Professional Technical Standards
A candidate for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program must possess, or be able to achieve through a reasonable accommodation, certain intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities that would enable the individual to acquire the knowledge and technical and clinical skills needed to complete, successfully, the curriculum in order to pursue a career in pharmacy practice. Upon matriculation to the program, the student must continue to possess, or be able to achieve through a reasonable accommodation, the personal competencies outlined below throughout their progression in the program. The practice of pharmacy requires the performance of specific functions that fall into five broad skills categories, including, but not limited to, the areas outlined below. Under all circumstances, a candidate or student should be able to perform the following in a reasonably independent manner, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
Intellectual skills
Students must utilize effective learning techniques in order to assimilate and apply a detailed and complex curriculum to resolve individual drug-related problems. Students must be able to acquire knowledge through many modalities of teaching and instruction including independent learning, collaborative groups, projects, experiential training, and computer assisted learning. Students must demonstrate a fundamental and continuing ability to use analytical reasoning both independently and in collaboration with others to analyze and solve problems and explain healthcare situations. Students must be able to use information to develop appropriate drug therapy and monitoring plans in a reasonable amount of time.
Communication skills
Students must be able to communicate effectively in a broad range of academic and healthcare settings that includes patients, colleagues, and other healthcare team members. Students must understand, communicate, read, and write fluent English. Students must be able to communicate effectively with patients from a broad range of backgrounds, including the ability to recognize nonverbal communication cues.
Motor skills
Students must possess the motor, tactile, auditory, and visual abilities required to perform the duties of a generalist pharmacist, including accurately fulfilling all types of medication orders and utilizing diagnostic equipment or other means for patient assessment. Students must have sufficient physical stamina to complete the rigorous didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences, which consist of long periods of sitting, standing, or moving.
Behavioral, social, and emotional skills
Students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the prompt completion of all academic and patient care responsibilities. Students must demonstrate professional and ethical demeanor, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work in an interprofessional environment. Students must also be able to adapt to changes, function in the face of uncertainty, display flexibility and be able to ensure prompt and safe completion of all responsibilities. Compassion, integrity, interpersonal skills, motivation, and concern for others are humanistic qualities expected of students.