The Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences is a multidisciplinary program designed to prepare motivated individuals for academic, industrial, or government careers in pharmaceutical and biomedical research. It is a graduate training program that encompasses research in areas of pharmaceutical sciences that range from identifying fundamental mechanisms of human disease, to the design, development and formulation of new medicines, to understanding the impact of drug policies on health care systems. Within this broad scientific framework, students develop individually tailored programs of study to meet their particular research interests and career objectives.
Intense, laboratory-based and data and analysis driven research, using state-of-the-art techniques and instruments, forms the basis of a student’s PhD dissertation. Each student develops the skills and judgment to make a unique, scholarly contribution to our understanding of drugs and how therapies impact human health and disease. Students receive the training that will enable them to become independent scientists who can conduct front-line research in pharmaceutical sciences in industrial, academic or governmental settings.
The overall goal of the graduate program is to provide the graduate student with a comprehensive, structured, yet flexible educational experience comprised of both coursework and independent, highly creative, research. This goal is supported by additional components, such as research rotations for first-year students and a program-wide seminar series. The intent is to provide both depth and breadth of expertise in the Pharmaceutical Sciences along with developing the creative and critical approach to research that characterizes a PhD-level scientist. Our faculty have established a set of Guiding Principles that direct the evolution of our program to meet these criteria. These can be found at https://pharmacy.uky.edu/apply/phd-program
Training Options
Doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy are obtained through one of five Tracks.
Medicinal, Bioorganic and Computational Chemistry Track
The Medicinal, Bioorganic and Computational Chemistry (MBCC) Track is focused on novel small molecule discovery as well as new protein and nucleic acid-based therapies. Major drug discovery platforms include synthetic/biosynthetic approaches, natural product chemistry, development of novel computational tools for drug design, and evolution of biologics for specific therapies or drug delivery.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Engineering Track
The Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Engineering (PCE) Track focuses on drug formulation, development and delivery. Areas of emphasis include the application of physical, physical organic, and analytical chemistry to solve pharmaceutical problems; the design, development, and optimization of dosage forms for small and large molecules; and fundamental research into materials science and nanotechnology to advance drug delivery systems design. Collaborations with faculty in the UK College of Engineering provide additional opportunities for a combined pharmaceutical and engineering research program. In addition, faculty participate in preclinical and/or clinical projects through collaborative relationships within the College of Pharmacy and with investigators across the UK Medical Center Complex.
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Track
The Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (PET) Track draws upon campus-wide strengths in neurobiology, cardiovascular disease, oncology and infectious diseases. Strong collaborations exist with the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, addiction/abuse consortia, and the Markey Cancer Center (a designated NCI Cancer Center). Track faculty are skilled in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, systems biology, neurochemistry, cancer biology, immunology, and neurophysiology. Translational research programs bridging preclinical and/or clinical projects through collaborative relationships within the College of Pharmacy and with investigators across the UK Medical Center Complex provide exciting opportunities for trainees.
Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics Track
The focus of the Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics (CET) Track is translational research and involves training in investigations that occur at the interface of basic and clinical research. Admission to this Track requires trainees to possess a clinical/health profession degree therefore, the emphasis of the program is training in the basic sciences and their translation to clinical applications. This breadth and balance of skills will prepare the graduate to successfully compete for extramural funding and job opportunities. Requirements also include clinical components to assure competency in the foundations, principles, and processes of clinical research. The keystone of the training is the conduct of an integrated, combined laboratory-based and clinical dissertation.
Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Track
The goal of the Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (POP) Track is to train scientists to conduct research on the safe, efficient, and effective use of pharmaceuticals to improve the health of individuals and populations. The emphasis of the program is the development of a core set of analytical skills and tools to evaluate the impact of clinical interventions and clinical outcomes. Students complete core classes in five areas: pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, statistics, biomedical informatics, and pharmaceutical policy. This breadth and balance of skills will improve the graduate’s ability to successfully compete for extramural funding and contribute to the scholarly literature on pharmaceutical outcomes.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the graduate program is competitive and is based upon academic background, professional recommendations, research experience and interviews. To be considered for the CET Track, completion of a clinical degree (MD, PharmD, DDS, DVM, etc.) is required. Minimum English proficiency exam scores required for admission are: 90 (TOEFL), 7.0 (IELTS), or 120 (Duolingo). Exceptions are made to this requirement for applicants who have earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree in the US.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in order to sit for the qualifying exam. After successfully completing the qualifying exam, students are required to complete a minimum of two semesters of 767 before they can graduate. Students must remain continuously enrolled in 767 every fall and spring semester until they have completed and defended the dissertation.
Doctoral Program Core Coursework
Each Track utilizes distinct sets of required and elective courses. Courses are either offered by the Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences, or available from other colleges throughout the university. The mentor and the Dissertation Advisory Committee are empowered to select courses that fit best into the educational and career goals of the student and the scientific goals of the dissertation. The Track Coordinator (for first-year students) or the Dissertation Advisory Committee are empowered to petition the DGS, in writing, to waive courses of the Graduate Program Core if the student has demonstrated sufficient academic mastery of material in courses taken in other programs. The DGS will monitor the coursework of students and keep the Advisory Committee members apprised as to the student’s grades and completion of courses. Coursework and grades are reviewed by the Advisory Committee at each yearly meeting. Additional details can be found in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program Handbook: https://pharmacy.uky.edu/apply/phd-program
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