33% Experiential
Student pharmacists will spend nearly 1/3 of their educational time in pharmacy practice sites.Preceptor Program
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences delivers the contemporary, cutting-edge curriculum with the generous support of our robust team of preceptors.
Our program prides itself on creating a culture of practice, where many preceptors are actual alumni of the School and understand our mission and values. Students’ experiential learning is based on the principle of “trust”, and we advocate for increasing levels of independence for students as they move through the curriculum towards graduation. Only by experiencing practice under supervision and being challenged to practice at higher levels of independence can we best prepare our graduates for high-level independent pharmacy practice.
Education & Support
We strive to provide the highest quality education to our students and support to our preceptors.Preceptor’s Role
Our preceptors partner with us to educate our students, define the profession of pharmacy, and create a strong curriculum.The work performed by our preceptors in supervising and training pharmacy students is cutting-edge and diverse. We work with practicing clinicians across many settings (health systems, community, medical offices, and unique practices) as well as research scientists, pharmaceutical industry medical science liaisons and other industry roles, consulting pharmacists, compounding pharmacists, and many more. We recognize the importance of training pharmacy students in pharmacy practice locations and emphasize this clinical training component as a priority. Pharmacy accreditation standards require students to complete substantial amounts of experiential training and we strive to make the most of this opportunity here at CU Pharmacy!
Enrollment details and instructions are in CORE ELMS (login required) and include:
- CE discounts on a variety of topics through the School of Pharmacy’s Continuing Education office.
- Free access to the TRC Pharmacy Academic Program through Pharmacist's Letter. The Academic Program provides training materials as well as resources for clinical instruction and teaching literature evaluation.
- The Preceptor Orientation module has been accredited for CPE.
CU Pharmacy is happy to provide free access to the Strauss Health Sciences Library. Details can be found in CORE ELMS (login required). Resources available to preceptors include:
- Off-campus free access to PubMed as well as free online journals.
- Other databases and electronic journals are available in the library.
- Free borrowing card, may check out materials.
- Librarian-assisted literature searches are available for a fee.
- Current list of classes
- Interlibrary loans and photocopies of library materials are available for a fee. Copies can be delivered electronically, by fax or by U.S. mail.
- Free parking on the Anschutz Medical Campus during attendance of CU Pharmacy-sponsored meetings or events
- Volunteer Clinical Faculty appointment within CU Pharmacy (see CORE ELMS for details)
- Annual Preceptor Event
- Opportunities to engage with students in teaching capacities including leading small group discussions, grading student performance, and training students on vaccine administration
Annual Preceptor Awards Recognize Volunteers for their Commitment to Pharmacy Education
Experiential education comprises one-third of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, with hands-on opportunities starting the very first semester. Placements, mentorships, and rotations would not be possible without preceptors – an outstanding group of pharmacists who give their time and effort to ensure our students receive the best education possible. The annual Preceptor Awards, held this fall, gave Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences a chance to say, ‘thank you’ and highlight their hard work, passion, and commitment to shaping the future of pharmacy.
The Invaluable Team of Professionals Behind Every PharmD
Students are placed in community pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, and other innovative interprofessional pharmacy practice settings in local, national, and international locations, and are supervised by licensed healthcare practitioners, the majority of whom are pharmacists. Such supervisors are called preceptors, and they are as integral to the PharmD education as the program itself. The hands-on learning allows students clinical training opportunities to ensure that students have the self-confidence and ability to practice independently upon graduation.