دكتور صيدلة
Postgraduate PharmD

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The program title is Postgraduate Doctor of Pharmacy, abbreviated as Postgraduate PharmD.

  • Total credits 71
  • QF Emirates, Level 9 (Master’s Level), eligible for doing a PhD
  • Become a Clinician, Academician, or both
  • Professional Doctorate Degree for BPharm & MPharm graduates
  • Making Pharmacotherapy Specialists in 2 years
  • Classes on Fridays & Saturdays
  • Suitable for working professionals or fresh graduates
  • Pharmacist license is not required to join the program
  • Accredited by Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Education, UAE [link]
  • Obtain PhD after PharmD to become a full-time Clinical Pharmacy Academician or Scientist

Postgraduate PharmD is master’s degree advancing a pharmacist to be a clinical pharmacist specializing in a student-selected clinical area of focus. Award of ‘Dr.’ prefix in front of the name, only two years after bachelor’s program in pharmacy, highlights the GMU Postgraduate PharmD Program.

Program Highlights

  • Transforming pharmacy workforce to advanced clinical skills with more PharmD holders eligible for licensure as clinical pharmacists.
  • Coordinating and managing the on-campus Thumbay University Hospital with College of Pharmacy.
  • Involving preceptors with Clinical Pharmacist license and American Board certification.
  • Engaging faculty with terminal degree to precepting in experiential education.
  • Collaborating with Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Ajman, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
  • Exchanging students in experiential education at VCU, MCW, UoI in the USA.
  • Establishing a preferred training site for national and international clinical pharmacy students.

Who will benefit from the Program?

  • Pharmacists who seek to advance their careers as clinical pharmacists.
  • Graduates of BPharm who want to upgrade their qualification to PharmD.
  • National and International pharmacists who would prefer to be trained in an academic health system such as that provided by GMU.
  • Pharmacists who wish to study and practice in an interprofessional care setting.

Goals

The Postgraduate PharmD program goals are to:

  1. Equip and enable Clinical Pharmacists to become change agents, meet the challenges in a changing healthcare system in the country, and deliver advanced patient-centered and evidence-based clinical pharmacy services.
  2. Adopt national and international best practices in advancing clinical pharmacy.
  3. Improve evidence-based practice and drive practice innovation.
  4. Enhance the quality of care to an advanced clinical level provided by graduates to the community they serve.
  5. Facilitate self-development and collaborative practice at a higher level.
  6. Engage with stakeholders on improving clinical and medical affairs manpower.

Outcomes

The Outcomes of the Postgraduate PharmD is based on American College of Clinical Pharmacy competencies for Clinical Pharmacists.

  1. Direct patient care
  2. Pharmacotherapy knowledge
  3. System-based care and population health
  4. Communication
  5. Professionalism
  6. Continuing professional development

Program Coordinator:

Dr. Dixon Thomas
Associate Dean Clinical

Study Plan

Name of the Program Postgraduate PharmD
Credit Hours 71
Semesters 2 Semesters + 1 year of Rotations
Duration 2 Years
In Collaboration with
  • Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

 

Year 1 (No courses in year 1 are prerequisites to each other)

Fall Semester

Course Code Course Credit Hours Lecture Hours Activity Hours
DP 610-1 Pharmacotherapy: Internal Medicine 3 3 0
DP 610-2 Pharmacotherapy: Cardiology 3 3 0
DP 610-4 Pharmacotherapy: Oncology 3 3 0
DP 611 Professional Skills 2 0 4
DP 612 Evidence-Based Practice 2 1 2
DP 617-2 Pharmacoeconomics 2 2 0
DP 617-3 Pharmacy Management 2 2 0
Semester total 17 14 6

Other Electives Not Currently Offered in Fall Semester Read More

Course Code Course Credit Hours Lecture Hours Activity Hours
DP 610-3 Pharmacotherapy: Infectious Diseases 3 3 0
DP 613 Pharmacy Research, Evaluation and Presentation 1 0 2
DP 614 UAE healthcare system 2 2 0
DP 615 Interpretation of Laboratory Data 1 0 2
DP 616 Clinical Nutrition and Diet Therapy 2 2 0
DP 617-1 Genetics and Clinical Immunology 3 3 0
DP 617-4 Antimicrobial Stewardship 1 1 0

 

Spring Semester (None of the Fall Semester courses are prerequisites to Spring Semester courses)

Course Code Course Name Credit Hours Lecture Hours Activity Hours
DP 620 System-Based Care & Population Health 2 2 0
DP 621 Prescribing Skills 2 0 4
DP 622 Advanced Pharmacotherapy I 3 3 0
DP 623 Advanced Pharmacotherapy II 3 3 0
DP 624 Complex Case discussion 1 0 2
DP 625 Pharmacist-Led Clinics 1 1
DP 626-1/DP 626-2 Pharmacy Elective-1 (Drug in Sport vs Parenteral Nutrition) 2 2 0
DP 627-1/DP 627-2 Pharmacy Elective-2 (Critical Care vs Clinical Trials) 2 2 0
Semester total 16 13 6

Electives Not Currently Offered in Spring Semester Read More

Course Code Course Credit Hours Lecture Hours Activity Hours
DP 626-2 Pharmacy Elective-1 (Parenteral Nutrition) 2 2 0
DP 627-1 Pharmacy Elective-2 (Critical Care) 2 2 0

 

Year 2

All courses of year 1 are prerequisites for Year 2

Course Code Course Name Credit Hours Lecture Hours Activity Hours
Mandatory Rotations
DP 630R Ambulatory Care 6 0 240
DP 631R Critical Care 6 0 240
DP 632R Internal Medicine 6 0 240
DP 633R Infectious Diseases 6 0 240
Elective Rotations (any 2 of the following to be selected by students)
DP 640R Cardiology 6 0 240
DP 641R Geriatrics 6 0 240
DP 642R Oncology 6 0 240
DP 643R Pediatrics 6 0 240
DP 644R Disease State Management 6 0 240
Academic half day every 2 weeks throughout PharmD rotations
DP 645 Clinical Seminar 2 0 4/Week
Year total 38 1440

Admission Requirements

  • Applicants shall meet all admission criteria for entry into the higher education programs offered by the University, as laid down in the Standards (2019) published by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs, UAE.
  • A Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy or MPharm from an accredited University in the UAE or equivalent one from outside the UAE.
  • Distinct undergraduate performance of minimum cumulative grade point average(CGPA) of 3.0  on a 4-point scale, or equivalent grade (B)
  • The Applicant must have proficiency in spoken and written English. The applicant can fulfil the English proficiency requirement via the TOEFL, IELTS, or UA CESL Endorsement Exam, minimum requirements are listed below. TOEFL and IELTS test scores must be dated within two years of the year of enrolment.
    • EmSAT: Score of 1400 and above
    • TOEFL: Score of 79 on the iBT or 550 PBT (web-based) test or higher.
    • IELTS: Overall score of 6 is required, with a score of no less than 5 on any individual band or module.

Conditional Graduate Admission Read More

  • Graduate with less than the minimum score in English proficiency may be provided conditional admission that the student registers 6 credit hours in the first semester of his/her studies and obtains a “B” average or above.
    • Applicant must achieve and EMSAT score of 1400 or IELTS 6.0 or equivalent by the end of first semester of study
    • Applicant must achieve a minimum of CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent, in the first six credit hours of credit bearing courses studied for the Master’s program
  • Graduate with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 to 2.9 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent shall be conditionally admitted to the first semester as follows:
    • is allowed take a maximum of nine credit hours of courses studied for the graduate program during the period of conditional admission and
    • must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these nine credits of courses studied for the graduate program to progress to second semester or be subject to dismissal.
  • Graduate with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 to 2.4 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent shall be admitted to the first semester as follows:
    • is required to successfully complete a maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours as remedial preparation for the graduate program. These remedial courses are not for credit within the degree program
    • must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these nine credits of remedial courses in order to be admitted to the graduate program or be subject to dismissal.

Required Documents: 

  • Attested copy of the Baccalaureate degree and official transcripts of credit/s earned from an accredited Institution of higher education previously attended
  • Equivalency Certificate of the Baccalaureate degree from the Ministry of Education, UAE.
  • Passport copy and Emirates ID Card (For UAE Nationals Family Book and Ethbara)
  • Valid English Proficiency Scoresheet (EmSAT/IELTS/TOEFL etc.)
  • Passport-size Photographs x 5
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Resume or CV
  • Statement of purpose

Apply Now: [link]

Semester – 1 Courses 

DP 610-1: Pharmacotherapy: Internal Medicine

The Internal medicine focuses on the management of conditions commonly encountered in internal medicine. The objectives of the course in internal medicine are to provide the student with a good grounding in this clinical area.

DP 610-2: Pharmacotherapy: Cardiology 

This specialization course covers the management of cardiac diseases. It includes pharmacotherapy in the management of complex cardiovascular cases. The practice approaches and prepares the students to provide optimal cardiac care.

DP 610-3: Pharmacotherapy: Infectious Diseases

This course covers the management of infectious diseases. It includes pharmacotherapy in the management of common infection cases. The course approaches and prepares the students to provide optimal patient care for patients with infectious diseases.

DP 610-4: Pharmacotherapy: Oncology

This course covers the specialized management of oncology diseases. It includes advanced and specialized pharmacotherapy in the management of complex cancer cases. The approach is to prepare students to provide advanced oncology care.

DP 611: Professional Skills

This course trains students to develop professional skills related to pharmacy practice. Skills expected to develop with this course are complementary to the topics in Pharmacotherapy.

DP 612: Evidence-Based Practice

This course covers higher levels of evidence utilization in clinical pharmacy practice. It focuses on advanced search and critical appraisal skills. Critical writing of high-quality reports on clinical specialty fields is also practiced. Patient-centered practice principles to protect patient values and achieve clinical outcomes are addressed.

DP 613: Pharmacy Research, Evaluation and Presentation (PREP)

This is a course on Pharmacy practice research methodologies, Literature evaluation, applied biostatistics, and presentation of research data. It includes detailed methods of qualitative and quantitative research designs. The critical appraisal methods and supporting tools/guidelines.  The application of inferential and descriptive statistics in research project. Also providing skills on research data presentation.

DP 614: UAE healthcare system

This course is designed to overview features of the healthcare system in the United Arab Emirates. Transformation in healthcare are discussed. The course also covers a comprehensive overview of key features of public health and disease prevention. It also explains different roles of healthcare team members.

DP 615: Interpretation of Laboratory Data

This course is an application to the fundamentals of interpreting laboratory test results that will illustrate how the results of a particular laboratory test should be interpreted, and allow students make accurate and critical diagnostic decisions. It provides pharmacy students with essential information on common laboratory tests used to screen for or diagnose disease, monitor the effectiveness and safety of treatment, or assess disease severity. Each laboratory test is described in terms of its clinical uses and relation to the pathophysiology of the disease.

DP 616: Clinical Nutrition and Diet Therapy 

This course is designed to explore the scope of clinical nutrition and diet therapy for pharmacists. The rationale of using various nutrition and diet therapy will be covered with their need, advantages, disadvantages, complications and monitoring parameters.

DP 617-1: Genetics and Clinical Immunology

This course discusses the principles of human genetics with application to the study of biological function and the genetic basis of common inherited disorders. Also, the course explores the basic principles of host defense against pathogens, including aspects of innate and adaptive immunity, and immune evasion strategies. The mechanisms of antibody formation and molecular aspects of cellular immunity, including T and B cell interactions and lymphocyte memory formation, will be emphasized, and connections to modern medicine will be highlighted. In addition, the course covers autoimmune, allergic and immunodeficiency diseases, as well as new advances in interventional and clinical immunology and the molecular and genetic basis of immunologically-mediated diseases.

DP 617-2: Pharmacoeconomics

This course covers the economic, clinical, and humanistic aspects of healthcare interventions, reflecting on health technology assessments. The course explains the methods to measure costs and outcomes in micro (clinical) and macro (administrative) economic levels. Different stakeholder perspectives and economic frameworks for the evaluation and interpretation of pharmacoeconomic analyses become center part of this course. Pharmacoeconomic modelling is also discussed.

DP 617-3: Pharmacy Management

This course covers essential pharmacy practice managerial skills including personnel and product management, addressing workplace conflict, continuous quality improvement, and leadership. The course places special emphasis on how to receive and respond to different types of patients in a pharmacy. The course builds upon these skills in the development of a business plan to implement an innovative pharmacy service.

DP 617-4: Antimicrobial Stewardship

This course covers innovative and current best practice use of antimicrobial agents in advanced and complex clinical conditions. Evaluation of antimicrobial use at prescriber, pharmacist, and nurse levels to match with best practices. It also includes approaches to develop methods to improve rational utilization of antimicrobials.

Semester – 2 Courses 

DP 620: System-Based Care & Population Health

This course reviews the current components of system-based care and population health. This course analyzes the roles and responsibilities of each professional and healthcare program and how they coexist as part of the current health care practice. Quality of health care delivery as specific to different populations is also evaluated. Emphasis will be on preparing clinical pharmacists to implement population-specific intervention plans which will influence health outcomes, health determinants and policies.

DP 621: Prescribing skills 

This course intends to enhance the students’ skills of prescribing, medications monitoring, communication with patients and healthcare professionals, data interpretation, and pharmaceutical calculations. The course will prepare the students for the PSA exam.

DP 622: Advanced Pharmacotherapy-1

This course covers advanced pharmacotherapy knowledge and skills to improve patient outcomes through activities. The learning happens with studying complex clinical cases. It enables students to evaluate and recommend advanced pharmacotherapy decisions.

DP 623: Advanced Pharmacotherapy-2

This course covers pharmacotherapy topics not covered in DPH522: Advanced Pharmacotherapy 1. This course covers advanced pharmacotherapy knowledge and skills to improve patient outcomes through activities. The learning happens with studying complex clinical cases. It enables students to evaluate and recommend advanced pharmacotherapy decisions.

DP 624: Complex Case discussion

This course is designed to enhance clinical training skills in clinical specialties. Students in this course will have an opportunity to obtain medication related information, identify drug related problems, design a pharmaceutical care plan, and discuss with preceptors. The student will be able to systematically present and discuss complex clinical cases related to advanced pharmacotherapy disease topics. Throughout the semester, students participate in clinical case discussions in order to professionally apply their advanced pharmacotherapy knowledge.

DP 625: Pharmacist-led Clinics

This course intends to highlight the role of pharmacist in leading ambulatory care clinics, explore the different examples of real-world pharmacist-led clinics in different specialties and train them to design an efficient and successful simulated pharmacist-led clinic and gather the necessary resources to implement them.

DP 626-1: Pharmacy Elective-1 – Drugs in Sport

This course focuses on knowledge of drugs using in sports by the athletes and other person. It studies the perspective of International and national regulation of drug use, monitoring, testing and legal aspects of drug use in sports. This course will allow the student to explore the perspectives of the role of Athlete Support Personnel.

DP 626-2: Pharmacy Elective-1 – Parenteral Nutrition

This course is designed to explore the scope of clinical problems related to parenteral nutrition and intravenous therapy. Students will be taught the rationale of using various intravenous therapy and parenteral and enteral nutritional therapy with their advantages, disadvantages, complications and monitoring parameters.

DP 627-1: Pharmacy Elective-2; Critical Care

This course is designed to actively engage the pharmacy student with select real life problems encountered by pharmacists in critical care practice settings such as the Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Care Unit and Emergency Department. Students will be taught the rationale of using various therapies on the selected diseases on the basis advantages, disadvantages, complications and monitoring parameters.

DP 627-2: Pharmacy Elective-2; Clinical Trials

The course covers essentials of clinical research especially the clinical trials. It overviews good clinical practices on appropriate conductance of clinical trials with examples. Landmark clinical trials are discussed to ensure how to adapt clinical practice based on the findings.

Year – 2 Rotations

DP 630R: Ambulatory Care

This course empowers students to practice in ambulatory care set up at an advanced level. It focuses on specialized patient care by assisting them in every step of the visit. Evaluate and improvise the pharmacists’ care process model at ambulatory care setting. It is a mandatory rotation.

DP 631R: Critical Care

This rotation empowers students to practice in critical care, especially with complex clinical cases. The opportunity is to be part of delivery of highly advanced and specialized critical care. Improvements in process and quality of pharmacists provided critical care services are essential. This is a mandatory rotation.

DP 632R: Internal Medicine

The Internal medicine rotation focuses on management of conditions commonly encountered in internal medicine. The objectives of the experience in the Internal Medicine are to provide the APPE student with a good grounding in the database and skills of internal medicine. Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process is practiced in this rotation to improve patient care. Demonstration of leadership, advocacy, and innovation in improving the services are practiced. This is a mandatory rotation.

DP 633R: Infectious Diseases

This concentration rotation facilitates practice opportunities to abilities gained from concentration courses in infectious diseases. The focus of this training is to develop specialized practice in patients with even advanced and complex  infectious disease conditions. A detaied search in the broad area of infectious diseases prepares students to be specialist infectious diseases clinical pharmacists. This is a mandatory rotation.

DP 640R: Cardiology

This is an advanced rotation facilitates practice opportunities to abilities gained from specialization course in cardiology. The focus of this training is to develop specialized practice in patients with even advanced and complex cardiovascular conditions. A parallel research in the broad area of cardiology prepares students to be specialist cardiology clinical pharmacists. This is an elective rotation.

DP 641R: Geriatrics

The advanced pharmacy practice experience provides a student with experience in the pharmacotherapeutic management of geriatric patients in direct patient care. The activities of the experience are to build upon abilities acquired from didactic learning and introductory pharmacy practice experience to provide services to old patients. This is an elective rotation.

DP 642R: Oncology

This an advanced rotation facilitates practice opportunities to abilities in oncology. The focus of this training is to develop specialized practice in patients with even advanced and complex conditions that require cancer therapy. A detailed search in the broad area of oncology prepares students to be specialist cancer support clinical pharmacists. This is an elective rotation.

DP 643R: Pediatrics

The pediatrics rotation is designed to provide a working experience on applying principles of pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy issues related to infants and children. The rotation prepares students to provide Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process in the pediatric population. Demonstration of leadership, advocacy, and innovation in improving the services are practiced. Students need to be involved in professional interactions with patients, care givers and healthcare professionals in improving patient outcomes. This is an elective rotation.

DP 644R: Disease State Management

The disease state management rotation focuses on pharmacotherapeutic management of chronic conditions. Pharmacists’ patient care process in selected chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus, pulmonary disorders, psychiatry with or without renal and  hepatic dysfunction) are practiced in this rotation. Demonstration of leadership, advocacy, and innovation in improving the services are expected. The disease focused approach enables students to provide disease specific pharmacy services that addresses patient-centered treatment efficiency, safety and cost -efficacy. This is an elective rotation.

DP 645: Clinical Seminar 

This course is designed as a companion to all APPE experiences. During APPE, the student will identify a case/question that needs to be researched. Upon approval of the faculty supervisor, the student will research the case/question through systematic review of the literature following an evidence based practice approach. The student will deliver a presentation on the approach to answering the case/question. The presentation will be made before an audience of students, faculty, and practitioners.

Specific Completion Requirements of the Postgraduate PharmD Program includes:

  • Completion of 71 credits
  • A minimum CGPA of 3.0
  • A minimum pass mark of 70% (Grade C) for each course. A pass in Rotations.
  • A minimum attendance of 80% with each didactic courses and 100% attendance in rotations.

Graduates can advance their career as:

  • Specialized Clinical Pharmacists in Hospitals and Clinics
  • Pharmacy Administrators at Hospitals, Clinics, or Pharmacies
  • Clinical staff at Pharmaceutical Industries, e.g., medical affairs
  • Teaching Staff and specialty Preceptor at Universities
  • Clinical Consultants at the Ministry of Health
  • Research Staff at Clinical Organizations
  • Pharmacy benefit managers in health insurance industry
  • Pharmacotherapy specialists in health systems
  • Ministry officials in healthcare administration

Fiaz Ahmed, Infection Control Physician, Thumbay University Hospital, UAE

Sally Arif, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Midwestern University, USA

Danial Baker, J. Roberts and Marcia Fosberg Distinguished Professor, Washington State University, USA

Ayman Ahmad Chkhis, Clinical Pharmacist, Al Kuwait Hospital, Dubai, UAE

Sahar Elnajjar (Alumna of GMU MCP Program), Pharmacist, Mediclinic Parkview Hospital, UAE

Wasim S. El Nekidy, Senior Specialist Pharmacotherapy, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE

Muhammad Umar Hafeez, Pharmacy Manager, Response Plus Medical, UAE.

Mohamed Hisham, Clinical Staff Pharmacist, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE

David Holdford, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

Kiran Kumar, Specialist (Asstt. HOD), Thumbay University Hospital, UAE

Fee Details:

The detailed fee structure of the program for the current academic year is provided below: [link]