Status of PharmD/PhD programs in colleges of pharmacy: the University of Tennessee dual PharmD/PhD program.

OBJECTIVES To describe the University of Tennessee PharmD/PhD program and assess the prevalence and characteristics of PharmD/PhD programs in the United States. METHODS Survey instruments were mailed in May 2004 to UT dual-degree program participants and deans of US colleges and schools of pharmacy. RESULTS University of Tennessee PharmD/PhD students completed more than 30 hours of graduate credit before obtaining their PharmD and 72.2% agreed or strongly agreed that the program met their professional goals. More than 40% of US pharmacy colleges and schools have or plan to have PharmD/PhD programs. A wide variation exists in the level of integration, PhD concentrations offered, entrance requirements, and student benefits. Most schools with PharmD/PhD programs had few students enrolled in the program, but attrition rates were low (<20%) for 69% of the schools. CONCLUSIONS Dual-degree programs attract and retain pharmacy students in research programs and 47.6% of graduates entered academia and industry.

[1]  J. Stevens,et al.  The changing environment of graduate and postdoctoral training in drug metabolism: viewpoints from academia, industry, and government. , 2003, Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals.

[2]  E. Neilson.  The role of medical school admissions committees in the decline of physician-scientists. , 2003, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[3]  T. Ley,et al.  Removing career obstacles for young physician-scientists -- loan-repayment programs. , 2002, The New England journal of medicine.

[4]  T. Ley,et al.  The Physician‐Scientist: Career Issues and Challenges at the Year 2000 , 2000, FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

[5]  A. J. Huang.  Reinventing the physician-scientist in the new era of health care. , 1999, JAMA.

[6]  G. Gaulton,et al.  Addressing the needs of basic and clinical research: analysis of graduates of the University of Pennsylvania MD-PhD program. , 1999, JAMA.

[7]  E. Neafsey,et al.  Brain damage due to episodic alcohol exposure in vivo and in vitro: furosemide neuroprotection implicates edema‐based mechanism , 1998, FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

[8]  C. Chu,et al.  Career characteristics of graduates of a Medical Scientist Training Program, 1970‐1990 , 1996, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[9]  M. Speedie.  Chair Report for the Research and Graduate Affairs Committee 1 , 1995 .

[10]  Training Brochure.  Training Program , 1960 .