Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

About the College of Pharmacy


Colleges  > College of Pharmacy  > About the College of Pharmacy

Office of the Dean

(713) 743-1252
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, Rm 3046

Office of Research and Graduate Programs

(713) 743-7725
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, Rm 6007A

Office of Student and Professional Affairs

(713) 743-1239
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, Rm 3044

Office of Experiential Programs, Professional Program

(832) 842-8337
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, Rm 3044

Office of Academic Affairs

(713) 743-7347
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, Rm 3046

Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

(Ph.D. Program in Pharmacology/Pharmaceutics)
(713) 743-7757
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, 5th floor and 7th floor

Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research

MS Pharmacy Administration
(713) 795-8380
Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, 4th floor

Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy

Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun, 4th floor
(713) 743-1730
Dean:
F. Lamar Pritchard, Ph.D.

Executive Vice Dean for Research:

Mustafa Lokhandwala, Ph.D.

Executive Associate Dean:

Andrea Smesny, Pharm.D.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs:

Elizabeth Coyle, Pharm.D.

Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs:

Brian Knoll, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean for Student and Professional Affairs:

Paige Pitman, Pharm.D.

Assistant Dean for Experiential Programs:

Nancy Ordonez, Pharm.D.

Assistant Dean, Rio Grande Valley:

Ronnie Ozuna, Pharm.D.

Director of Business Operations:

LaSaundra Cotright, M.B.A.

Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences:

Douglas Eikenburg, Ph.D., Department Chair

Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy:

Rajendar Aparasu, Ph.D., Department Chair

Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research:

Kevin Garey, Pharm.D., Department Chair

About the Profession of Pharmacy

The College of Pharmacy, established in 1947, prepares students to enter into the practice of pharmacy and to function as professionals and informed citizens in a changing health care system and to assume important roles as drug information specialists and primary care providers.

Upon graduation, the new professional utilizes a foundation of skills in administrative, biological, clinical, and pharmaceutical sciences to take an active role in contemporary pharmacy practice - shaping policies and the future directions of the profession. Career options in pharmacy are virtually unlimited. From community to hospital practice, from home care to nuclear pharmacy, from clinical practice to basic science research in the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists participate in areas that provide patient care and unravel the mysteries of human health. Employment opportunities are also available in academia.

Pharmacists educate health care professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, and patients in institutions and communities throughout the world. Pharmacists are responsible for supervising the drug distribution process, selecting appropriate drug therapies, determining drug dosages and routes of administration, and monitoring therapeutic outcomes. Working with other health care providers-physicians, nurses, veterinarians, and dentists-pharmacists complement the health care system by providing pharmaceutical care.

About Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

In addition to training pharmacy professionals, the College of Pharmacy trains students for research careers as in Pharmacologic & Pharmaceutical Sciences. Through its Doctor of Philosophy programs, students are trained as future scientists that will contribute to the understanding of disease states and the development of new therapeutic interventions through basic science research. Graduates of these programs have opportunities in careers including (but not limited to) academic research and teaching, research and development in the pharmaceutical industry, and employment in federal regulatory agencies responsible for the review and approval of new therapeutic agents.

About the PharmD/PhD Program

The PharmD/PhD program is designed for the highly motivated and qualified individuals who are seeking an integrated program in the clinical and basic sciences preparing them for a career in academics or research. By carefully structuring the dual degree program on a year-round basis, it is possible to complete the requirements of both the Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in seven years. Only a select few students will be able to meet the rigors and demands of such an academic endeavor. The degree program complements and not supplants the existing PharmD and PhD programs.

The PharmD/PhD program is not a new curriculum per se; but rather a restructured program flexible enough for serving a combined purpose. The restructuring allows a student to complete both degree requirements in a shorter duration of time as opposed to entering each degree program (PharmD, followed by PhD) successively. Furthermore, a dual degree program is focused in that it flows in a more clearly defined pathway than the traditional two separate pathways.  Due to the additional academic and/or research commitment required of students, the college REQUIRES applicants to have successfully completed the first year (P1) of the PharmD curriculum before being considered for admission into the PharmD/PhD program.

About the PhD Programs in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (PHOP)

PHOP as a research area encompasses issues dealing with the various topics involved in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Management, Health Outcomes Research, Pharmacy Business Administration, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacy Management, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Consumer Health Behavior, Managed Health Care Issues, Health Policy Development, Pharmaceutical Care, Health Systems Operations, and Information Systems in Health Care.

In PHOP research, these topics are considered in a systematic and scientific manner to conduct inquiry and evaluate drug therapy decisions by measuring and analyzing patient outcomes for the evaluation and improvement of access, effectiveness, and quality of care. The mission of this program is to develop outstanding graduates to assume leadership positions in the field of pharmacy outcomes research for careers in academia, government, and industry-related health care organizations. Graduates of this program will be prepared to become scientists, directors and professors with a philosophy based on excellence in teaching, research and service in the areas of pharmacy administration.

About the MS Program in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration

The MS Program in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration is a post Doctor of Pharmacy graduate degree program taking full advantage of the resources of the world’s largest medical center, the 24-month Houston Program in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration offers unique learning, teaching and collaboration opportunities to train the next generation of pharmacy leaders. 

The University of Houston College of Pharmacy offers a Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration, with PGY1 and PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration (HSPA) residency programs from seven leading Texas Medical Center institutions.

Texas Medical Center institutions with HSPA residencies participating in the Houston Program: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Harris Health System, Houston Methodist Hospital, Memorial Hermann Health System, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

About the PharmD/MBA Program

The College of Pharmacy and the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston offer a joint degree program that enables students to prepare for careers in which the understanding of both business and pharmacy is critical.  This program provides students with the opportunity to complete the degree requirements of a Doctorate of Pharmacy and a Master of Business Administration in a shorter period of time than if the degrees were pursued independently.

About the Spanish Certificate Program

The Certificate in Spanish for the Professions in the Global World is designed for students who anticipate careers in which they will need to interact with Hispanic communities in the U.S. or abroad and who wish to continue the study of Spanish language and culture for specific professional purposes: business, social work, medical, journalism and mass communications, education, hotel and restaurant management or law. The profession‐specific course for this option for the certificate includes experiential learning through fieldwork and/or public service. Students preparing for their professional lives often are not aware of the usefulness of knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures across the professions within the United States. This Certificate raises student awareness so that they might pursue Spanish for a specific profession before they are active professionals. Through this Certificate, students derive their own answers to common questions such as: Why is there a language requirement at this university? What can I do with my Spanish when I’ve finished the language requirement?

About the College

Students at the College of Pharmacy have at their disposal virtually every resource and opportunity they need to acquire a first-class education in pharmacy. In the college’s new facility the students have state of the art classrooms, pharmacy practice labs including a mock pharmacy and sterile compounding room. In these state of the art facilities, students learn techniques in the patient care process by role-playing situations they would experience as pharmacists. For study and research needs, students can take advantage of the health sciences library on campus or the world renowned Texas Medical Center Library. The students have the opportunity to train with physicians, medical students and members of our clinical faculty.

Graduate students in Pharmacology/Pharmaceutics have available to them the research laboratories of the College of Pharmacy and can interact with faculty and students in related disciplines such as biology/biochemistry, chemistry, vision sciences, chemical and biomedical engineering. At the Texas Medical Center, our graduate students have the opportunity to take classes and participate in collaborative research projects with faculty at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, the Methodist Hospital, and the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston. Current training areas include cardiovascular/renal and neuro-pharmacology, signal transduction and cellular signaling mechanisms, novel drug delivery systems, structural biology, drug absorption and kinetics, and novel dosage forms.

Accreditation

The College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and holds membership in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.