MPharm Overview

Undergraduate pharmacy programs in Canada train pharmacists who serve the medication and health requirements of patients with a broad range of medical conditions.  However, there is a need for an advanced pharmacist practitioner who has the expert knowledge to manage complex patients or complex drug therapy in specialized patient populations.  These advanced practitioners require a higher level of knowledge and skill in order to make the best possible decisions regarding medication management based on clinical judgement, critical appraisal of evidence and treatment goals. 

The majority of academic and clinical pharmacists working in Canada completed post-baccalaureate PharmD training at universities in North America.   As pharmacy education evolved, a modified version of the original PharmD has become the entry-to-practice degree for pharmacists and post-baccalaureate PharmD programs have been discontinued.  In Canada, pharmacists interested in advanced clinical practice complete a one-year program residency.  However, there are few of these programs and they do not include formal coursework and research training is limited. 

The combined effect of the discontinuation of post-baccalaureate PharmD programs and the lack of residency training opportunities in Canada is a shortage of pharmacists with the advanced clinical and research skills needed to meet the needs of health care institutions and universities for clinical practitioners, educators and scientists.  In the MPharm program you will gain a higher level of knowledge and skill in order to fill this shortage. You will also receive additional training in leadership, teaching, and research, opening up new career options for leadership positions in health care institutions.

The MPharm helps open career doors that may not be available to graduates with an entry-to-practice PharmD.

The MPharm positions graduates for leadership positions. Typically, pharmacists who hold positions as directors of pharmacy departments in hospitals, executive directors at family health teams, or in academic roles at universities have some form of advanced pharmacy training. The MPharm puts graduates on a pathway to achieve these senior leadership roles.

If you are interested in leading a team, building and delivering a unique health care initiative or becoming a clinical expert and go-to resource for pharmacists, the MPharm is right for you.

Where possible, the MPharm research projects and placements can be customized to fit the interests of each student.

Possible research areas of focus include:

• Immunization
• Drug informatics
• Public health
• Travel health
• Vulnerable populations
• Rural health
• Various therapeutic areas
• And many more

• Through courses in advanced medication management: skills in critical appraisal and evidence based practice, physical assessments and laboratory testing, research methods, and biostatistics
• Through additional training opportunities: skills in teaching and leadership
• Through research project: skills in advanced health care research as well as verbal and written communication skills
• Through 750 hours of direct patient care: skills in advanced patient care

Pharmacists who wish to become leaders in advanced pharmacy practice, who want to serve as medication experts in the provision of health care, educators in the classroom and clinical setting, and researchers contributing to the generation and transfer of knowledge related to the optimal use of medications. 

Applicants must:

• Be graduates of an accredited have graduated from an accredited undergraduate pharmacy program leading to the BScPharm or PharmD degrees
• Be licensed or eligible for licensure as a pharmacist in Ontario.  Students who are not licensed at the time of acceptance into the MPharm program will be required to obtain licensure prior to beginning the clinical practicum since they will be expected to engage in the full range of professional activities associated with the scope of practice for pharmacists in Ontario.  
• Have minimum average of 78% in the final two years of their undergraduate pharmacy degree
• Have outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English (assessed by personal interview)

It is highly desirable that applicants have completed at least one year of pharmacy practice or an accredited pharmacy residency program prior to entering the MPharm program. Learn more about admissions and program requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Students in professional degree programs are not funded by the university, department, or supervisor, but are encouraged to apply for any awards and scholarships for which they may be eligible. 

See Minimum funding for graduate programs for details about at the University of Waterloo.

See the Pharmacy graduates students website and the Graduate funding and awards database for information about potential funding opportunities.

No. See the Pharmacy admissions FAQs for more information.

The application deadline for the fall 2022 admit term is February 1. Strong domestic applicants (i.e. Canadians and Permanent Residents) will continue to be considered until May 1. We strongly recommend all applicants to apply by the February 1 deadline, to be considered for the first round of interviews (normally in March).    

If not currently licensed to practice in Canada, internationally trained Pharmacists who wish to be considered for admission to the MPharm program must have successfully completed the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Evaluating Exam.  See the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada website for information.

Currently, we only accept students for full-time studies.