Student Services
This section provides all students with more information about the student services available to them while enrolled in the North American-Trained PharmD Program or International-Trained PharmD Program.
The DDP Office offers advising calls for all students enrolled in the North American-Trained PharmD (NTPD) Program and International-Trained PharmD (ITPD) Program. During the advising call, students will receive an individualized plan outlining when to complete the didactic course and experiential training requirements, which are the advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs).
All students will complete at least two advising calls while enrolled in either NTPD or ITPD Program, and students will contact the DDP Office to schedule their advising call (see below). All new students should complete their first advising call within their first semester enrolled in courses. Returning students should complete a second advising call at a minimum one year prior to starting their APPEs. The DDP Office encourages all students to complete additional advising sessions as needed.
Any student can request an advising call at any time during the semester. Students experiencing academic difficulty are encouraged to schedule an advising call as soon as possible.
Pharmacy students with a GPA of 3.0 or greater after their first 5 credit hours in any of the Distance Degrees and Programs’ PharmD curricular pathways (North American-Trained PharmD and International-Trained PharmD programs) may be eligible for consideration for admission into the Honors Program, a research program that pairs students with faculty mentors in order to receive first-hand experience in the research process. Due to the flexible nature of these pathways, students may qualify if their academic advisor deems them to have a year or more remaining in their curricular plan or less than a year remaining in their curricular plan with a dedicated elective research rotation. A student of an honors project may receive funding from merit‐based fellowships or scholarships, but a student may NOT receive personal remuneration for conducting an honors project. All students that are admitted to the program and graduate “with honors” must be of good ethical standing. Students that are under ethical review by the Ethics Committee or have committed ethical violations will not be eligible to graduate with honors. Students are expected to be able to present their completed research results and manuscript to the Honors Project Committee prior to graduation in order to receive the honors designation.
The Mentor Program provides an opportunity for students enrolled in the ITPD and NTPD Programs make connections with other students and alumni, to gain constructive feedback, advice and encouragement while enrolled in courses at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The Mentor Program will pair a student with a mentor who is a current ITPD or NTPD Program student or a graduate from the NTPD Program. When the mentor is a current student, then the mentor will have completed all pre-rotation requirements. Mentors will be made available to any student who requests to be matched with a mentor.
To participate as a mentor or a mentee, students and/or alumni should complete the pre-match questionnaire. Based upon the questionnaire responses, the DDP Office will pair each mentee with a mentor. Once matched, the mentee should initiate contact with their mentor within 10 business days. The DDP Office is only responsible for setting up the match; all subsequent communication will be arranged by the mentor and/or mentee. The DDP Office recommends the mentee meet with their mentor twice per semester; however, it is encouraged to meet as frequently as both parties feel comfortable.
Each match is scheduled for one full academic year, and each mentor and mentee will complete out a program evaluation survey. At the beginning of the following spring or fall semester, students can contact the DDP Office to renew the mentor/mentee pairing, request a new mentor/mentee, or opt out of the Mentor Program. If one of these requests occurs, the DDP Office cannot guarantee the previous Mentor Program pairs.
All students (mentees) are eligible to participate in the Mentor Program if the mentee decides to not register for courses for a semester. The mentee will continue to work with the matched mentor throughout the entire academic year, and the mentee is responsible for meeting with the mentor twice in the semester, even if the mentee is not registered for courses. Updates on renewing or starting the Mentor Program will be sent out after the start of the spring and fall semester.
The DDP Office has provided below specific guidelines about mentee and mentor expectations.
- Initiate communication with the mentor assigned through the mentor match within 10 business days.
- Establish personal and mutual goals with the mentor to make the most out of the Mentor Program.
- Value the time your mentor is providing. Be prepared with questions to ask, topics to discuss, etc.
- Self-reflection is an important part of any education process. Therefore, by keeping a written journal, the DDP Office asks mentees to reflect on any advice and constructive feedback provided by the mentor after each conversation. What did the mentee learn from the conversation, and what can the mentee do better? How can the mentee apply the advice to his/her experience in the NTPD Program or ITPD Program?
- Do not ask your mentor questions that are logistical to a homework assignment.
Example: “Who should I contact if my password is not working in Canvas?” - Do not expect the mentor to be “on-call” and be courteous of the mentor’s time!
- A mentor must have strong communication skills and a friendly and supportive demeanor.
- A mentor should stay in contact with the mentee and help provide constructive feedback.
- Facilitate the mentee’s growth by sharing resources and networks.
- Serve as a “sounding board” for program and educational issues, career development ideas or for pursuing career opportunities.
- Focus on the mentee’s total development by encouraging mentees to become more efficient and productive.
- Do not assist or complete any academic work for the mentee.
- Do not make any decisions for the mentee. Always provide perspective but remain objective!
- Do not be overly accessible to the mentee for minor problems or questions.
Students enrolled in either the North American-Trained PharmD Program or International-Trained PharmD Program have the opportunity to participate in tutoring sessions to improve their academic performance. The tutoring sessions are available for students receiving a C- (70% - 72%) or lower in a didactic course.
The Distance Degrees and Programs (DDP) Office will contact students throughout the semester based on course progress to encourage use of tutoring services. In addition, students may request a tutor by contacting the DDP Office.
Want to become a tutor?
Tutors will be selected based upon their academic performance. Criteria for tutors include:
- Complete at least 3 semesters with the NTPD or ITPD Program
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Received a grade of A (A- (minus) is acceptable) for the individual course s/he will tutor
Tutors will be compensated for their time and will receive training from the DDP Office.
The Distance Degrees and Programs (DDP) Office created a Faculty Liaison Program for students enrolled in the International-Trained PharmD (ITPD) Program and North American-Trained PharmD (NTPD) Program. The goal for the Faculty Liaison Program is to develop connections between faculty and students, to improve our learning community and encourage the student’s professional growth.
The Faculty Liaison Program will match the student with a faculty member, a faculty liaison, from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. All students and faculty members are encouraged to contact the DDP Office if there are any questions about the Faculty Liaison Program.
Distance Degrees and Programs understands the importance of managing your career and looking forward to the future; however, we understand that as a licensed pharmacist, you’re not looking for your first position. To best support these unique characteristics, we’re providing career services tools to assist you in differentiating your educational and professional experiences to develop your personal brand.
What is a Personal Brand?
Your personal brand is the image or impression you present to employers and other professional contacts. Your personal brand will focus on three main areas:
- Unique: What makes you different from other students and/or pharmacists?
- Promise: What is your ultimate vision or purpose for your career? What do you want to do and how do your desires align with your target audience?
- Value: Why do people come to you? In what ways are you considered an “expert”?
Student Goals
By using the career services tools, students will be able to:
- Develop a strong personal brand to showcase experience and education
- Integrate clinical skills and patient-centered care into a personal brand
- Manage a professional network while maintaining a strong brand identity
- Evaluate career opportunities based upon personal brand and career goals
The tools include:
- Networking opportunities through professional organizations
- Resume and CV prep tips
- The Writing Center
- Application resources for landing a residency
Professional organizations are an excellent way to make contacts with other professionals and build your network and personal brand. If you are not already a member of an organization, you should consider joining one of the groups listed below. There are organizations for many interests and specialty areas, providing you an opportunity to learn more about the profession. In addition, many organizations offer members great resources for continuing education and access to career-focused information!
Your résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) is the most important aspect of your personal brand. You will likely only need one or the other, but both documents serve as a great way to demonstrate your uniqueness, vision and value.
Don’t have a résumé or CV?
With so many places to find templates, it can be overwhelming as you determine what type of format is appropriate or knowing what skills to focus on! Below are a few resources to help you get started:
ACCP CV Prep Tips
ASHP Curriculum Vitae Resource Center
Note: Members of ACCP and ASHP have access to additional resources including CV review by other members.
CareerOneStop Resume Guide
Purdue OWL Résumés and Vitas
"The Pharmacy Professionals' Guide to Resumes, CVs and Interviews" by Thomas P. Reinders
Need your résumé or CV reviewed?
If you already have a résumé or CV prepared, you may want to consider utilizing the Anschutz Medical Center campus writing center and there are several ways to get started.
Online Drop Box
Consultants at The Writing Center offer an online drop box service where students can have professional papers such as résumés and CVs reviewed and receive feedback. They will provide general and specific feedback about how your writing (and document) can be improved. Students are allowed one submission per week and the expected wait time is 4 business days from the appointment date selected. To get started, login to WCOnline and choose the Online Drop Box: Grad and AMC schedule from the dropdown menu.
Online Consultations
The Writing Center also offers online consultations for all students. The online consulting platform allows students to upload their documents and work on them in real time while instant messaging with a Consultant. Evening availability is offered and appointments are 50 minutes. During an online consultation, students may discuss several topics including, but not limited to:
- Brainstorming and planning
- Outlining and organizing
- Arguing via claims and evidence
- Analyzing and synthesizing ideas
- Paraphrasing and documenting source information
- Understanding grammatical issues and patterns of error
- Learning how to self-identify and revise independently
Get started today and schedule your online consultation with The Writing Center!
ASHP defines pharmacy residencies as an organized, directed, postgraduate training program in a defined area of pharmacy practice. Completing a residency after finishing your PharmD is a great way to continue your education and further enhance your personal brand and skillset!
Residency - General Information and Application Deadlines
Most residencies will require students to qualify and apply for the residency match. The match occurs in the spring each year. A 2-phase process will begin in spring 2016 and both phases will take place in the spring.
In addition, residents will complete a PGY1 (professional graduate year 1) residency prior to applying for a PGY2 (professional graduate year 2) residency program. As with most educational experiences, the PGY1 program will provide the skills needed to be successful in a PGY2 program, which is typically specialty-driven.
The match process is deadline driven and timing is extremely important. Therefore, it’s imperative for you to plan ahead, so you can meet the deadlines!
Residency Qualifications and Website Search Resources
Because qualifications may vary from residency to residency, it’s best to contact the residency program where you plan to apply for specific details. There are residency programs located throughout the United States and internationally. You can use the links below to begin your initial search, and you can search by location, program specialty or both.
Application Resources
There are several resources available for assistance during the residency process. First, contact your faculty members! Distance Degrees and Programs faculty members and many course instructors have completed a residency and can provide insight into the overall process.
ASHP provides many resources to assist students planning to apply for residencies. Two resources that may be helpful as you get started include the Why Should I Do a Residency? brochure and the ASHP Residency Checklist.
You should also consider attending one of the annual meetings for ASHP or ACCP. Both meetings include sessions for residency applicants and provide an opportunity to learn more about accredited programs from preceptors or program representatives.
Once you’re ready to apply, you can utilize The Writing Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus for help with your application materials! To set up an appointment, visit The Writing Center webpage.