Build a Successful Career
The College of Pharmacy, Glendale Campus is committed to giving you both the scientific and professional skills to be a successful pharmacist. Our year-round, three-year program develops your ability to provide patient-centric care by giving you hands-on experiences and interactions. Our experienced faculty will train you to help advance the practice of pharmacy while providing exceptional service to your community. At CPG, you can take ownership of your education because we give you the tools to build your future as a pharmacist.
Program
Doctoral
Location
Glendale, AZ
Duration
3 years, full-time, year-round
Intake
June
Class Size
80 - 100
Graduation Rate
89% (84% On-Time)
At the College, students pursue the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. The Pharm.D. Program prepares students for entry into the profession of pharmacy. The entire program requires a total of five years of coursework, including two years of pre-requisites at another college and then three calendar years at the College of Pharmacy, Glendale Campus. Students complete, on a year-round basis, required courses emphasizing the basic and pharmaceutical sciences, social and administrative sciences, pharmacy practice, elective professional courses, and clinical/experiential education. View our Three-Year Curriculum Overview.
Pharmacist Professional Responsibilities
- Pharmacists work with other healthcare professionals to assure optimal medication therapy for patients and optimal patient outcomes
- Pharmacists collect information to identify a patient's medication-related health problems and health-related needs
- Pharmacists analyze information to determine the effects of medication therapy, identify medication-related problems, and prioritize health-related needs
- Pharmacists establish patient-centered goals and create medication care plans for patients in collaboration with the patient, caregiver(s), and other health professionals that are evidence-based and cost-effective
- Pharmacists implement medication care plans in collaboration with the patient, caregiver(s), and other health professionals
- Pharmacists follow-up and monitor patient medication care plans to determine the therapeutic effects and any adverse effects related to the treatment plan
- Pharmacists collaborate as a member of the interprofessional health care team
- Pharmacists educate patients and professional colleagues regarding the appropriate use of medications, using evidence-based information to advance patient care
- Pharmacists fulfill medication orders, maximizing the appropriate use of medications in a population and minimizing adverse drug events and medication errors
- Pharmacists provide immunizations to ensure patients have been immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases
Program Expectations
CPG educates and graduates competent and motivated pharmacists who will provide pharmaceutical care in a wide range of community and institutional settings. Standards for admission set forth by CPG outline the nonacademic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by the faculty and by the ACPE, the pharmacy-accrediting agency, in order to obtain the Pharm.D. degree. Candidates must have abilities and skills in five areas: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) motor; 4) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and 5) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.
Graduates of Midwestern University College of Pharmacy will be able to demonstrate competency in 26 curricular outcomes embedded within the following domains:
- Knowledge and problem-solving skills
- Patient and population care
- Practice and systems management
- Communications and interpersonal skills
- Personal and professional development
- One Health and interprofessionalism
Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Glendale Campus Doctor of Pharmacy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60603-3499, Tel 312-664-3575, FAX 866-228-2631, website www.acpe-accredit.org.
Midwestern University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1411, Tel 800-621-7440, FAX 312-263-7462, website www.hlcommission.org.
Students seeking admission to MWU-CPG must submit the following documented evidence:
- Completion of 62 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of nonremedial, prerequisite coursework from regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities, or recognized postsecondary Canadian institutions that use English as its primary language of instruction and documentation. Grades of C or better for prerequisite courses (not C-). Preferred minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. The Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) calculates the cumulative and science GPA. Grades from all nonremedial courses completed post-high school are used to calculate the GPA.
- Completion of prepharmacy coursework requirements by the end of spring semester or spring quarter prior to matriculation to MWU-CPG.
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No Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) score is required for admission, however if an applicant's cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75, then the submission of PCAT scores is preferred to enhance the application.
- Scores may be submitted to the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCas) using PCAT code 104
- PCAT exams are offered multiple times per year by Harcourt Assessment, Inc., (also known as Pearson), 800/622-3231 or pcatweb.info;
- Applicants currently applying to another college within Midwestern University may have scores from the MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE transferred, if their cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75
- Current MWU students wishing to apply to the college of pharmacy may have scores from the MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE transferred, if their cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75
- Only scores earned from the test offered in 2016 or more recently are acceptable
- Demonstration of a people or service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
- Motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer work, or other life experiences.
- Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
- Completion of the MWU-CPG's on-campus interview process (by invitation only).
- Passing the Midwestern University criminal background check.
- Commitment to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
PREREQUISITE COURSES
Courses | Sem Hrs | Qtr Hrs |
English Composition | 6 | 9 |
Biology with lab (for science majors) | 8 | 12 |
Anatomy: human or vertebrate | 3 | 4 |
General Chemistry with lab (for science majors) | 8 | 12 |
Organic Chemistry with lab (for science majors) | 8 | 12 |
Physics Physics (for science majors – mechanics, heat, force and motion must be included in the course) | 3 | 4 |
Calculus | 3 | 4 |
Statistics | 3 | 4 |
Speech (public speaking) | 3 | 4 |
Economics (micro, macro, or general) | 3 | 4 |
Social Sciences (divided among psychology, sociology, anthropology, or political science) | 6 | 9 |
General Education (Courses should be divided among humanities, fine arts, foreign language, business, or computer sciences. Science, math, physical education and healthcare courses are NOT acceptable.) | 8 | 12 |
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 62 | 90 |
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applicants must apply for admission via the online Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) application www.pharmcas.org which is available usually in June of the preceding year. The deadline for submitting a completed PharmCAS application has now been extended until May 1st; however, students are strongly encouraged to apply early in the cycle. Due to the large number of applications and the limited number of seats available, applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all seats are filled.
95%
Job
Placement Rate
$128,570
Median
salary
7,500+
Alumni
across the U.S.
General Requirements
- Two years of prerequisite course work
- Preferred minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50
- Preferred minimum science GPA of 2.50
- The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) score is not required for admission. However, if an applicant's cumulative and science GPAs are below 2.75, then the submission of PCAT scores is preferred to enhance the application. Also accepted in such cases are MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE scores from those who are current MWU students in other programs, or those who have additionally applied to other MWU programs that require these exams.
On-Time Graduation Rates
Class of 2022
On-time graduation rate: 84% 1
Delayed graduation due to an academic or personal issue: 5%
Overall retention rate: 89%
Class of 2023
On-time graduation rate: 79% 2
1 Based on the Class of 2022, which had 151 matriculants. This percentage is reflective of those students admitted in Summer 2019 and graduated on time. This percentage accounts for students who voluntarily withdrew from the program, as well as students who had their graduation delayed due to an academic or personal issue or were dismissed.
2 Based on the Class of 2023, which had 139 matriculants. This percentage is reflective of those students admitted in Summer 2020 and graduated on time. This percentage accounts for students who voluntarily withdrew from the program, as well as students who had their graduation delayed due to an academic or personal issue or were dismissed. Retention data will be available in summer 2024.
Licensing Examination Scores
NAPLEX 2022 first time test-taking pass rate
- CPG graduates: 68%
- MWU-COP graduates: 73% (includes both Glendale and Downers Grove campuses)
MPJE 2022 first-time test-taking pass rate
- CPG graduates: 71%
Data for 2022 provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP, www.nabp.pharmacy) to Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Glendale Campus for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE, or state law exam). Combined pass rate for MWU-COP not included for MPJE, as the exams vary between the two states’ campuses, as does the number of graduates taking the exam for licensure in each campuses’ respective state.
Incoming Students Summer 2023 (Class of 2026) Class Profile
Class Size: 74
Female: 74%
Male: 24%
Undefined: 2%
Average Age: 26
Average Overall GPA: 3.11
Top Home States: Arizona (46%), California (14%)
Career Settings
Community and ambulatory care pharmacies, hospitals/health systems, specialty pharmacies, collaborative practices, managed care organizations, educational institutions, pharmaceutical industry, and other health care settings.
According to the sources below, the median pharmacist salary in 2021 was $128,570 and pharmacist demand is expected to increase 19% through 2030.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S., Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm (accessed 8/18/2022). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. National Center for Workforce Analysis - Health Workforce Projections: Pharmacists at: https://bhw.hrsa.gov/data-research/projecting-health-workforce-supply-demand (accessed 8/18/2022).
Placements
Job Placements
Class of 2022 Job Placement Rate 95%
Community Pharmacy: 64% (72/112)
Hospital and Health System Pharmacy: 4% (4/112)
Residency: 23% (26/112)
Fellowship: 0
Compounding and mail-order pharmacy, long-term care pharmacy, and nuclear pharmacy: 9% (10/112)
To determine Job Placement Rate, the following methodologies were used: Two surveys were administered: 1.) three weeks prior to graduation in May 2022 in which 149 (100%) of the graduating students responded, and 2.) In November 2022, a follow-up survey was administered to the graduates who had indicated they had not yet secured employment at the time of the earlier survey. Collectively, a total Job Placement Rate of 95% was achieved (112/118) within six months of graduation, based on those who had reported such information to the College. There are 31 graduates where no information is available, as of November 2022.
Residency Match Rate
CPG graduates: 76% for the Class of 2023 (25/33)
Based on 2023 National Matching Service (NMS) data obtained from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in April 2023. Match rates are calculated by dividing the number of individuals who matched to a residency program by the number of individuals who submitted a rank list to NMS in 2023, plus those who matched outside of the process. The CPG Graduates' rate is based on students from the Class of 2023 exclusively and does not include students from previous graduating classes. These rates also represent the entire match process. National Phase I and Phase II combined PGY1 match rate is 81.8%.