Medical College of Wisconsin Pharmacy School - Curriculum Schedule and Catalog: Year One

Students will learn about basic principles in biochemistry with a particular emphasis on pharmaceutical applications. Students will engage in lectures and interactive discussion regarding the integration of therapeutic agents into the body’s natural pathways to manage and treat disease states. This course introduces topics such as acid/base chemistry, structure and function relationships of proteins, enzymes in biochemistry, and major pathways for protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, and pertinent nutritional topics to build a foundation in the understanding of basic sciences with an application to pharmacy. 

Students will learn about individual differences in metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and other biochemicals impacting drug disposition and action that underpin the practice of personalized medicine. Students will engage in topics addressing nucleic acid structure, the flow of information from DNA to protein, current techniques in DNA technology including gene therapy and pharmacogenetics, the molecular basis of cancer and several topics in clinical genetics. This course serves as a foundational basis and introduces pharmaceutical applications to the topics addressed. In the Immunology section of the course, students will learn basic clinical immunology relevant for future practice. Students will engage in topics addressing non-specific host defense mechanisms, specific immunity, and products that impart active and passive immunity to both host and microorganisms. The course emphasizes mechanisms of vaccination, hypersensitivity, autoimmune disorders, immunity to influenza virus and the application of that knowledge for the treatment of related human diseases.

Students will learn about the physicochemical properties of drugs and drug delivery systems. Students will engage in a pharmaceutical laboratory experience demonstrating compounding, preparation, dispensing, and the administration of prescription drugs. This course introduces topics pertaining to drug stability, delivery, release, disposition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic effectiveness, and the development of quality standards for drug products with an emphasis on calculations applicable to compounding and patient dosing. 

In this 8-quarter laboratory sequence, students will learn and practice professional skills needed for contemporary and future practice of pharmacy. In each course, students will engage in skills-based learning which aligns with material in concurrent coursework, learn new skills which prepare them for future experiential activities, and reinforce and integrate skills learned earlier in the curriculum. The course sequence will involve frequent use of simulation, group work, and interprofessional teamwork. 

This course prepares students to be professionally competent for Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs). Students will learn the foundational legal and safety regulations necessary to be a successful participant during the IPPEs. Students will engage in activities to prepare them for a proactive and professional role in their careers.

Activities and experiences that are purposely developed and implemented to ensure an array of opportunities for students to document competency in the affective domain-related expectations of approaches to patient care and personal and professional development. Co-curricular activities complement and advance the learning that occurs within the formal didactic and experiential curriculum.

Students will learn about the structure, function, and abnormalities of the human body. Students will engage in instructional and hands-on exploring of the body in a systematic fashion. This course introduces each of the major body systems to form a foundational understanding of health care delivery.

Students will continue to build on topics learned in Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery I with a larger focus on sterile and parenteral products. Students will engage in a hands-on laboratory experience utilizing the techniques and devices necessary for compounding safe and sterile products. This course reinforces calculations utilized for proper drug compounding, dosing, and administration with a focus on patient safety. 

In this 8-quarter laboratory sequence, students will learn and practice professional skills needed for contemporary and future practice of pharmacy. In each course, students will engage in skills-based learning which aligns with material in concurrent coursework, learn new skills which prepare them for future experiential activities, and reinforce and integrate skills learned earlier in the curriculum. The course sequence will involve frequent use of simulation, group work, and interprofessional teamwork.

Students will learn the structure and organization of the various health care systems and how they impact professionals today. Students will engage in projects examining critical issues surrounding patient safety and the modern delivery of medication and health services. This course introduces concepts of drug development, medication use principles, the importance of safety in patient care systems and practices, and the role that informatics and automation play in enhancing a safe and effective medication use process. 

In this course students will learn about the use of over-the-counter (OTC) and self-care medications. Students will engage in lectures and case studies examining commonly encountered self-managed disease states. This course reinforces patient assessment and communication skills needed in the delivery of health care and patient counseling.

This course is composed of two related experiences – an introductory pharmacy practice rotation and seminar – and provides foundational activities that integrate knowledge and skills. Students will apply to professional practice the facts, information, and concepts gained in didactic coursework. Students will learn about the profession of pharmacy and the role pharmacists play in advancing pharmacy practice, as well as principles of professionalism, change management, interprofessional collaborative practice, law, and ethics. Students will engage in activities designed to facilitate career planning, continuous professional development, and the development of personal and professional leadership skills. 

Activities and experiences that are purposely developed and implemented to ensure an array of opportunities for students to document competency in the affective domain-related expectations of approaches to patient care and personal and professional development. Co-curricular activities complement and advance the learning that occurs within the formal didactic and experiential curriculum.

Students will learn concepts and general principles underlying drug action and therapeutics, including enzyme and receptor pharmacology, structure-activity relationship and concepts in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenomics as they relate to drug action. Students will engage in various interactive and didactic teaching modalities to explore these concepts and use the knowledge gained to critically approach and solve patient care problems in an evidence-based manner.

Students will learn about the microbiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapeutics, pharmaceutics, and pharmacogenomics of infectious diseases in an integrated, interdisciplinary course structure. Students will engage in various interactive and didactic teaching modalities to explore these concepts and use the knowledge gained to critically approach and solve patient care problems in an evidence-based manner. This course will integrate material from previous courses in a progressive manner and align with learning activities in the concurrent skills laboratory course.

In this 8-quarter laboratory sequence, students will learn and practice professional skills needed for contemporary and future practice of pharmacy. In each course, students will engage in skills-based learning which aligns with material in concurrent coursework, learn new skills which prepare them for future experiential activities, and reinforce and integrate skills learned earlier in the curriculum. The course sequence will involve frequent use of simulation, group work, and interprofessional teamwork. 

Students will learn principles in research methods and study design, biostatistics, and literature evaluation as it relates to evidence based practice. Students will critically evaluate and interpret scientific literature to utilize the best evidence available in making patient-care decisions. 

This course is composed of two related experiences – an introductory pharmacy practice rotation and seminar – and provides foundational activities that integrate knowledge and skills. Students will apply to professional practice the facts, information, and concepts gained in didactic coursework. Students will learn about the profession of pharmacy and the role pharmacists play in advancing pharmacy practice, as well as principles of professionalism, change management, interprofessional collaborative practice, law, and ethics. Students will engage in activities designed to facilitate career planning, continuous professional development, and the development of personal and professional leadership skills. 

Activities and experiences that are purposely developed and implemented to ensure an array of opportunities for students to document competency in the affective domain-related expectations of approaches to patient care and personal and professional development. Co-curricular activities complement and advance the learning that occurs within the formal didactic and experiential curriculum.

Students will learn about the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapeutics, pharmaceutics, and pharmacogenomics of renal and cardiovascular disorders in an integrated, interdisciplinary course structure. Students will engage in various interactive and didactic teaching modalities to explore these concepts and use the knowledge gained to critically approach and solve patient care problems in an evidence-based manner. This course will integrate material from previous courses in a progressive manner and align with learning activities in the concurrent skills laboratory course.

In this second course of a two-part series, students will continue exploring the microbiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapeutics, pharmaceutics, and pharmacogenomics of infectious diseases in an integrated, interdisciplinary course structure. Students will engage in various interactive and didactic teaching modalities to explore these concepts and use the knowledge gained to critically approach and solve patient care problems in an evidence-based manner. This course will integrate material from previous courses in a progressive manner and align with learning activities in the concurrent skills laboratory course. 

In this 8-quarter laboratory sequence, students will learn and practice professional skills needed for contemporary and future practice of pharmacy. In each course, students will engage in skills-based learning which aligns with material in concurrent coursework, learn new skills which prepare them for future experiential activities, and reinforce and integrate skills learned earlier in the curriculum. The course sequence will involve frequent use of simulation, group work, and interprofessional teamwork.

Students will develop a broad understanding of health and its determinants, the major issues affecting population health, and management strategies for global, national, and community-based public health programs. Students will engage in the implementation of activities that advance public health and wellness. This course introduces the application of economic principles and theories to the provision of cost-effective pharmacy products and services that optimize patient-care outcomes, particularly in situations where healthcare resources are limited.

This course is composed of two related experiences – an introductory pharmacy practice rotation and seminar – and provides foundational activities that integrate knowledge and skills. Students will apply to professional practice the facts, information, and concepts gained in didactic coursework. Students will learn about the profession of pharmacy and the role pharmacists play in advancing pharmacy practice, as well as principles of professionalism, change management, interprofessional collaborative practice, law, and ethics. Students will engage in activities designed to facilitate career planning, continuous professional development, and the development of personal and professional leadership skills.

Activities and experiences that are purposely developed and implemented to ensure an array of opportunities for students to document competency in the affective domain-related expectations of approaches to patient care and personal and professional development. Co-curricular activities complement and advance the learning that occurs within the formal didactic and experiential curriculum.