Pharmacy

Every day, millions of people around the world are able to live happier, healthier, longer lives thanks to medications managed by trusted, expert pharmacists. If you like working with people and learning how medications can prevent and treat health conditions, pharmacy could be the right path for you. This program, which you can start as a first-year student, leads to a graduate-level degree for a career as a pharmacist—consistently named as one of the most respected health care professions.

What will I learn?

You'll start with required courses focused on chemistry, biology and the pharmacy profession. As you advance into the doctorate, you’ll learn more about physiology, how to assess patients and your responsibilities as a pharmacist. With a solid foundation in place, you’ll learn about specialties such as cardiovascular health, reproductive health and infectious diseases, to name a few. You’ll also spend time in our simulated pharmacies and practice labs, building your knowledge (and working on your people skills) as you get ready to practice your craft.

Pharmacy vs. Pharmaceutical Science
  • Pharmacy leads to a PharmD degree and is for students who want to work as a pharmacist (a licensed health care provider).
  • Pharmaceutical science is focused on drug discovery, development and evaluation, and is designed for students who want to work in the pharmaceutical research and manufacturing industry.

What can I do outside of class?

As a pharmacy student, you’ll participate in cocurricular interprofessional educational activities with other health care students, continuous professional development activities and clinical rotations. For example, UB students have led health care efforts to assist refugees and have helped vaccinate people throughout the community as part of their service.

Interested in going abroad? Join one of our global health initiatives to provide care in clinics and hospitals around the world.

UB also has many student groups and organizations, making it easy to meet new friends, network with alumni and build relationships to help you throughout your professional career.

You may also have opportunities to work with faculty to conduct life-changing research in areas such as HIV treatment, pediatrics, geriatrics and addressing health care disparities.

Hands On / Experiential Learning
Study Abroad
Student Clubs
Research

What can I do with an pharmacy degree?

The obvious answer is that you’ll be a pharmacist. But what you may not realize is how many choices you’ll have within that field, including:

  • Community pharmacist. Interact directly with customers while working at a community store, an independent pharmacy or a community health center.
  • Hospital pharmacist. Work with doctors and nurses in an inpatient setting.
  • Consultant pharmacist. Support nursing homes and other facilities, as well as individual patients receiving home health care.
  • Government pharmacist. Consider a career with Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military branches, and other local, state, and national agencies.
  • Veterinary pharmacist. Help take care of a variety of animals.
  • Professor. Teach future pharmacists at a university while also conducting your own research.
  • Clinical drug development. Take the lead in researching the clinical uses of new drug candidates and new uses for commonly used medications.

Who will I learn from?

At UB, our faculty is with you every step of the way, from your intro-level undergrad courses through your professional-level classes, research, clinical experiences and more. They take pride in preparing UB students to be exceptional pharmacists, ethical health care professionals and integral members of a team.

Our faculty has included internationally recognized clinicians and researchers and some of the most highly cited experts in their respective fields, specializing in everything from neuropharmacology and pharmacoeconomics to nephrology, oncology and palliative care. In addition, they have earned numerous teaching awards and professional honors, such as being named as fellows of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Distinguished Investigators.