Doctor of Pharmacy
What is the degree I need to become a pharmacist?
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is the only professional degree accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to practice pharmacy in the US.
How long does it take to earn a Pharm.D. degree?
Pharm.D. program requires six years of study divided into two basic sections. The
first section requires the completion of two years of Pre-Pharmacy program followed
by four academic years of professional pharmacy study at Accredited Pharmacy School.
In most cases, to be eligible for admission consideration into the entry-level Pharm.D.
degree program, an applicant must present evidence of successful completion of the
required Pre-Pharmacy program and pass the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).
Completion of these requirements does not necessary guarantee admission into the
Pharm.D. program.
Can I enroll in a pharmacy school right after high school?
Yes, some pharmacy schools accept student immediately after high school to study
a 6-year Pharm.D. program including both the Pre-Pharmacy program and Pharm.D.
What do I need to join a US residency program?
To be able to practice pharmacy or peruse your residency training in the US, graduates
must be a licensed pharmacist.
What do I need to be a licensed pharmacist?
To be licensed as a pharmacist, you must:
- Have a B.S. in Pharmacy or a Pharm.D. degree from a ACPE accredited program.
- Graduates from a college of pharmacy program outside the U.S. must pass the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and take the TOEFL.
- Complete 1,500 – 2,000 training hours in U.S.
- Pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
- Take the Pharmacist Jurisprudence Examination.
What do I need to join graduate programs (M.S. and Ph.D.)?
The admission requirements to graduate programs usually varied by the school that you are applying to. However, most graduate schools have a very competitive pool of candidate and they usually based their decision in selecting the right candidates on the student’s academic records, their research experience, their GRE and TOEFL scores, and recommendation letters provided.


