Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program
Idaho State University is the leading health education university in Idaho and is a public institution.
The ISU College of Pharmacy offers a 4-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree that can be completed in Pocatello or Meridian, Idaho or in Anchorage, Alaska. PharmD students may complete their fourth year at our clinical sites in Idaho (Boise, Pocatello, or Coeur d’Alene) or at our sites in Reno, Nevada or Anchorage, Alaska. Our Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPSCI) also offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Pocatello or Meridian, Idaho. Our BPSCI Department is the sole program in the state of Idaho for post-graduate education in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.
We look forward to receiving your application to ISU's PharmD program. Entry into the program is competitive. We accept only 95 new students each year from a large pool of qualified applicants.
Idaho State University College of Pharmacy offers an Early Assurance Program called ROAR Rx for students who know ISU's PharmD program is right for them.
PharmD Admissions and Application Information
If you wish to be one of our students, you must complete all pre-pharmacy requirements, except for biochemistry, by the end of the spring term of the year you apply. Biochemistry may be completed in the early summer session prior to your admission. Your pre-pharmacy requirements may be completed at any accredited two-or four-year college. These courses provide the foundation necessary for successful completion of the PharmD program. In addition to ISU’s general education requirements and elective credits, you will need to complete the following pre-pharmacy requirements:
| Prepharmacy Courses | Semester Credits |
| General Biology with Lab (ISU's BIOL 1101) | 4 |
| General Chemistry I & II with labs (ISU's CHEM 1111, 1112) | 8 |
| Intro to Statistics (ISU's MATH 1153) | 3 |
| Brief Calculus (ISU's MATH 1160) | 3 |
| Organic Chemistry I & II with labs (ISU's CHEM 3301, 3302, 3303, 3304) | 8 |
| Biochemistry (ISU's BIOL 4432) | 3 |
| General Physics I (ISU's PHYS 1111) no lab required | 3 |
| Principles of Microbiology with lab (ISU's BIOL 2233/2233L) | 4 |
| Economics (ISU's Macro ECON 2201 or Micro ECON 2202) | 3 |
| Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs (ISU's BIOL 3301, 3302) or (ISU's BIOL 2227, 2228) | 8 |
| Other Requirements | |
| Complete a minimum of 72 college/university semester credits before beginning the PharmD program at ISU | |
| Students will be expected to complete Idaho State University General Education Objectives | |
Course equivalents for Alaskan applicants
DOCTOR OF PHARMACY CURRICULUM
The PharmD Curriculum is provided in an environment characterized by sensitivity to the importance of diversity through the utilization of traditional and innovative delivery methods, and tailored to meet the needs of the citizens of Idaho, Alaska and beyond. The College of Pharmacy has an innovative and forward-thinking faculty who have designed a progressive curriculum to enable you to join the profession of pharmacy as a highly competent pharmacy practitioner. The mission of the College's Doctor of Pharmacy program is to develop caring and highly capable pharmacists who positively impact the health care needs of people in our communities, the state and nation. We are committed to the advancement of the pharmacy profession and the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences through research, service and patient-centered care.
Doctor of Pharmacy First Year
The first year in the PharmD program will provide a firm foundation in the basic sciences. Curriculum topics include:
- Physiology
- Pharmaceutics
- Pharmacology
In other courses, students will learn about literature evaluation, research design, career opportunities, and current issues in healthcare.
Doctor of Pharmacy Second and Third Years
The second- and third-year courses are presented in a modular format, in which the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutics and pharmacotherapy of specific organ systems or diseases are integrated into one intensive course focusing on disease-state management. These courses will prepare you for the practice of pharmacy. The focus of these courses is:
- Renal/Pulmonary
- Cardiovascular
- Pain Management
- Pediatric/Geriatric Pharmacotherapy
- Endocrine
- Hepatic/Nutrition/Gastrointestinal
- Central Nervous System
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology/Oncology
Doctor of Pharmacy Fourth Year
The final 42 weeks are devoted to full-time Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) at various clerkship sites, which are established in the following locations:
- Pocatello, Boise, Coeur d'Alene and Twin Falls, Idaho
- Reno, Nevada
- Anchorage, Alaska
These sites offer the most innovative and highest quality pharmaceutical care being practiced today. Rotations begin in late May and continue throughout the ensuing 12 months after successful completion of the third-year.
APPE's are under the close supervision of well qualified preceptors at sites located throughout Idaho, Nevada and Alaska. Students build on the skills and knowledge obtained in the previous three years of the pharmacy curriculum and have the opportunity to serve a wide variety of patient populations in various practice settings.
Dual Degree Programs
Our joint-degree program permits you to study concurrently for a PharmD and a graduate degree. Professional pharmacy students may apply for early admission to a graduate program following completion of the PharmD first year. Possible degrees include:
- PharmD/MBA
- PharmD/PhD in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain pharmacy experience prior to applying for admission to the PharmD program. Pharmacy experience can be gained through shadowing or working in a paid position within a pharmacy.
Students must submit an application through PharmCAS (http://pharmcas.org), the centralized pharmacy college application service for PharmD programs.
ISU’s College of Pharmacy uses a rolling admissions process. Applications are reviewed within one week of completion (i.e., all documents received and verified by PharmCAS). Applicants who are invited to interview will be contacted to schedule a virtual/remote interview.
There are two admission options – priority consideration or regular admission. Either option leads to admission into the same Doctor of Pharmacy program. There is no designation in PharmCAS.
Priority Consideration
An option for students who know Idaho State University is their college of first choice and have completed General Chemistry I & II, Biology I, Statistics and several ISU general education requirements and are enrolled in and in the process of completing the remaining pre-pharmacy requirements. Priority consideration deadline is December 1.
Regular Admission
This application option is for all other students who plan to complete the prepharmacy and general education requirements by the April 1 application deadline.
Application Materials
- Completed PharmCAS application for Idaho State University College of Pharmacy; PharmCAS application fees begin at $175
- Official transcripts of all previous college coursework, including detailed evaluation of all international coursework – submitted to PharmCAS
- Two letters of recommendation, recommended that one of the two be from a pharmacist – submitted to PharmCAS
- Application essay (personal statement) – submitted to PharmCAS
International Students
Your first step as an international student will be to contact our ISU International Programs Office (IPO) for assistance in determining your student visa status and other important information.
For initial determination of projected coursework, international students must submit to the ISU College of Pharmacy an official WES (World Education Services) detailed course-by-course evaluation of all international course work, including international transcripts. Additionally, when it is time to apply for admission to the PharmD Program, a second official WES evaluation must be sent directly to PharmCAS.
International student are required to complete a portion of their pre-pharmacy curriculum at a U.S. college or university, and submit official transcripts to PharmCAS. You should consult with the IPO Office and the ISU College of Pharmacy to determine which courses you will complete in the U.S.
An associate’s or bachelor’s degree will be required for all international students, as posted on an official transcript or WES evaluation. The only exception to this degree requirement would be if you are an ISU undergraduate student during the totality of your pre-pharmacy curriculum, and then you matriculate directly into the ISU PharmD Program.
Admissions Timeline
July 13 – PharmCAS opens
December 1 – application deadline for priority consideration
April 1 – application deadline for regular admission
Monthly – remote/virtual interviews (notification of admission decision post-interview within 1 week). If you would like to schedule a tour on the campus of your preference, please let us know.
Criminal Background Check
Upon acceptance into the PharmD program, students are required to complete criminal background checks. An applicant will be disqualified from admission for a criminal record of conviction, plea agreement, withheld judgment, and/or pending charges considered serious in nature (felony or misdemeanor). Contact the College directly before applying if you have any questions about this policy.
Cost per semester for the 2023-2024 Academic Year
| Alaska Campus | Idaho Resident | Nonresident | Nonresident with NRTW in year one* | Nonresident becomes resident in years two-four** | |
| ISU Tuition & Fees | $0 | $4,178 | $13,733 | $4,178 | $4,178 |
| Pharm.D. Fees | $14,600 | $6,764 | $9,308 | $9,308 | $6,764 |
| Malpractice Insurance | $5 | $5 | $5 | $5 | $5 |
| TOTAL | $14,605 | $10,947 | $23,046 | $13,491 | $10,947 |
*Non-Resident Tuition Waiver (NRTW)
Available in program year one to US residents with an overall GPA of 3.0 or greater. Students are notified upon offer of acceptance into the program.
**Apply for Idaho Residency
Available in program years two through four to US residents. Students must request Idaho residency with the Office of the Registrar in the spring semester of program year one.
Where fees are used
| Wages and benefits | 69.86% |
| Material, supplies, communication, other | 13.65% |
| Pharmacy Practice Experience support | 7.86% |
| Capital Expenditure | 8.63% |
Scholarships
Doctor of Pharmacy students receive over $500,000 in scholarships annually, of which the College of Pharmacy directly awarded $400,000 in 2022-23. Many scholarships are made available through the generosity of alumni and donors.
Do you want to become a PharmD student at ISU College of Pharmacy? Join our ROAR Rx Early Assurance Program at Idaho State University’s College of Pharmacy and we will assist you on a direct path to your pharmacy goal!
This program is available to any college student in the United States who is:
- Just beginning their pre-pharmacy requirements, right through to those who have at least one year of pre-pharmacy studies remaining at an accredited college or university in the US
AND/OR
- A student completing prepharmacy requirements and an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university in the US
Two-Step Application
- Enroll as an undergraduate at ISU or another accredited college or university in the US
- Join ROAR Rx Early Assurance Program
ROAR Rx Requirements
- Advising Session #1 with ISU College of Pharmacy during first semester of ROAR Rx Early Assurance Program enrollment
- Complete all pre-pharmacy courses with C or higher grades
- Earn minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5
- During final year of pre-pharmacy studies:
- Advising session #2 with ISU College of Pharmacy
- Apply via PharmCAS by December 1 to ISU’s PharmD Program
Privileges
- Guaranteed ISU PharmD admission interview
- Reserved seat in ISU PharmD Program upon successful interview
- Guaranteed preferred PharmD Program campus choice
- Discount coupon toward PharmCAS application fee *(restrictions apply)
- Pre-pharmacy admission workshops
- Specialty pharmacist guest lecture series
- ISU apparel
Quality Indicators
Passing Rates of First-Time Candidates on NAPLEX by Campus/Branch/Pathway
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Overall College Passing Rate | 68.90% | 85.70% | 88.19% | 82.35% | 94.64% |
| Meridian Site | 71.90% | 83.80% | 90.32% | 90.63% | 93.10% |
| Pocatello Site | 58.10% | 83.90% | 86.49% | 75.00% | 96.30% |
| Anchorage Site | 90.90% | 100.00% | 100.00% | N/A | N/A |
| National Average | 79.60% | 82.00% | 86.40% | 87.10% | 88.20% |
Why ISU
Picture yourself at Idaho State! Look through our info book for an in depth look at the Idaho State University L. S. Skaggs College of Pharmacy, including student outreach opportunities, lifestyle and recreational options at all three of our campus locations, pre-requisites, curriculum, and more.
Explore Pharmacy
Pharmacists are medication experts who enhance patient care and promote wellness. Use your professional knowledge to prepare and dispense prescriptions, ensure medicines and doses are correct, prevent harmful drug interactions, and counsel patients on safe and appropriate use of their medications.
Dual Degrees
The College of Business and College of Pharmacy offer a joint PharmD/MBA program for students interested in earning both degrees. Students enrolled in the PharmD program may earn an MBA degree with approximately one summer and one year of additional course work. Students should work with an advisor.
Student Orgs
The Professional Pharmacy Student Alliance (PPSA) is the umbrella organization that seeks to further the profession of pharmacy and every student in the College is a member. All students are encouraged to come to meetings, participate in operation events, and be involved with school activities.
Ready to Apply?
