UC San Diego School of Pharmacy Unveils Enhanced PharmD Curriculum

"The pharmacy profession is constantly evolving, and our curriculum must evolve with it to ensure we fully equip students for their future careers," says Shirley Tsunoda, PharmD, associate dean for pharmacy education, who led the development and implementation of the curriculum. "These updates build on the strengths that have made our program so successful while creating an even stronger educational experience that better prepares our graduates for licensure and employment, postgraduate training and the rapidly changing practice of pharmacy."

The enhancements preserve the unique features of Skaggs School of Pharmacy’s curriculum — including its shared courses with UC San Diego School of Medicine students — while refining how and when key content is delivered.

Now students will begin their integrated classes during their first year of pharmacy school, creating earlier opportunities to build foundational biomedical knowledge. Learning objectives and assessments for these courses will be tailored to emphasize content most relevant to pharmacy practice, including preparation for national and state pharmacy licensure exams.

The curriculum also expands therapeutic education by distributing it across both the second and third years rather than concentrating it into a single, intensive year. Coursework will be organized by organ system, an educational approach that aligns with how many health professions now teach disease and treatment.

Additionally, Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) will begin during the spring quarter of the third year. This change provides students with earlier exposure to clinical rotations, allowing them to deepen relationships with preceptors, gain additional hands-on patient care experience and strengthen their preparation for residency and fellowship applications.

"Experiential learning is where students bring together everything they've learned in the classroom," says Tsunoda. "By providing more time in clinical rotations and thoughtfully sequencing the curriculum, we're giving students additional opportunities to develop confidence, strengthen their clinical reasoning and build meaningful mentoring relationships with preceptors."

The curriculum will be rolled out over the next four years, with current students experiencing only minor adjustments to their coursework.

The enhancements build upon a program that already ranks among the nation's best, with graduates consistently achieving outstanding North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE) pass rates and strong residency match success. School leaders expect the refinements to further strengthen those outcomes while enhancing the overall student experience.

"Our goal is continuous improvement," says Tsunoda. "We regularly evaluate every aspect of our curriculum to ensure we're providing our students with the best possible education. These changes position our graduates to become the next generation of pharmacy leaders who will improve patient care, advance the profession and make a meaningful impact on the health of our communities."

The enhanced curriculum can be viewed on the pharmacy school's website.

Read more news about: Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences