Department of

Department of Pharmacy and
Health Systems Sciences

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Combining the best in classroom, laboratory, and experiential learning under the direction of a world class faculty, right in the heart of Boston.

The Department of Pharmacy and Health System Sciences is an academic unit within the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

The faculty members who make up the department are a diverse group of professionals, including clinical pharmacists who practice in hospitals, ambulatory care clinics and community pharmacies, clinical scientists who conduct research in both laboratory and patient care settings, and social and administrative scientists who research a variety of aspects of medication use and health care delivery.

Video: PharmD student Natalia Sloma talks about how her Bouvé education stands out from others.

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Meet the Department Chair

Andrew Orr-Skirvin

Dr. Orr-Skirvin is chair of the Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences Department, and also director of the Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship program at Northeastern. He has been teaching pharmacy students and providing clinical services to oncology patients since 1996. Interest areas include supportive care for oncology patients including pain management, symptom control, and minimizing toxicity. He is also deeply involved with student engagement through active learning and promoting skill development for practice readiness.

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School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Core Learning Outcomes for all Programs

  1. Develop, integrate, and apply knowledge from the foundational sciences (e.g., biomedical, pharmaceutical, social/behavioral/administrative, or clinical sciences) to evaluate the scientific literature, explain drug action, solve therapeutic problems, and advance population health, patient-centered care and/or drug discovery and development.
  2. Apply scientific principles to design research and/or educational strategies with the aim of improving health and wellness.
  3. Identify problems; explore and prioritize potential strategies; and design, implement, and evaluate viable solutions with a goal of generating new knowledge.
  4. Educate all audiences by determining the most effective and enduring ways to impart information and assess learning.
  5. Actively participate and engage as a healthcare and/or drug discovery and development team member by demonstrating mutual respect, understanding, and values.
  6. Effectively communicate verbally and nonverbally when interacting with individuals, groups, organizations, and other team members.
  7. Examine and reflect on personal knowledge, skills, abilities, beliefs, biases, motivation, and emotions that could enhance or limit personal and professional growth.
  8. Demonstrate responsibility for creating and achieving shared goals, regardless of position.
  9. Engage in innovative activities by using creative thinking to envision better ways of accomplishing professional goals.
  10. Exhibit behaviors and values consistent with the trust given to their profession.

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Outcomes — Sept ’23 onwards

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Collect information necessary to identify a patient’s medication-related problems and health-related needs.
  2. Assess collected information to determine a patient’s medication-related problems and health-related needs.
  3. Create a care plan in collaboration with the patient, others trusted by the patient, and other health professionals to optimize pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment.
  4. Contribute patient specific medication-related expertise as part of an interprofessional care team.
  5. Answer medication related questions using scientific literature.
  6. Implement a care plan in collaboration with the patient, others trusted by the patient, and other health professionals.
  7. Fulfill a medication order.
  8. Educate the patient and others trusted by the patient regarding the appropriate use of a medication, device to administer a medication, or self-monitoring test.
  9. Monitor and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a care plan.
  10. Report adverse drug events and/or medication errors in accordance with site specific procedures.
  11. Deliver medication or health-related education to health professionals or the public.
  12. Identify populations at risk for prevalent diseases and preventable adverse medication outcomes.
  13. Perform the technical, administrative, and supporting operations of a pharmacy practice site.
  14. Create a written plan for continuous professional development.

Ability based outcomes for the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree†

Domain 1 – Foundational Knowledge

1.1. Learner (Learner)

Develop, integrate, and apply knowledge from the foundational sciences (i.e., pharmaceutical, social/behavioral/administrative, and clinical sciences) to evaluate the scientific literature, explain drug action, solve therapeutic problems, and advance population health and patient— centered care.

Domain 2 – Essentials for Practice and Care

2.1. Patient—centered care (Caregiver)

Provide patient—centered care as the medication expert (collect and interpret evidence, prioritize, formulate assessments and recommendations, implement, monitor and adjust plans, and document activities).

2.2. Medication use systems management (Manager)

Manage patient healthcare needs using human, financial, technological, and physical resources to optimize the safety and efficacy of medication use systems.

2.3. Health andwellness (Promoter)

Design prevention, intervention, and educational strategies for individuals and communities to manage chronic disease and improve health and wellness.

2.4. Population—based care (Provider)

Describe how population—based care influences patient— centered care and influences the development of practice guidelines and evidence—based best practices.

Domain 3 — Approach to Practice and Care

3.1. Problem Solving (Problem Solver)

Identify problems; explore and prioritize potential strategies; and design, implement, and evaluate a viable solution.

3.2. Educator (Educator)

Educate all audiences by determining the most effective and enduring ways to impart information and assess understanding.

3.3. Patient Advocacy (Advocate)

Assure that patients’ best interests are represented.

3.4. Interprofessional collaboration (Collaborator)

Actively participate and engage as a healthcare team member by demonstrating mutual respect, understanding, and values to meet patient care needs.

3.5. Culturalsensitivity (Includer)

Recognize social determinants of health to diminish disparities and inequities in access to quality care.

3.6. Communication (Communicator)

Effectively communicate verbally and nonverbally when interacting with an individual, group, or organization.

Domain 4 – Personal and Professional Development

4.1. Self—awareness (Self—aware)

Examine and reflect on personal knowledge, skills, abilities, beliefs, biases, motivation, and emotions that could enhance or limit personal and professional growth.

4.2. Leadership (Leader)

Demonstrate responsibility for creating and achieving shared goals, regardless of position.

4.3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Innovator)

Engage in innovative activities by using creative thinking to envision better ways ofaccomplishing professional goals.

4.4. Professionalism (Professional)

Exhibit behaviors and values that are consistent with the trust given to the profession bypatients, other healthcare providers, and society.

† Adopted from Medina M, Plaza CM, Stowe CD, et al. Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education 2013 Educational Outcomes. Am J Pharm Ed. 2013;77(8):162.
Approved, 2013

Accreditation Status

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at Northeastern University School of Pharmacy is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) through June 30, 2024.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education. ACPE (until 2003 known as the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education) was established in 1932 for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy, and in 1975 its scope was broadened to include accreditation of providers of continuing pharmacy education.

The mission of ACPE is to assure and advance quality in pharmacy education. ACPE is an autonomous and independent agency whose Board of Directors is appointed by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) (three appointments each), and the American Council on Education (one appointment). Since the inception of its accreditation agency recognition program in 1952, ACPE has been recognized continuously by the U.S. Department of Education, and it gained recognition by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in April 2004. State boards of pharmacy require that licensure applicants from the United States have graduated from an accredited pharmacy degree program to be eligible to sit for the North American Pharmacist Licensure ExaminationTM (NAPLEX®).

ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) Accreditation logo for Northeastern University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Student Compliant Policy and Procedure

Policy

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the pharmacy school accreditation agency, is required by the U.S. Department of Education to assure that pharmacy programs have a policy to record and address student complaints regarding a school’s adherence to the ACPE Accreditation Standards and Guidelines for the Professional Program in Pharmacy Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree hereinafter referred to as the “ACPE Standards”.

The purpose of this policy is to provide the opportunity for pharmacy students to document complaints about the School’s adherence to any of the ACPE Standards. Complaints may relate to matters involving the curriculum, faculty, student affairs or other areas relating to specific ACPE standards. In the case of common academic matters within the School (e.g., grade challenges, academic standing reviews and appeals, etc.), students should refer to policies of procedures of the school and college, as outlined in the Undergraduate Student Information Manual, and the Graduate Student Information Manual.

Procedure

  • Student complaints are filed with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS).Complaints must be submitted in writing using the complaint Form. The student must specify which ACPE standard, policy or procedure is in question, provide a summary of the claim and include supporting evidence, as applicable. Receipt of the Complaint Form will be acknowledged via e-mail by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.
  • The student will be invited to meet with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs to discuss the complaint. If the Assistant Dean cannot resolve the issue to the student’s satisfaction, he/she will form an ad hoc committee consisting of three faculty who are not involved with the issue, a pharmacy student, and a staff member from the Bouvé College Office of Student Services. The committee will review the complaint and make a recommendation to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs within 10 business days of the committee’s formation. The complainant may be invited to meet with the committee to answer questions. Minutes must be taken at all committee meetings.
  • The student will receive a written response from the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs within five business days of the conclusion of committee’s deliberations. The response will include an evaluation of the complaint and the decision of the committee. Should the committee find that a violation of an accreditation standard has occurred, a proposal for corrective action and a corresponding timeline will be outlined.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the committee, he/she may appeal to the Dean of the SOPPS. Appeals must be received by the Dean’s office within five business days of the issuance of the committee’s report to the student. The Dean will review the case and render their decision within 10 business days of receipt of the appeal. The decision of the School Dean is final.
  • This process is the sole mechanism within the SOPPS for submission of student complaints regarding ACPE Standards.
  • Any student who wishes to file a complaint with ACPE for unresolved issues related to ACPE Standards may visit the ACPE website and follow the student link to access the procedures for filing a complaint.
  • All written complaints, investigations, committee meeting minutes, reports, and correspondence relating to the complaints will be retained in a confidential file and made available to an ACPE site-visit team in accordance with ACPE Accreditation Standards.

Quality Indicators


Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences

617-373-5226
[email protected]


School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Administrative Offices Located at 140 Fenway

Mailing Address
Northeastern University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
360 Huntington Avenue, R218 TF
Boston, MA 02115

Office of the Dean
Tel: 617-373-5209
[email protected]