Pharmacy Professionals
A major component of the PharmD curriculum (approximately 30 percent) is comprised of experiential education. This can best be defined as practical experience in a variety of pharmacy settings. Experiential Education, often called "rotations," is the bridge between the classroom and the pharmacy practice environment. During their off-site experiences students work with practicing pharmacists or faculty members who are commonly referred to as "preceptors."
Contemporary pharmacy curriculums have two levels of experiential education incorporated over the course of the program: Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). During the IPPE program students develop practice skills, while during the APPE program they are expected to demonstrate their achievement of the skills needed to be a practicing pharmacist.
