When the School of Pharmacy opened in 2008, students were admitted to a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BScPhm) program. All Waterloo Pharmacy students who completed their education from 2011 to 2014 graduated with this degree.
However, in Ontario, an expanding scope of practice and requirements for pharmacists to have more extensive clinical education resulted in a change in the entry-to-practice degree to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. By 2020, all pharmacy schools in Canada had updated their curricula to offer PharmD programs.
This unique distance education program was offered only to University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy alumni who graduated with the BScPhm degree so they could also have the opportunity to earn a PharmD.
Note: The program is no longer offered
Program history
Program development began in September 2013. The first students started the time-limited program in January 2015 after the required course and program approvals were granted. The program successfully concluded in 2021.
Program results
The program is considered a resounding success, exceeding original admission projections and with 75% of those admitted successfully completing the program. Many new relationships were fostered, including with assessors and recognition of prior learning experts who had not previously worked with the School of Pharmacy.
Many pedagogical innovations were employed during the offer of this program, including fully online problem-based learning and hybrid teaching of a professional practice course as well as the first use of recognition of prior learning in a degree program at the University of Waterloo.
Most of this program was completed prior to March 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it had already introduced innovative approaches to online learning and distance education concepts for working professionals which have proven to be valuable to both our undergraduate and Lifelong Learning programs since the conclusion of the Bridging Program in 2021.
The above is an excerpt from the Bridging Program Final Report released in March 2023. To read the full report or for further inquiries, please email phrcpd@uwaterloo.ca.
