PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists

Advance your patient care, management, and critical thinking skills with the PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists program.

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) for Practicing Pharmacists is an undergraduate, professional doctorate degree for pharmacists who wish to update their education.

Unique in Canada, this program can be completed in as little as 18 months. Or take a more gradual approach to coursework, up to 5 years.

Keep working while you study online. Core courses are 100% online so you never have to step foot on campus. Experiential courses take place in person at a variety of placement sites.

Upgrade your skills and knowledge with advanced courses in patient assessment, pharmacotherapy, evidence-based practice, frameworks for working in teams, and educating diverse audiences. 

Gain experience in new settings through experiential placements in Alberta, which offers the largest scope of practice in the country. Or, find placement sites in your home province.

You can also get credit for your previous practice experiences to shorten the experiential component.

The landscape of pharmacy is changing in Canada. Advance your career, update your training and become more competitive in the job market with the PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists.

By completing your PharmD, you will:

• Gain advanced skills and knowledge in patient care
• Be equipped to provide up-to-date education for both patients and other healthcare professionals
• Become a stronger practitioner and engage in the full scope of practice
• Use evidence-based information and clinical judgement to make better decisions
• Contribute to team decision-making for patients with complex pharmacotherapy
• Build new relationships and expand your network

• Have a competitive advantage when applying for unique and interesting positions

Why apply to this program?

The scope of practice for pharmacists in Alberta is the broadest in the world.

Many services that once required an appointment with a family doctor can now be provided by an Albertan pharmacist, including the provision of health advice, precision medicine, disease screening, injections and vaccinations, prescriptions and referrals.

In Alberta, pharmacy is much more than dispensing pills. Our faculty serves a transformative role with research and education that drives policy decisions, implementation, and support for an integral new approach to healthcare as we educate future pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. 

What our graduates say

Dr. Damion Barnes, PharmD, PPP Graduate

Dr. Barnes was a pharmacist in Jamaica before moving to Canada. He chose Edmonton on the strength of the PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists program. (He passed Canadian professional exams before beginning his PharmD).

"The PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists strengthened my assessment skills in managing disease conditions, which I bring into both my patient and student teaching."

Dr. Joey Ton, PharmD, PPP Graduate

"The PharmD for Practicing Pharmacists program increased my knowledge in different therapeutic areas, taught me valuable skills and made me a stronger practitioner."

"I'm better equipped to practice in Alberta's expanded scope."

Dr. Katie Haubrich, PharmD, PPP Graduate

"This program helped me to grow in all aspects of my clinical skills. I improved my ability to communicate verbally and in writing, increased the quality of my documentation, and vastly increased my knowledge and evidence-based medicine skills."

"Most of all, this program strengthened my critical thinking skills and confidence as a practitioner and my ability to make tough decisions in clinical grey areas."