Experiential Programs
PharmD FAQs
What Degree does the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy offer?
The Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree.
What academic calendar does the School follow?
The fall semester begins the third week in August and ends about the third week in December. First year students begin two weeks prior to the first day of classes for an extensive orientation. The spring semester begins on or about January 2nd and continues through the second week in May. Breaks from the academic workload include the usual holidays such as Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Spring Holiday, Memorial Day and Independence Day.
Is the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy accredited?
Yes. The Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy has been continuously accredited with ACPE since its inception.
Is it important to go to an accredited School of Pharmacy?
Yes. Students who graduate from a School of Pharmacy that is not accredited are not eligible for licensure as a pharmacist.
When do I get my Intern License?
During the fall semester of your P1 year you will apply for your intern license.
What is the Experiential Program?
The Experiential Program provides entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy students a structured, supervised program of participation in the practice of pharmacy. Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy students gain experience in problem solving and providing patient care services while applying the basic and pharmaceutical sciences learned in the classroom and practice laboratories. Through the Experiential Program, the students continue to mature while moving through the continuum of required and elective pharmacy practice experiences throughout the curriculum, from introductory to advanced, to support the achievement of the ability-based outcomes for the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.
Under the supervision of faculty and selected preceptors, the students learn to make decisions based on professional knowledge and judgment. Broad exposure to as many pharmacy activities and practice settings as possible, interaction with diverse patient populations, and opportunities to collaborate with other health care professionals, as well as significant personal study and reflection, facilitates the transition from student to practitioner.
The primary objective of the Experiential Program is to assure that each student develops the technical skills, knowledge, application skills, professional judgment, communication skills and competency necessary for entry into the profession of pharmacy. The student serves under the close supervision of faculty and selected pharmacists who have been recognized by the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy as preceptors. These preceptors show the students how to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to daily practice, assess the student’s progress, and contribute to the student’s overall evaluation.
How long is a rotation?
A rotation is six weeks.
P3 students are at their site:
- Four hours a day (8:00 am – 12 noon generally, but there are exceptions)
- Four days a week
- Monday through Thursday
- 96 hours total for one rotation
P4 students are at their site:
- Eight hours a day
- Five days a week, completing no more than 50 hours per week at a site
- 240 total hours for one rotation
How many rotations are required?
- P1 year students will participate in a 16-hour rotation in a community pharmacy.
- P3 year students will participate in four core course 6-week rotations
- P4 year students will participate in six core course 6-week rotations and two rotation electives
Where will I have my rotations?
The Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy has contracts in place with several community, rural, hospital and clinical pharmacies on each campus.
Do I have to set up my own rotations?
The Experiential Office will place all first, third, and fourth year students at their rotation sites. Students do not need to set up their own rotations.
What is a preceptor?
Preceptors are practicing licensed pharmacists or other healthcare professionals who are vital role models in the education of pharmacy students and their role cannot be over-emphasized. Preceptors qualify to participate by meeting and adhering to strict standards set by the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy. It is the responsibility of the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy to orient the preceptor to the teaching role and to provide educational support to enhance teaching effectiveness. Experiential Programs office provides preceptor training through workshops, on-line training videos, and other educational support.
A preceptor is not quite the same as a teacher. A teacher provides the students with information that is required, whereas a preceptor oversees the experience and facilitates a learning environment wherein students take a much greater responsibility for their own learning experiences. As a learning facilitator, the preceptor will be with the students at all times during the rotation. Acquisition of information will come from student’s own observations and from the greatest teachers of all: the patients. Preceptors meet with the student’s at the mid-point of the rotation to discuss the rotation and if the student should need additional assistance in this learning experience. Students will be evaluated by the primary preceptor in collaboration with other co-preceptors and/or inter-professional individuals the students interact with at the end of the rotation with a final grade being posted in the CORE Learning Management System.
How many intern hours are required by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) to graduate?
TSBP requires 1,500 hours of internship for licensure. Students graduating from the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy average 2,245 hours upon graduation.
What if I choose to practice in another state after graduation?
It is the responsibility of the student to obtain licensing information from the state they would like to practice in after graduation. The Experiential Program Office will send out a notice before graduation asking P4 students to submit their request to have their intern hours sent to another state. TSBP will submit the graduate’s intern hours to the state per their request. Again, it is the student’s responsibility to follow up on additional individual state paperwork to be completed.