Applying to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Program
Applications to OSU’s Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program are handled through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS). PharmCAS is used by nearly all of the Pharm.D. programs in the country, and allows an applicant to apply to multiple schools using a single application.
Prerequisite Course Equivalencies
Background Check and Drug Screening
Application Instructions
The PharmCAS application can be accessed online at pharmcas.org. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read all the application instructions provided by PharmCAS and the PharmCAS “School Page” for the institution(s) to which they are applying prior to submitting their application. OSU-specific instructions for the 2012 application are available here. Instructions for the 2013 application will be available in June.
Admitted students start the Pharm.D. program each fall. Students are not admitted for winter, spring or summer terms. Applications for fall 2013 will be available on PharmCAS starting in June 2012. Application deadlines are September 4, 2012 for Early Decision, and November 1, 2012 for the Regular Decision process. Late applications will not be considered.
Supplemental Application
In addition to completing the PharmCAS application, all applicants to OSU’s Pharm.D. program are required to submit the OSU Supplemental Application. Supplemental Application materials must be mailed (in one envelope) directly to the OSU College of Pharmacy at the following address:
Oregon State University
College of Pharmacy
203 Pharmacy Building
Corvallis, OR 97331
Supplemental applications must be received at the College of Pharmacy by 5:00pm on November 1, 2012 (September 4, 2011 for Early Decision). No late materials will be accepted. Applicants who do not submit the Supplemental Application cannot be considered for admission.
- ESSAY: Essay topic will be available in June. Must be typed. This essay should differ from the PharmCAS Personal Statement.
- PREREQUISITE WORKSHEET: The worksheet is available to download as a form-fillable Word document and as a PDF. Applicants should download the worksheet, fill it in (preferably typed), and print a copy to submit. Detailed instructions for the completion of the prerequisite worksheet are included on the form.
- FEE: $50 check or money order payable to "OSU College of Pharmacy." Cash and credit card payments can not be accepted, and the fee is non-refundable. The Supplemental Application fee can be waived for those applicants who have qualified for the PharmCAS fee waiver. Please include a note with your supplemental application indicating that you qualified for the fee waiver and are not submitting the Supplemental Application fee. OSU will verify all fee waiver claims with PharmCAS.
Prerequisite Course Equivalencies
The College of Pharmacy is in the process of compiling prerequisite course equivalencies for institutions other than OSU. The equivalencies will be posted here as they become available. Specific inquiries about course equivalencies can be e-mailed to pharmacy@oregonstate.edu.
Transcript Evaluation - (not required)
Informal evaluations of prospective students’ transcripts are optional, but can be made by the College of Pharmacy Student Affairs Office by special request.
Instructions for requesting a transcript evaluation:
Submit copies of your transcripts via e-mail to pharmacy@oregonstate.edu, fax 541-737-3999 attn: Transcript Evaluation or mail (Transcript Evaluation; 203 Pharmacy Building; Corvallis, OR 97331). Unofficial transcript copies are sufficient for the informal evaluation. Include your full name and e-mail address so results can be communicated to you.
Allow four to six weeks to receive the results of your evaluation. Results will be sent by e-mail to the address you provided. Transcripts will not be returned.
Transfer Student Applications
The College of Pharmacy will consider applications from students currently enrolled in another Doctor of Pharmacy program who wish to transfer to OSU. Students may only transfer at the beginning of the fall term.
Transfer applicants must submit the following materials to the Office of Student Services by March 1:
- Complete official transcripts of all college coursework (pre-professional, professional, and any other programs of study).
- A formal statement of interest in the OSU College of Pharmacy.
- A letter of support from the dean or chief academic administrator of their current School or College of Pharmacy indicating that the applicant is in good standing and eligible to continue in their current program.
Applications will not be considered from students who are not in good standing or ineligible to continue in their current program.
Applicants’ materials will be reviewed by the Office of Student Services. If an applicant is deemed to be a potentially acceptable candidate, an interview will be scheduled. The Office of Student Services will forward a recommendation regarding admission, and professional year of entry, to the College Admissions Committee for consideration, following completion of the interview and review of the applicant's supporting materials.
Transfer students admitted to the professional program by the Admissions committee will be asked to provide detailed documentation of all coursework and experiences already completed. The Director of Student Services and Executive Associate Dean will consult with course coordinators and recommend an appropriate program of study to the Academic and Professional Standards (APS) Committee. The decision of APS committee regarding required coursework will be communicated to the student prior to matriculation and is final.
Background Check and Drug Screening
After students are offered admission to the College of Pharmacy, the College will provide them with information about criminal background checks and drug screenings.
The College of Pharmacy requires that students submit to a criminal background check using a vendor designated and approved by the College prior to matriculation. Criminal background checks typically involve access to court records containing local, state, or federal incidents of arraignment, trial, and disposition; law enforcement agency records containing incidents of complaint, investigation, arrest, and indictment; and, correction agency records containing information about probation, parole, and incarceration. In addition, a sex offender registry check and Department of Motor Vehicle driving history check will be completed. All persons accepted to the professional program must submit to a background check prior to matriculation. The college may rescind an offer of admission based on information revealed by a background check. All expenses associated with a background check are the responsibility of the student or applicant.
The College strongly encourages Students to submit to a drug screening prior to matriculation. The test provided by the College’s designated vendor will, at a minimum, screen for Amphetamines, Cocaine Metabolites, Marijuana Metabolites, Opiate Metabolites, and Phencyclidine (PCP). It may also screen for additional illegal drugs or controlled substances. Because many clerkship practice settings require drug screenings, it is unlikely that students will be able to complete the Pharm.D. program if they do not undergo a drug screening. All expenses associated with a drug screening are the responsibility of the student or applicant.