Program Overview
The International-Trained PharmD Program is an advanced standing entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy program for pharmacists who graduated with a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in pharmacy from any locally approved or accredited college or university program outside the United States. By earning a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from the University of Colorado’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ International-Trained PharmD (ITPD) Program, you’ll be able to make a lasting impact on your patients, community, and career.
The ITPD program meets the same abilities-based outcomes as the school’s on-campus entry-level program, with advanced standing achieved through coursework earned in the applicant’s baccalaureate Pharmacy degree, prior professional experience, and demonstration of competency in biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences via pre-admission examinations. These exams ensure that knowledge obtained from coursework provided in the applicant’s baccalaureate pharmacy program may be accepted as credit for previous degree work. Alternatively, applicants may demonstrate this competency through successful passing of the US Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Exam (FPGEE).
Have questions about the program? Fill out our Request Information form and one of our knowledgeable admissions counselors will contact you.
ELIGIBILITY
The International-Trained PharmD (ITPD) Program is open to pharmacists who possess a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in pharmacy from any locally approved or accredited college or university program outside of the United States. Applicants must be licensed (or local equivalent; see license requirements on the linked Admissions page below) pharmacists and be in good standing with the licensing agency in their country. Successful applicants must also demonstrate a desire and commitment to expand patient-centered pharmacy care in their home country.
PLEASE NOTE: Successful completion of the ITPD program’s pathway to the PharmD degree does not ensure eligibility for licensure in the U.S., as each state sets its own requirements for licensure.
To learn more details about the ITPD admission requirements, visit the International- Trained PharmD Program Admission page.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
The ITPD Program requires the completion of 86 credit hours of didactic coursework, which includes introductory/advanced introductory pharmacy practice experiences and 42 credit hours of experiential training in advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs), or rotations, totaling 128 credit hours.
The ITPD Program is primarily distance-based, yet the ITPD Program does require students to come to Colorado during the curriculum. During these visits, students complete program requirements through live sessions, which occur during year 1, year 2, and year 3 in the spring or summer semester.
The first live session, during year 1, includes three weeks of skills assessment, Patient-centered communication and Pharmacotherapy 1 courses, and a community pharmacy introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE). The second live session, which occurs during year 2, includes an additional four weeks of a health system pharmacy introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE). The third and final live session, which occurs in year 3, includes the completion of the advanced IPPE to prepare students for their future advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) rotations.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Online didactic course requirements. | ||
| PRDZ 5000 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) | 1 |
| PRDZ 5010 | IPPE- Community (80 hours) | 2 |
| PRDZ 6910 | IPPE- Health System (80 hours) | 2 |
| PRDZ 7905 | Advanced IPPE (240 hours) | 6 |
| PRDZ 5055 | Pharmacy Practice Fundamentals and Drug Information | 4 |
| PRDZ 5075 | Self-Care and Nonprescription Medications | 4 |
| PRDZ 5965 | Patient-Centered Communication | 4 |
| PRDZ 6000 | Interprofessional Healthcare Ethics and Health Equity (IPHE) | 1 |
| PRDZ 6015 | Clinical Pharmacokinetics | 3 |
| PRDZ 6065 | Evidence-Based Medicine and Literature Evaluation | 3 |
| PRDZ 6945 | Public Health and Health Outcomes | 3 |
| PRDZ 7015 | Seminar Research | 1 |
| PRDZ 7055 | Pharmacy Management | 2 |
| PRDZ 7945 | Pharmacy Law and Regulatory Standards | 3 |
| PRDZ 5985 | Pharmacotherapy 1: Pulmonary, OBGYN, Urology, ED, Otic, Ophthalmology, Dermatology | 4 |
| PRDZ 6085 | Pharmacotherapy 2: Cardiology | 5 |
| PRDZ 6095 | Pharmacotherapy 3: Endocrinology, Renal | 4 |
| PRDZ 6985 | Pharmacotherapy 4: Infectious Diseases | 5 |
| PRDZ 6995 | Pharmacotherapy 5: Psychiatry, Neurology | 4 |
| PRDZ 7085 | PT 6: Immunology, GI, Rheumatology, Transplantation, Osteoporosis | 4 |
| PRDZ 7095 | PT 7: Oncology | 3 |
| PRDZ 6965 | Clinical Problem-Solving Skills | 2 |
| PRDZ 7025 | Pharmacogenomics | 2 |
| PRDZ 7995 | Clinical Capstone | 6 |
| ELECTIVES (See Below)- At least 8 credits | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 86 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Students are required to enroll in at least 8 credits from the list below. | ||
| PRDZ 7808 | Pharmaceutical Industry Fundamentals | 2 |
| PRDZ 7828 | Advanced Diabetes Management | 2 |
| PRDZ 7830 | Infectious Diseases | 2 |
| PRDZ 7835 | Advanced Cardiovascular Therapy | 2 |
| PRDZ 7842 | Medical Use of Cannabis | 2 |
| PRDZ 7850 | Geriatric Pharmacotherapy | 2 |
| PRDZ 7860 | Integrative Health and Medicine | 2 |
| PRDZ 7870 | Pediatric Pharmacotherapy | 2 |
| PRDZ 7882 | Drugs of Abuse | 2 |
| PRDZ 7885 | Acute Care Pharmacotherapy | 2 |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Experiential Coursework | ||
| ITPD students are required to complete a total of 7 experiential rotations. | ||
| PRDZ 8055 | APPE- Elective (240 hours) 3 Rotations Required for a Total of 18 Credits | 18 |
| PRDZ 8065 | APPE- Ambulatory Care (240 hours) | 6 |
| PRDZ 8075 | APPE- Community (240 hours) | 6 |
| PRDZ 8085 | APPE Hospital/Health-System (240 hours) 2 Rotations Required for a Total of 12 Credits | 12 |
| Total Hours | 42 | |