processed to the University of Mississippi registrar

Financial Aid for Professional Pharmacy Program Students

Students in the School of Pharmacy are eligible for various forms of financial aid that are available to all University of Mississippi students. School of Pharmacy students are urged to consult the financial aid website for information regarding these various sources.

In addition, the School of Pharmacy provides financial aid in the form of scholarships and loans. In addition to loans available from school resources, loans for pharmacy students are also available from the National Community Pharmacists Association (restricted to student members), the American Pharmaceutical Association, the Mississippi Pharmacists Association, and the Health Professions Student Loan.

In addition to University scholarships, the School of Pharmacy has scholarships that are distributed primarily on the basis of academic performance while enrolled in the School of Pharmacy. The School of Pharmacy offers ten seven-year scholarships of $1,000 per year to selected Early Entry applicants. Continuation of these scholarships is dependent upon retaining Early Entry status. All accepted applicants are considered candidates for these awards, and recipients are selected based on admission criteria. Once these scholarships are lost due to less-than-adequate academic performance, they cannot be reinstated.

The school also awards $1,000 scholarships for the children of faculty, staff, and preceptors of the School of Pharmacy. Continuation of these scholarships requires obtaining a GPA of 2.5 on the previous year’s required courses. If this award is canceled due to less than adequate performance, the award will be reinstated once necessary academic performance is again achieved.

The majority of school scholarship dollars are used to reward B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctor of Pharmacy students for academic performance on required school courses. Eligibility for these scholarships is determined following the completion of each academic year. These scholarships are basically entitlement scholarships, and one does not need to make a formal application for these funds. Eligibility (EE1-EE3 and P1-PY4 students) for reward-based scholarships is dependent on a minimum GPA of 3.50 on the required courses taken in the year preceding the awarding of such scholarships. For rising PY4 students, the criterion is a 3.25 GPA. Such scholarships are available to Early Entry students beginning in their second year and for Regular Entry students after completion of the P1 year. The amount of the scholarship would vary from an initial award of $1,000/semester. This amount may increase for each successive year that a student maintains a 3.50 GPA (3.25 for PY4 students) on required courses, with a maximum increase of $250 per year.

Get involved and belong! In addition to the various campus activities such as recreational sports, social clubs, theater and arts, academic clubs, and other extracurricular activities, the School of Pharmacy offers many pharmacy organizations and activities for students to join and participate in. We believe the Ole Miss Pharmacy Experience, outside of the classroom, is important to your success, professional development, and career readiness. So join today and impact patient care, the profession, and communities in Mississippi and beyond.

SOP Student Ambassadors

SOP Ambassadors serve the school community through positive interactions with prospective students, current students, alumni, and other stakeholders. Selected individuals work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and other student pharmacists at events, Applicant Days, and more. Contact lindsey@olemiss.edu for information.

Rho Chi

Rho Chi, pharmacy’s academic honor society, encourages and recognizes excellence in intellectual achievement and advocates for critical inquiry in all aspects of pharmacy. 

Phi Lambda Sigma

Phi Lambda Sigma supports leadership in pharmacy by recognizing leaders and fostering leadership development. 

American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists

APhA’s Academy of Student Pharmacists promotes the professional practice interests of all pharmacists and pharmacy students, establishes programs and activities for its members, and enables members to participate in APhA’s national policy-making process.

Kappa Psi

Kappa Psi strives to promote the field of pharmacy through the benefits of fraternal affiliation and innovation.

Phi Delta Chi

Phi Delta Chi, a lifelong experience, promotes scholastic, professional, and social growth in its brothers, who strive to provide quality services to patients, advance public health, and strengthen themselves as health professionals.

Kappa Epsilon

Kappa Epsilon is a national professional pharmacy fraternity that promotes women in pharmacy by supporting personal and professional development, providing networking opportunities, and promoting pharmacy as a career.

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists advocates opening new doors for pharmacists to enable them to use their extensive clinical knowledge to care for patients.

National Community Pharmacists Association

The National Community Pharmacists Association represents the professional and proprietary interests of independent community pharmacists and is committed to high-quality patient care and restoring, maintaining, and promoting the health and well-being of the public we serve.

Student National Pharmaceutical Association

The National Pharmaceutical Association is dedicated to representing the views and ideas of minority pharmacists on critical issues affecting health care and pharmacy, as well as advancing the standards of pharmaceutical care among all practitioners.

Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International

Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International is a worldwide ministry of individuals working in all areas of service and practice to serve Christ and the world through pharmacy.

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy is a national professional association of pharmacists and other health care practitioners who serve society by applying sound medication management principles and strategies to improve health care for all.

Students College of Clinical Pharmacy

The mission of the Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP) is to orient students to the practice of clinical pharmacy by providing information about careers and opportunities within the field, encouraging skill development necessary to function within an interdisciplinary team, advocating the role of clinical pharmacists within healthcare, encouraging participation in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) at local/regional/national levels, and promoting dedication to excellence in patient care, research, and education.

Pediatric Pharmacy Association

The Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPAG) (PediaRebs) is an international, nonprofit, professional association representing the interests of pediatric pharmacists and their patients. Members are dedicated to improving medication therapy in children through communication, education, and research.

American College of Veterinary Pharmacists – Rebel Vets

The American College of Veterinary Pharmacists Rebel Vets is the first professional student organization at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy that dedicates itself to veterinary pharmacy. The purpose of ACVP is to develop and strengthen the services provided by independent pharmacists to animals and veterinarians.

The University of Mississippi Advocacy Committee

The University of Mississippi Advocacy Council (UMAC) strives to increase student engagement in advocacy efforts for the profession of pharmacy. UMAC aims to contribute to the profession-wide goals of establishing recognition of pharmacists as patient care providers, creating billing mechanisms for patient care services, and implementing practice models in which pharmacists provide direct patient care at the level of their training.

Explore! Engage in cutting-edge research and work with internationally-recognized faculty!

We encourage pharmacy students to participate in research. Many students work in research labs, complete honors thesis projects with pharmacy faculty members, enroll in independent research student elective courses, participate in summer research projects, or engage in other student research programs.

Student research contributes to our impact on cancer, cardiometabolic disorders, neuroscience and drugs of abuse, infectious disease, and medication optimization.

Pharmacy students often gain experience disseminating research findings in poster presentations and publications.

Pharmacy students interested in working on a research project should contact the department chair or professor whose interests align with the students.

Department Research Programs

There are opportunities for basic science research, clinical and translational research, and population and public health research. These opportunities are housed within the research programs in our four academic departments.

Summer Research Programs

We offer competitive, summer research programs to provide educational research experiences to students. Students learn about cutting-edge STEM-related topics, develop presentation and communication skills, practice networking skills, develop an interest in research, and learn about the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy.

Research Centers

Students may also work with pharmacy faculty and scientists in various research centers as listed below.

Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (RIPS)

Glycoscience Center of Research Excellence

William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing

Community First Research Center for Wellbeing and Creative Achievement (CREW)

Lead and Advocate to Change the World!

The School of Pharmacy prides itself on preparing our students to be leaders in healthcare. We provide many professional development opportunities to promote leadership, and our graduates are successful at securing leadership positions with pharmacy and healthcare organizations.

• The Ole Miss Phi Lambda Sigma chapter supports leadership in pharmacy by recognizing leaders and hosting leadership development opportunities, including the annual student leadership development workshop.
• The University of Mississippi Advocacy Committee (UMAC) strives to increase student engagement in advocacy efforts for the profession of pharmacy. UMAC aims to contribute to the profession-wide goals of establishing recognition of pharmacists as patient care providers, creating billing mechanisms for patient care services, and implementing practice models in which pharmacists provide direct patient care at the level of their training.

Other opportunities for leadership development and advocacy include:

• Serve on School of Pharmacy committees
• Serve as a student body or class officer
• Pursue leadership positions in pharmacy organizations, both locally as well as statewide and nationally
• Participate in the Mississippi Pharmacy legislative day in Jackson
• Advocate for patients and the profession through pharmacy associations
• Interact with seminar speakers and network with state and national pharmacy leaders.

Pharmacy students have the opportunity to volunteer, serve, and provide patient care, allowing them to have real-world experiences and real-life impact. Students apply the clinical skills they learn in the real world and make an immediate difference for patients.

Additionally, students experience direct patient care in the PharmD Curriculum. More than 30% of the PharmD curriculum includes Experiential Education components allowing the student to:

During years 1 through 3, students participate in Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE); in year 4, students participate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). Year 2 all students will complete an IPPE rotation at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.

The purpose of IPPEs is to expose students to pharmacy practice models and patient care in real-world settings. APPEs emphasize patient care and provide students with a planned program to apply patient care abilities in diverse practice settings to assist them in becoming competent pharmacists.

University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy students have multiple opportunities to learn and practice their patient care skills in real-world settings, making an impact on health care in the United States and beyond.

Internships- Our pharmacy students are competitive for national, pharmacy internships. Internships allow students to explore career paths, gain valuable work experience, develop skills, and gain confidence while working for a leading pharmacy or healthcare organization.

Study Abroad Opportunities-Pharmacy students experience pharmacy and health care in another country through various study abroad opportunities. Recently, select students visited the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Ireland.

Alcorn State University

Jackson State University

Millsaps College

Mississippi College

Mississippi State University

Tougaloo College

Potential criteria for consideration of acceptance into the Preferred Admission Program include:

• Minimum GPA expectations each semester in required pre-pharmacy courses
• C or above in each required course
• Demonstrated volunteer and service experiences

Qualifying full-time students from the participating universities will gain entry into the Preferred Admission Program following the first semester of their freshman year. If these students abide by the progression and retention criteria of the program, they will be granted preferential admission into the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy beginning their fourth year. Upon admission, these students will complete the required coursework at UM and receive a B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the end of their fourth year (first year at UM). Then they will automatically be admitted into the Doctor of Pharmacy program as long as they meet additional progression and program requirements.

Students will apply during the beginning of the Spring semester of their freshman year via the School of Pharmacy website.

Each subsequent semester, program participants will be required to send an unofficial transcript to the School of Pharmacy. They will also follow standard admission procedures.