Welcome to Midwestern University!

As you look forward to attending the College of Pharmacy on the Downers Grove, IL Campus (CPDG), we want to help you make your transition as easy as possible with these resources. If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to those referenced in the topics below.

Getting Situated
Meeting People
Academic Success

Key Dates

Your Summer Course Schedule: Available Now! Please visit Summer Quarter Course Enrollment
Required Orientation: Wednesday May 31^st – Friday, June 2^nd
Classes Begin: Monday, June 5^th
Final Transcripts Due for Spring Pre-pharmacy Coursework: Third week of June

Login to Your Portal

To access your matriculation paperwork and other key documents, go to MWUnet.

If you have forgotten your password, please reach out to our Office of Admissions at 630-515-7200.

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Make Your Deposit

Log in to MWUnet with your username and password to make your first deposit by the deadline. If you do not make your deposit by the deadline, you will be withdrawn from the program.

Not sure when your deadline is? Visit MWUnet or call our Admissions Office at (630) 515-7200. 

Make Your Deposit Now

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Financial Aid

Midwestern University's Office of Student Financial Services is here to help you! Here are some important notes:

• FAFSA: For Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL, Federal School Code is 001657.
• Scholarships: We have gathered this growing list of scholarships for you to browse.
• Once you have paid your deposit, you will be provided a new MWU email account. Financial aid information and instructions will be sent to this account. You will also have access to the Financial Services tab in your portal where you will find all of the requirements and details needed to apply for financial aid.
• Workshops & More: As a student, you can now take advantage of our financial literacy seminars and resources. 
• Questions? Check out these FAQs or email ILfinaid@midwestern.edu.

Financial Aid Information

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Housing

There are so many advantages to living on campus. Now is the perfect time to start looking at housing choices.

• Redwood Hall: This popular option offers single-occupancy rooms, air conditioning, a built-in closet and more. Each room also includes a bathroom shared by two adjoining residents. 
• Pines Apartments: This apartment complex offers one-bedroom apartments with 500 square feet of living space, a kitchenette, central air conditioning and more.
• Tours: Housing tours are available on Tuesdays and Fridays, by appointment only, March 1^st thru August 15^th. Please call 630-971-6400.
• Midwestern University Downers Grove Housing Facebook Group: Check out this Facebook group to connect with other MWU students about local housing, apartment openings and needed roommates.

Downers Grove On-Campus Housing

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Visit Campus

If you have not yet had a chance to visit our beautiful and secure campus, we encourage you to do so. Please reach out to Ms. Nicole Liddle in the Office of Admissions: nliddl@midwestern.edu

Or you may register for one of the general tours of our Downers Grove campus. We look forward to seeing you!

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Orientation

Your dates for Orientation are Wednesday, May 31^st – Friday, June 2^nd. Attendance is required on all three days, so please plan accordingly.

Orientation details will be emailed to all deposited students. Please be on the lookout for a few important emails:

1. From Dr. Pamela Jurgens-Toepke in Student Services: If you placed your deposit before February 24^th, then you should have received an email from her on this date. For those who deposit after this date, you should receive her first email soon after. This email includes an important attachment that outlines health information needed, insurance required, criminal background check next steps, and other important details.
2. Also from Dr. Pamela Jurgens-Toepke in Student Services: About one month prior to Orientation, you will receive further information and details for the activities on Wednesday, May 31^st.
3. From Dr. Carrie Sincak, Associate Dean for the College of Pharmacy: About one month prior to Orientation, you will receive an email which will include several important documents (including your Summer Quarter Block Schedule), as well as the schedule and important information for the remaining days of Orientation.

If you have any questions about Orientation, we request that you review the information that will be emailed to you first before reaching out with questions. Thank you.

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Your Faculty Mentor

During your studies at Midwestern University, you will be partnered with a Faculty Mentor who can advise you as you navigate the curriculum, as well as help you decide which pharmacy career pathway may be best for you.

As you are getting closer to beginning your pharmacy career at Midwestern University, you will soon hear from your Faculty Mentor via email. Please watch for this outreach and take this valuable opportunity to get to know your Mentor who will be there for you … every step of the way.

Mentor/Mentee partnerships are being created beginning in March for those who have already deposited. Please allow three to four weeks after this time or three weeks after the time your deposit has been placed to receive an introductory email from your Faculty Mentor. For questions about this program, please reach out to Dr. Carrie Sincak, Associate Dean, at csinca@midwestern.edu.

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Meet Your Peers

Looking to meet your new classmates and join the camaraderie? Visit your CPDG Class of 2026 Facebook page.

You can also follow us on social media to learn the latest about our student heroes and happenings:

     

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Summer Quarter Course Enrollment

Good news! This is one less thing you need to do. Your course enrollments will be done for you by the Registrar. 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.

Here is your PS-I Summer Quarter Block Schedule, which includes all of your summer courses' meeting days and times, workshops, quizzes, and exams.

For key dates in this upcoming year, here is the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar for PS-I Students.

For your reference, here is the CPDG Pharm.D. Curriculum, where you will find the list of courses scheduled for your first Summer Quarter as a PS-I student. 

For any questions, please contact the CPDG Dean’s Office at 630-971-6417 or email CPDG@midwestern.edu.

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Strategies for Success

You’ve been accepted into our College of Pharmacy … congratulations! And soon, the real work will begin. Are you ready? Here are some strategies to help you prepare and ensure your success in pharmacy school:

Evaluate your study habits prior to the first day of classes. How you studied in undergrad will most likely be different than what will be needed to earn your Pharm.D. degree. Pharmacy school goes beyond memorization and will have many application-based questions and patient cases.

Change your mindset. This will be a rigorous curriculum where you are earning your Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Courses and the schedule are mapped out for you … this is different than your undergraduate schedule. Consider this your full-time job, where you will be in class full time.

Go to class. This will help keep you on track with the material. Be an active listener and retain information in the moment. To be an active listener, take good notes. Not attending class puts you behind quickly.

Learn how you study best and incorporate a variety of study techniques. Find a study group and learn from one another. Get together with your group after you have studied the material on your own.

Time management is essential to balance multiple courses and priorities. Once you receive the block schedule, create a calendar and study schedule for yourself, and stick to it.

Study hard, as your first-year courses lay the foundation for future coursework. If undergraduate coursework came easy to you, be prepared to adjust your study habits. All coursework will need to be retained to be successful for your Pharm.D. degree and passing the licensure exams.

Do not procrastinate. Study as you go … do not wait until the last minute to prepare for an exam.  Do. Not. Cram.

Own a good laptop computer. Nothing will slow you down quicker than technology that cannot keep up with you. Review these Laptop Requirements to be sure your computer will enhance your success.

Use all available resources. Take advantage of practice homework, cases, and quizzes offered by faculty. This is a great way to prepare for exams.

Repetition, repetition, repetition. The more time you actively review material, the more you will retain.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to faculty early and often if you need assistance.

Get involved in pharmacy organizations. This will provide connections with your classmates, other students, and potential employers.

If you have a part-time job, minimize your hours during your first quarter of pharmacy school. Get a feel for the pace of the curriculum and the content of exams, as well as master good study habits before you take on more hours elsewhere.

Establish a support system. You are not alone in this journey.

Take mini breaks and do something fun! Self-care should also be a priority.

Believe in yourself and your ability. We believe in you. And we are here to support you.

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Pharmacy Technician License

Complete instructions for obtaining this important document can be found in this Pharmacy Technician Licensure Instructions.

If you have questions, please reach out to Ms. Linda Haase at lhaase@midwestern.edu.

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News & Notes

Pharmacy Residency Match Results for our CPDG Pharm.D. Graduates

Residency Match season has concluded! Recently, final program Match results were announced for those pharmacy students who are seeking postgraduate training opportunities in pharmacy practice. Our College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove campus students fared very well!

Among the 50 CPDG students who applied for a first-year residency position, 39 matched to the program of their choice (78%). Following are the institutions where our 39 students will begin more specialized training after graduation:

• MacNeal Hospital - Loyola Medicine, Berwyn, IL
• Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Elk Grove Village, IL
• Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington, IL
• Lee Health - Lee Memorial Hospital, Ft. Myers, FL
• Ascension Resurrection, Chicago, IL
• Swedish Hospital - NorthShore, Chicago, IL
• Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee, IL
• Jewel - Osco Pharmacies, Itasca, IL
• Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
• Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
• Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet, Joliet, IL
• Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, Geneva, IL
• Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL
• Aurora Health Care/St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI
• Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet, Joliet, IL
• VA-Spokane, WA-Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, Spokane, WA
• Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
• VA-Chicago, IL-Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
• Rush Copley Medical Center, Aurora, IL
• Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, NC
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, IL
• NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL
• Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin, IL
• Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, IL
• Sentara RMH Medical Center, Harrisonburg, VA
• Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington, IL
• Ascension Saint Mary - Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Ascension Resurrection, Chicago, IL
• NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL
• Ascension Saint Francis, Evanston, IL
• Northwestern Medicine Palos Community Hospital, Palos Heights, IL
• Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Dallas, TX
• U Chicago Medicine-Ingalls Memorial, Harvey, IL
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, IL
• Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, Geneva, IL
• Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
• NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL
• Rush Copley Medical Center, Aurora, IL
• Swedish Hospital - NorthShore, Chicago, IL

Residency training after earning your Pharm.D. degree is the primary pathway to a career in clinical pharmacy. The match process is facilitated by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). To learn more general information about pharmacy residencies, visit the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Website.

The pharmacy residency match process is highly competitive. Congratulations to our students who continue to make us proud! 

Highest Pharmacist Licensing Exam Pass Rates in the Chicago Area

In 2022, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove Campus graduates achieved the highest licensing exam first-time pass rates among all pharmacy schools in the Chicago area. These highest first-time pass rates were achieved on each of the NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam, required for all practicing pharmacists), as well as the MPJE (Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam, also known as the pharmacy law exam).

A Legacy of Exceptional Patient Counseling Competitors

At the College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove Campus, we have a proud history of our select student delegates placing among the top finishers at the American Pharmacists Association’s Academy of Student Pharmacists’ (APhA-ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition. In the last 10 years, four of our student delegates have placed among the Top 10 from among an average of 140 competitors each year. And on two occasions, our select student delegate was awarded 2^nd Runner Up nationally!

The student that is selected to represent our College of Pharmacy each year must first win the campus competition, which pits students against one another. The campus winner then advances to the national competition that is held at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in the spring.

Both the campus and national level competitions consist of two rounds. The first is open to all competitors, and the second is open only to the top 10 from the first round. In each round of the competition, the name of a drug is given to the competitors along with a mock patient chart. Then the competitors have five minutes to research that drug from just one resource. After five minutes, the competitors must enter a one-on-one counseling session with the mock patient, their performances are videotaped and later scored for various communication skills, accuracy of the drug and dosage information given to the patient, and other specific points.

We look forward to continuing our legacy of success in this national arena, as well as helping you launch your own successful career as a patient-centered care pharmacist.

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