Founded in 1991, the College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove Campus (CPDG) offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Its successful curriculum emphasizes patient-centered care, communications, and uses group learning to develop team-oriented work skills needed for today's healthcare environment.

CPDG alumni work in hospital settings, community pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, educational institutions, and managed care organizations. Graduates of the College are well-positioned to be offered full-time positions in rewarding and challenging practice environments with excellent salaries. 

Three-Year Year-Round Curriculum

During the first professional years in the program, students complete required courses, elective courses, and introductory pharmacy practice experiences. The final professional year transitions into experiential learning at diverse clinical rotation sites.

CPDG offers a single three-year, year-round curriculum that begins in early June, with an eventual May graduation date. This new curriculum continues to provide the high quality pharmacy and experiential education that Midwestern University is long known for, in an efficient timeframe for the benefit of our students. For details, you may review the Three-Year Curriculum Overview.

Sample Block Schedule

Each class of pharmacy students follows the same schedule of courses each quarter, also known as a "block schedule." With this system, the University will enroll students in their required courses on the days and times they are offered. There is no option to create a custom schedule of required courses.

After the first few quarters in the program, students may sign up for elective courses of their choice (subject to availability) in addition to their required courses. To better understand how block schedules work, please click on the link below. 

PS-1 Summer Quarter Block Schedule

Please note: Quarterly block schedules are subject to change each year for each class. This is posted for informational purposes only.

Course Descriptions

Required Courses 
Elective Courses - Must complete at least nine hours of elective coursework (subject to change).

Additional Information

Visit these helpful links to learn more about the pharmacy curriculum:

• Pharmacy Student Rotation Opportunities
• Pharmacy Departments
• Faculty Members
• Research Participation

Students who are strong in math and science have the greatest success rates in pharmacy school. Other helpful qualities include possessing a high desire to help people, analytical thinking, communication skills, attention to detail, high ethical standards, a natural desire to learn, as well as good judgment and professionalism.

Our caring faculty take a personal approach to teaching our students. Meet two of our faculty members who balance their professional pharmacy endeavors with their passion for teaching our students:

Dr. Shridhar Andurkar
Dr. Jennifer D'Souza

Meet one of our recent graduates who reflects back on how his time at CPDG has impacted his career:

Dr. Tolu Akinwale, CPDG Class of 2013

If you have any questions, please email us at AdmissIL@midwestern.edu.

Student Life

There are many pharmacy-related student organizations, so students can develop leadership skills, get involved in projects that serve the community, and work with professional pharmacy organizations. Guided by dedicated faculty members, these are great opportunities to collaborate with professors, get to know more about their leadership in professional pharmacy organizations, offer the opportunity for students to build their own networks, as well as build their resumes.