2023 WVU School of Pharmacy Viewbook

PIONEERING PHARMACY EDUCATION ...

... FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

As the need for compounding products has decreased over the years, pharmacists have moved from a drug focus to a patient-centered approach in healthcare. The West Virginia University School of Pharmacy has evolved to meet the current and future roles of pharmacists. We provide student pharmacists with critical thinking and problem-solving skills; hands-on learning to apply new knowledge based on cutting-edge pharmaceutical, social and clinical research; and collaboration with other health professionals to optimize patient care.

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals. They provide patients with safe, effective medications and expertise on how to use them for optimal health and well-being. Pharmacy is a diverse and gratifying profession with opportunities for patient care, scientific research and innovation. It is consistently ranked as one of the most financially rewarding careers.

$128,570

Average annual salary for 2021 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Pharmacy Careers

Community Pharmacy

Hospital Pharmacy

Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Veterinary Pharmacy

Nuclear Pharmacy

Academia

Home Healthcare Pharmacy

Long-Term Care Pharmacy

Government / Federal Pharmacy

Mail Service Pharmacy

Managed Care Pharmacy

Specialty Pharmacy

OUR LEGACY

For more than 107 years, WVU has been the leader in pharmacy education in West Virginia. Our PharmD Program and faculty are renowned for their innovation in clinical practice and research.

We are TOP RANKED by U.S. News & World Report.

#1 in West Virginia

Among the TOP 25% of pharmacy schools in the country.

National AWARDWINNING FACULTY

and students

7:1 student-to-faculty ratio

Ranked in the TOP 10% of U.S. pharmacy schools for residency placement

91% FIRSTTIME NAPLEX PASS RATE (three-year average)

More than 95% ON-TIME GRADUATION RATE annually ONE OF ONLY 24 schools of pharmacy with a comprehensive academic health sciences center and an integrated health center

$190,000+ AWARDED in School of Pharmacy scholarships each year

printer to create a customized medication for patients who have trouble swallowing multiple tablets or capsules. Her passion for research earned her first place in the WVU Launch Lab Women’s Pitch Competition.

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PharmD student Courtney Burgazli

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YOUR PATH TO A PHARMD

Direct Admit Pathway (DAP)

is an early assurance program for high-achieving high school students who wish to pursue their PharmD*.

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

The WVU SOP has a “2+4” program with at least two years of prerequisite coursework focused in the sciences required for admission to the four-year PharmD.

REQUIREMENTS

High school graduating GPA ≥3.5

ACT math score ≥ 26 or SAT math score ≥ 610

-orALEKS placement in Math 150, 153 and 154, or 155 and Chem 115 or transferable math credit for College Calculus 1

Apply to WVU as a pre-pharmacy major

*Students who do not meet these requirements may pursue their prerequisites through the Healthcare Pathways with Pharmacy Interest major.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Prerequisite coursework

PharmCAS application

Personal statement

Three letters of recommendation (one from a faculty instructor plus two others)

PCAT optional

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

Interview invitation upon competitive application evaluation

Notification of admission 5-10 days post-interview

REQUIRED PREREQUISITE COURSES

Biochemistry

Calculus I

English Composition I

English Composition 2

General Biology I and Lab

General Biology II and Lab

General Chemistry I and Lab

General Chemistry II and Lab

Microbiology

Microeconomics

Organic Chemistry I and Lab

Organic Chemistry II and Lab

Physiology

Public Speaking Statistics

University Orientation

GEF #5: Human Inquiry & The Past

GEF #6: The Arts & Creativity

GEF #7: Global Studies & Diversity

AREAS OF EMPHASIS

Areas of emphasis allow pharmacy students to tailor their interests to their degree and increase their marketability.

COLLEGE TEACHING IN PHARMACY

TRANSLATIONAL PHARMACY RESEARCH

GLOBAL HEALTH FOR PHARMACY

GERIATRIC PHARMACY

ADVANCED CLINICAL PHARMACY

PHARMD/MBA DUAL DEGREE

AWARD-WINNING STUDENTS

225 Students Enrolled

44% Non-Resident Students

MICHELLE GROSE, P3 STUDENT

Grose received the 2022 Gateway to Research award for her depression research. She is one of 29 students in the country to receive the award. Customizing her PharmD experience with an Area of Emphasis in Translational Pharmacy Research allows Grose to explore a specialized area of pharmacy that interests her without adding additional coursework or semesters.

MIRANDA MOSER, P4 STUDENT

Moser is one of four students in the country to receive the 2022 American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)

Student Leadership Award. The award, established in 1983, recognizes outstanding academic achievement and leadership ability in APhA-ASP at the local, regional and national levels of students who are in their next-to-last year of pharmacy school.

56% West Virginians

12 Professional Student Organizations

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

INTRODUCTORY PHARMACY PRACTICE EXPERIENCE (IPPE)

IPPEs allow pharmacy students to begin exploring the profession during the three didactic years of the curriculum.

IPPE Year 1 Focus - Career Exploration +

Community Practice

IPPE Year 2 Focus - Community Outreach +

Institutional Pharmacy

IPPE Year 3 Focus - Acute + Ambulatory Care

ADVANCED PHARMACY PRACTICE EXPERIENCE (APPE)

APPEs are completed in the final year of pharmacy school and consist of eight five-week rotation blocks. Each block provides experience in a different type of pharmacy practice, including two electives.

“We were in Oman during Ramadan, so we learned about Muslim patients and fasting. It can be clinically challenging to help a patient who is following their religious beliefs. But I’m more confident in my ability to do so now.”

Emery Smith, PharmD, ’22

APPE locations throughout West Virginia:

Pharmacy Northern Region Experiential Learning

Pharmacy Southern Region Experiential Learning

Rural Health — Alaska and Indian Health Services

National — varied locations

International — Oman, South Africa, Brazil and Thailand

Faculty: Making a Real-Life Impact

DR. MARINA GALVEZ-PARALTA

Dr. Galvez-Paralta developed and now leads a simulation that provides healthcare students an opportunity to experience the cultural realities, access barriers, stigmatization and other challenges that minority and marginalized American populations face when seeking care.

Dr. Capehart, a national awardwinning professor, led the efforts for the COVID vaccine rollout in West Virginia and appeared as a COVID expert in several publications in addition to national news broadcasts.

Dr. Garofoli is a certified pain educator and conducts presentations across the country about pain management, substance-use disorder, drug diversion and illicit substances. In January 2023, the Pharmacy Podcast Network named him one of the 50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy.

DR. WERNER GELDENHUYS

Dr. Geldenhuys’ research is focused on neuroscience and strives to discover new treatments to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including stroke.

DR. KRISTA CAPEHART

DR. MARK GAROFOLI

PHARMACY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

The Pharmacy Skills Development Center is 7,650 square feet of fully renovated space located on the third floor of the Health Sciences Center North. The Center serves as the handson, application-based learning core of the School.

Students receive certifications during the PharmD Program while applying practical skills in the classroom.

Immunization

Patient-Centered Diabetes Care

Medication Therapy Management

Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist

Student pharmacists learn blood glucose testing in the compounding lab.

Students learn to take blood pressure in the lab debrief room.

Our students are introduced to prescription verification and processing skills in the spring semester of their P1 year in the prescription processing/ telepharmacy room.

WVU SIMULATION CENTER

The David and Jo Ann Shaw Center for Simulation Training and Education for Patient Safety (WV STEPS) offers students the ability to practice a variety of analytical, diagnostic and communication skills in a simulated environment with lifelike manikins that range from infancy to adulthood and real-life mock patients in the standardized patient program.

“Throughout our schooling, we are taught information about medications and how to communicate our knowledge to patients, but having the chance to work with standardized patients allows us to practice. We can put faces and lives to the concepts we learn, which is an important reminder that at the end of the day, we are rooted in patient care and doing all we can for real patients.”

Clara Lukomski Pharmacy Student

INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (IPE)

The WVU Health Sciences Center fosters growth and collaboration as a healthcare team and community from the time a student begins the PharmD Program.

Our expansive academic health center includes:

School of Pharmacy

School of Medicine

School of Nursing

School of Public Health

School of Dentistry

“Healthcare is a team approach. We are teaching our health profession students how they will work with each other to help their patients in the future. I enjoy working with our WVU Health Sciences students and creating programs that will make them successful practitioners.”

Dr. Gina Baugh Clinical Professor and Director of IPPE

WVU MEDICINE J.W. RUBY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

COMPREHENSIVE, STATE-OF-THE-ART PHARMACY SERVICES

Acute care pharmacists integrated on over 35 inpatient medical teams

Ambulatory care pharmacists in outpatient clinics, including heart failure, internal medicine, cystic fibrosis, oncology, anticoagulation, infectious diseases and family medicine

Paid pharmacy internships available beginning summer before P1 year

Inpatient Pharmacy

Outpatient Pharmacy

20 pharmacy residency positions in

Ambulatory Care

Cardiology

Critical Care

Infectious Diseases

Internal Medicine

Pediatrics

Oncology

Longitudinal track APPE Rotations

Critical Care

Pediatrics

Oncology

Cardiology

Ambulatory Care

Pharmacy Administration

Retail and Specialty Pharmacy

Infectious Diseases

Organ Transplant

A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND LEARN.

Founded in 1867, WVU is a public landgrant university. WVU students hail from 112 nations and 49 states (plus D.C.) This blend of cultures and the great relationship between the University and the city of Morgantown help students discover new ideas and experience a sense of community.

R1 RESEARCH CAMPUS

The highest research category described by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

WEST VIRGINIA

Our region’s natural beauty is famous, and people around the world sing “take me home, country roads.” West Virginia is called the Mountain State for a reason — mountains are (literally) a big part of who we are. When we see a mountain, we start planning how to climb it.

Beautiful spots to enjoy camping, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding and world-class whitewater are nearby.

West Virginia boasts 35 state parks, 9 state forests, 3 national forests — plus New River Gorge, one of America’s newest national parks; the Gauley River National Recreation Area; and a portion of the Appalachian Trail.

Morgantown has miles of riverside trails for cycling, running or roller skating right by campus.

PROXIMITY TO MAJOR CITIES

DRIVING TIMES

Pittsburgh, PA — 1.5 hours

Columbus, OH — 3 hours

Washington, D.C. — 3.5 hours

Richmond, VA — 5 hours

Cincinnati, OH — 5 hours

Philadelphia, PA — 5 hours

Indianapolis, IN — 5.75 hours

New York, NY — 6 hours