Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science

Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences Track
(managed in cooperation with the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program)

The goal of the Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences track, currently administered within the School of Pharmacy's Pharmaceutical Sciences graduate program, is to develop pharmacy-trained specialists who independently derive new knowledge through observation, study, and experimentation that is focused on drug therapy outcomes in patients, and the factors and mechanism determining those outcomes. The track is designed for individuals with clinical training backgrounds, and integrates aspects of pharmacotherapy, patient care, clinical pharmacology, study design, regulatory affairs and biostatistics. Components of basic science such as molecular biology, pharmaceutical analysis, and pharmacogenomics are incorporated into clinical and translational research methologies to fulfill dissertation requirements.

The Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences at Maryland, one of only 4 such programmatic themes of its kind in the U.S., is a collaborative effort between two departments in the School of Pharmacy (Pharmacy Practice and Science [PPS] and Pharmaceutical Sciences [PSC]) and draws upon their existing academic and research strengths. Students are encouraged to focus on specific pathways within CPS such as cardiology, neurosciences, nephrology, oncology and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics. The clinical pharmaceutical research scientists trained by this program will be well-suited to meet the demand expressed by federal agencies (FDA, NIH), academia, and the pharmaceutical industry, with the potential to develop new therapeutic strategies to optimize patient care in Maryland, the U.S., and worldwide.

Objectives

The purpose of the CPS track is to develop scientists who possess a blend of contemporary clinical and basic pharmaceutical sciences, provide graduates with skills in the following areas:

  • Conduct of translational research in clinical pharmacology through intense clinical experience in a medical specialty of interest such as cardiology, neuroscience, critical care, nephrology, and oncology;
  • Theory and application of pharmacokinetics/drug metabolism, pharmacodynamics, study design and statistical methods, pharmaceutics, cellular and molecular biology;
  • Integration of laboratory-based and hypothesis-driven dissertation research.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

The curricular requirement for the Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences is a minimum of 46 credit hours may be distributed as follows:

Core Courses (25 credits)

CourseCredits
PREV 803Clinical Trials and Experiemental Epidemiology3
PREV 619Biostatistical Computing2
PREV 620Principles of Biostatistics3
PHSR TBDRegulatory Affairs3
PHAR 601Principles of Drug Design and Development I and II (selected modules)2
PHAR 799*Clinical Research Rotations (3)9*
CIPP 909Responsible Conduct of Research1
PHAR 708Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar3

Rotations in specific areas of interest may include psychiatry, neurology, nephrology, cardiology, oncology, geriatrics, FDA, pharmaceutical industry, or others as appropriate.

Track Specialization (8 credits)

Students will select from a customized menu of courses, with prior approval from faculty advisor(s), consistent with a track of specialization. Included below are examples of recommended courses based on track specialization:

  • Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics

    CourseCredits
    PHAR 602*Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics3
    PHAR 628Bioanalytical Separation Techniques3
    PHMY 562Clinical Pharmacokinetics2
    PHAR 747Advanced Pharmacokinetics3
    PHEX 562*Clinical Pharmacokinetics Externship2*

    * Possible exemptions if student has obtained PharmD and has successfully completed a PK courses and/or clinical PK rotations.
     
  • Neurosciences: (in progress)

Electives (6 credits)

Elective courses in areas such as physiology, molecular biology and pharmacogenomics to be selected in consultation with faculty advisor(s).

Dissertation Research (12 credits)

Research performed pertaining to doctoral dissertation under the direction of faculty advisor(s).

Comprehensive Examination

Advancement to candidacy in the clinical pharmaceutical sciences program is dependent upon successful completion of a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination is aimed at assessing the student's ability to apply knowledge gained from all required courses in the track. A committee composed of the student's major advisor(s) and other appropriate faculty will be appointed to evaluate the student's performance on the oral and written exam components. The written component will involve an examination prepared by the student's committee as well as a written proposal for research. The oral examination will consist of a presentation and defense of the student's written proposal for research. Students must pass both written and oral examinations for advancement to candidacy.