Pharmaceutical Health Services Research University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research http://www.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/graduate/PHSR/
Degrees Offered
Program Admissions
PhD, PhD/MS
Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in pharmaceutical health services research should possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited college or university. Preference will be given to candidates with previous pharmacy-related education and/or experience.
Program Description The primary mission of the pharmaceutical health services research graduate program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is to train researchers in health services research relevant to pharmaceutical care products, service, and delivery. The program provides a strong foundation in health and pharmaceutical policy, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and health behavior science, with a focus on advanced research methods. The program provides graduates with the theory, practical experience, and decisionmaking skills needed to address a wide range of pharmacyrelated problems. The widespread use of medications in society has created a demand for individuals skilled in the evaluation of pharmaceutical services and interventions. The dynamic health care environment has created a number of critical factors that are constantly shaping and reshaping the health policies of the United States and countries around the world. Pharmaceutical services are a vital part of health care, and factors affecting health care inevitably impact on pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry, and the health care system. Some of the factors of academic, scientific, and policy interest include: • outcomes analyses • the role of the federal and state governments in health and pharmaceutical care policy financing and economics of pharmaceutical care • drug utilization and pharmacoepidemiologic issues • cost containment and other benefit design issues • pharmaceutical care in vulnerable populations • pharmacovigilance and drug safety • pharmaceutical economics
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The applicant must satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate School before consideration for admission to the program. For more information of the Graduate School admission criteria, visit the website at http://graduate. umaryland.edu/admissions.html. In addition to official transcripts and three letters of recommendation as evidence of academic potential, the student is to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination and TOEFL, if necessary. Students are also required to submit a CV or resume with their application packet. Occasionally a few students who fail to meet these minimum standards may be admitted to graduate study as provisional students on the basis of outstanding performance on the Graduate Record Exam and on the basis of letters of recommendation from competent judges of their performance as students or in a professional capacity. Provisional admissions carry explicit conditions (e.g., minimal grade requirements in stipulated courses) that must be met before the student can be advanced to full graduate status. Specific conditions for admission as a provisional graduate student may be found in the admissions section of this catalog. Applicants must apply by Dec. 1 for fall admission, the only semester students are admitted. Specific details of the admission procedures are contained in the admission section of this catalog.