by schools/colleges of pharmacy. The “major focus and design of the PhD degree program should be research-intensive to develop an independent pharmaceutical science researcher.”' These degrees are accredited by regional and national accrediting bodies. Professional coursework After admission, a student will typically complete a four-year pharmacy program, although some schools offer accelerated three-year programs. The curriculum typically begins with courses in physiology and pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology and toxicology. Once a student is proficient in these core pharmaceutical sciences, instruction in evidence based therapeutic application of pharmacologic agents begins. Aside from usage of agents, students are taught to recognize and assess risk factors for disease, interpret clinical data and recognize interactions of drugs and disease states. While most schools teach the core science courses separately, some schools take a systems-based approach, teaching all of the material from physiology to therapeutics for a particular body system before moving on to another. Augmenting the pharmaceutical sciences, courses in ethics, management, pharmacy law, communications, public health and advocacy are taught throughout the professional program. In addition to didactic work, pharmacy education includes practice experiences. These experiences are generally directed by the school, conducted under the supervision of a preceptor and are intended to complement work done in the classroom. Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) courses must comprise 5% of the curriculum and may take many forms, and introduce students to the practice of pharmacy. The final year of the curriculum generally consists entirely of the advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE). These experiences must account for 25% of the curriculum and allow the student the opportunity to practice in multiple environments under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Development of curricula for schools of pharmacy is guided by the standards set forth by ACPE. Successful completion of the practice experience objectives may yield academic credit and satisfy state pharmacy board requirements for internship. There are 7 standards that provide the framework and content for pharmacy school curricula. These standards allow interpretation by each school to develop coursework that aligns with the mission and goals of their respective institution. Below are the seven standards included in the curriculum section and a short description of what each standard encompasses. 1. The goal of the curriculum a. This standard ensures that schools of pharmacy prepare graduates to practice pharmacy in any setting, must satisfy the educational requirements for licensure, and meet the requirements of the University