Program Goals and Outcomes

Doctor of Pharmacy Program


Program Goals:

The goal of the program is to graduate competent and confident practitioners prepared to enter pharmacy practice. Graduates will be prepared to provide quality and safe patient centered care particularly in Alberta’s dynamic healthcare environment and diverse settings across Canada’s healthcare system. The program prepares graduates to be future leaders, and lifelong learners who will:

  • Meet the health needs of patients by taking responsibility for medication management of common conditions and diseases
  • Apply their expertise in knowledge of medications (including access to medications) and disease management when providing patient care
  • Work effectively in independent, intraprofessional, collaborative, and interprofessional team-based health care delivery models
  • Demonstrate effective and culturally safe communication with families, communities, populations, and health team members
  • Advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusivity when providing care, when working with communities, and in the Canadian healthcare system.
  • Educate patients, communities, and other health care professionals regarding medication therapy to treat and prevent diseases, and maintain wellness.
  • Advocate for and support patient decision-making regarding medication therapy
  • Manage daily pharmacy practice, compounding and distribution of medications
  • Anticipate change and continually adapt to meet challenges of professional practice 
  • Advance pharmacists’ professional contributions in the health care system, the profession, and society throughout their careers
  • Fulfill ethical, legal and professional obligations to the profession, the community and society at large
  • Prepare for development of further expertise in areas of pharmaceutical sciences, patient care, public health, social and administrative pharmacy, business, management, leadership, health policy, research and education

Educational Outcomes:

The program outcomes for the Doctor of Pharmacy program are based on the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) Educational Outcomes for First Professional Degree Programs in Pharmacy in Canada (2017) (full version available at: http://www.afpc.info/node/39). In addition, the outcome statements considered:  Standards of Practice (Alberta College of Pharmacists, 2011), Competency Profile for Alberta Pharmacists (ACP Competencies ACP, 2010), Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacists at Entry to Practice (National Association of Provincial Regulatory Authorities, 2013), Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), Centre for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education Educational Outcomes (2013), The Draft CanMEDS 2015, Accreditation Standards for the First Professional Degree in Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP, 2013), ACCP Position Statement: Educational Outcomes Necessary to Enter Pharmacy Residency Training (2014), and the Interprofessional Learning Pathway Competency Framework (http://www.hserc.ualberta.ca), as well as other sources in the literature on pharmacy programs. Refer to the introduction and other sections of the AFPC Educational Outcomes document (e.g. glossary).