We care
At VCU School of Pharmacy, we work hard to make sure every student we accept succeeds. If you choose VCU for your pharmacy education, you will never lack support from your faculty, school leadership, and fellow students. More than 96% of our pharmacy students graduate on time and 98% of our graduates say they would choose VCU for pharmacy school again.
We Engage
VCU School of Pharmacy is dedicated to increasing access in our community. We work diligently to improve health locally, nationally, and globally through our clinics, community partnerships, and student organizations. Recently, the School of Pharmacy won the prestigious C. Peter Magrath Award for Community Engagement and the Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award for our dedication to the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve.
We Lead
Led by Dean Joseph T. DiPiro, a pharmacist and editor of the nation's top textbook on pharmacotherapy, our faculty includes many practicing pharmacists, world-class researchers, pharmaceutical scientists, and community health experts. Their expertise prepares our students for careers in a variety of fields and settings including psychiatry, geriatrics, pediatrics, ambulatory care, transplant, managed care, community pharmacy and many more.
We Thrive
Each year, our graduates demonstrate the value of a VCU School of Pharmacy education. This year, 98% of our graduates passed the NAPLEX on their first attempt, with more than 93% of them securing jobs within six months of graduation. In addition to community pharmacy, our students are prepared to work in a variety of settings including hospital practice, ambulatory care, industry, veterinary pharmacy, informatics, geriatrics, pediatrics, managed care and so much more.
Application timeline
Questions?
Do you have questions about the admissions process? Schedule an individual appointment. One-on-one appointments give prospective Pharm.D. students the opportunity to clarify any questions they have. Each meeting is tailored to meet the needs of the student and is no longer than an hour.
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July 18, 2019
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September 3, 2019
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October 18, 2019
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April 1, 2020
Connect with us!
The VCU Health Sciences Pipeline features programs and initiatives to support students in their journey toward a healthcare career. VCU School of Pharmacy has several programs at the middle school, high school and college level for students interested in learning about pharmacy. Click the button below to learn more and find a program for you.
- Compromiso, Valores, Servicio
- Preview Day
- Pharmacy Explorers
- Pharmacy Summer Scholars
- Summer Academic Enrichment Program
Open Houses are open to anyone interested in the Pharm.D. program at VCU School of Pharmacy. Attending an Open House gives you the opportunity to learn more about our Pharm.D. program, ask questions about the admissions process, tour the MCV Campus and get a sense of student life from current Pharm.D. students. Open Houses are typically held on Fridays and begin promptly at 2 p.m. All participants must be registered for at least three days prior to the scheduled Open House they are planning to attend. When planning to cancel or reschedule be sure to contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services at (804) 828-3003.
Information sessions are designed with you in mind. Our Admissions Team will travel to your school, class, or organization meeting to provide insights about the pharmacy profession and VCU School of Pharmacy. Each session is led by a representative from the Office of Admissions and Student Services and includes a Q & A or Mock Admissions discussion. If you have a class, club or group of individuals interested in learning more about VCU School of Pharmacy, feel free to request an information session. Please be sure to submit your request at least two weeks prior to our proposed visit and wait for confirmation as we may not be able to accommodate all requests.
An on-campus visit to VCU School of Pharmacy features a 30-minute information session, lunch with current Pharm.D. students, a campus tour and a mock admissions session. On-campus visits are exclusive to groups of college-level individuals that are interested in the Pharm.D. program at VCU. Please be sure to submit your request at least three weeks prior to your proposed visit and wait for confirmation as we may not be able to accommodate all requests. Please note that on-campus visits cannot be scheduled on weekends.
Schedule an appointment
Scheduling an appointment with the Office of Admissions and Student Services allows you to learn more about how your application will be reviewed and receive advice on the application process.
Attend a virtual event
We host several virtual events during the academic school year designed to inform prospective students on student life at VCU School of Pharmacy. Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to receive event notifications.
Review our website and requirements
Everything you need to know about the application process can be found on our website. Be sure to check out our application timeline, download the admissions guidebook and prerequisite checklist, watch a few of our videos, and review the FAQs to make sure you are up to date on all pertinent information.
Request and submit strong recommendation letters
Recommendation letters should give the Admissions Committee a good understanding of your interest in Pharmacy, character, aptitude, and/or extracurricular experiences. Select faculty members, former employers, and/or current healthcare professionals that can speak to who you are and why you would be a good fit for our program.
Participate in community engagement
Applicants to the Pharm.D. program are not required to have healthcare-related experience. We understand that it may be difficult for students to secure shadowing or clinical opportunities in the setting of COVID-19. However, we are looking for students who have extensive volunteer experience. Compelling Pharm.D. applicants are members of student organizations, volunteer regularly and have experiences that demonstrate their interest in helping others.
Apply sooner rather than later
As of now, our application process opens in July and closes in May each year. Please don’t wait to apply. As a school that utilizes a rolling admissions process, we admit students year-round. Applying early guarantees there are more seats available and allows you to receive an admissions decision sooner rather than later. Remember, you only need to have 30 prerequisite credits to apply.
Prerequisites
Applicants for the VCU School of Pharmacy must successfully complete ALL course prerequisites by the end of the summer term before fall classes begin in the year of their admission.
52
Total number of college semester hours that must be completed prior to matriculation
30
Total number of basic science college semester hours that must be completed prior to application consideration
45
Total number of college quarter hours that must be completed prior to matriculation:
Additional Information
*** Due to the importance of a strong biomedical science foundation in the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program, some or all of these courses are highly recommended: genetics (3 SH), molecular biology (3 SH), immunology (3 SH) and cell biology (3 SH).
NOTE: AP (Advanced Placement tests of the College Board) and/or IB (International Baccalaureate) courses will not be accepted for science prerequisites other than physics, although higher-level courses in the same subject area may be substituted (e.g., physical chemistry for general chemistry). AP/IB credit in physics, calculus, statistics, and English will be accepted with a minimum score of 3 (AP) or 4 (IB).
| Course title | Sem. hrs | Qrt. hrs |
| General Biology | 6 | 9 |
| General Biology Lab | 2 | 3 |
| Microbiology Lecture (in addition, 1 SH of lab is preferred) | 3 | 4.5 |
| Biochemistry Lecture | 3 | 4.5 |
| English | 6 | 9 |
| Calculus | 3 | 4.5 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4.5 |
| Human Anatomy Lecture (in addition, 1 SH of lab is preferred) | 3 | 4.5 |
| Human Physiology | 3 | 4.5 |
| General Chemistry Lecture | 6 | 9 |
| General Chemistry Lab | 2 | 3 |
| Organic Chemistry Lecture | 6 | 9 |
| Organic Chemistry Lab | 2 | 3 |
| Physics Lecture | 3 | 4.5 |
| Physics Lab | 1 | 1.5 |
| TOTAL | 52 | 78 |