Waterloo Pharmacy is excited to launch a new Master of Pharmacy in Advanced Pharmacy Practice program. Applicants can now apply for the two-year program which will have its first students start class in September 2020.
“Canada now has an entry-to-practice PharmD program; pharmacists graduating from these programs are able to address the medication and health needs of the population at large. However, there are limited opportunities for pharmacists to build on these skills in advanced pharmacy practice,” says professor Tejal Patel, who shares the role of program co-director with professor Feng Chang. “We developed this program because we identified a need, especially in rural areas and urban centres outside of major cities like Toronto, for advanced pharmacy practitioners.”
Currently, the health care system is faced with increasingly complex medication therapies that will provide rewarding opportunities for pharmacists with advanced clinical and research skills, to serve the needs of health care and academic institutions as clinical practitioners, educators, and scientists. The MPharm program is designed to address this need.
The new program will include courses in advanced medication management, critical appraisal and evidence-based practice, physical assessments and laboratory testing, research methods, and biostatistics. It was also designed to build leaders of the profession who will be able to rise to the challenges of working in environments where there are limited health care resources.
“In addition to comprehensive coursework, students will engage in unique leadership and teacher training opportunities at the University of Waterloo,” says Chang.
The two-year program also includes a significant experiential requirement involving a minimum of 750 hours in direct patient care and completion of a research project. Applicants to the program must be licensed Pharmacists (or eligible for licensure in Ontario).
This program builds on the knowledge and expertise developed in the entry-to-practice PharmD and Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degrees. But it goes beyond that, giving students 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 goal is to develop leaders in the profession who have a strong foundation in advanced clinical practice, research, and education and are ready to lead change in Canada’s evolving pharmacy environment.”
Learn more about the MPharm program.