Administration
Joseph T. DiPiro, Pharm.D.
Executive Dean, South Carolina College of Pharmacy

Arnold W. Karig, B.S., B.S. Pharm., M.S., Ph.D.
Campus Dean, MUSC

Philip D. Hall, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS, BCOP
Campus Associate Dean, MUSC

Introduction
The MUSC College of Pharmacy, which has been in continuous service since 1894, matriculated its final class under the current program of study in 2005.  It will continue to operate as an individual College under the aegis of the Medical University of South Carolina until graduation of the class of 2009.  Simultaneously, with the 2004 approval of the MUSC and USC Boards of Trustees, the College of Pharmacy is integrating with the University of South Carolina to form a joint program through the South Carolina College of Pharmacy (SCCP) beginning with its first matriculated class in August, 2006. 

All policies and procedures of this section relate specifically to the MUSC College of Pharmacy program only.  Information related to policy, procedures, and programs of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy are contained in a separate section of this Bulletin.

The College of Pharmacy has been in continuous service since 1894. Expanding health care needs and accelerating development of modern therapeutic agents have increased the importance of the pharmacist in today’s health care system. The College of Pharmacy continuously anticipates and responds to the pharmaceutical care needs of the state and the nation. Its educational programs are designed to provide the cultural, humanistic, and professional background to meet the demands of pharmacy practice in today’s society. It encourages research in the basic and clinical sciences, the delivery of pharmaceutical care, and the proper utilization of drugs. The college maintains a drug information center which provides information to health and lay communities throughout the state and the region. In the goal of promoting lifelong learning, the college offers continuing education and disease state management programs targeted to meet the needs of the practicing pharmacist. The faculty consists of 43 full-time and a number of part-time members who offer a challenging educational experience to students.

The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education recommends the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree as the educational level for entering the practice of pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy offers this degree in a program requiring four years of study. In conjunction with the College of Graduate Studies, the College of Pharmacy also offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in pharmaceutical sciences.

The Doctor of Pharmacy program provides a broad spectrum of study to prepare the graduate for careers in institutional, ambulatory, academic, and industrial settings. The college’s students have the unique opportunity of training at an institution dedicated to the education of health professionals. Because the college is intimately affiliated with the other colleges of the Medical University of South Carolina, the role of the pharmacist as an integral member of the total health care team is emphasized. The student is trained to solve problems related to drug therapy and to develop new methods of health care delivery which involve the pharmacist more directly in the care of patients. Students observe and participate in the care of patients in the MUSC Medical Center, clinics, and other area hospitals. Joint programs offered by the College of Pharmacy, the Family Medicine Center, and the Statewide Family Practice Program provide students with additional clinical experiences. Students also participate in group practice situations with other health practitioners in general health clinics and in community pharmacies. Clinical practitioners facilitate the student’s externship and clerkship training in both ambulatory and hospital patient-care areas including Family Medicine, University Diagnostic Center, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Drug Information, Nuclear Pharmacy, Pharmacokinetics, Hospital Pharmacy Administration, and Psychiatry. Students involved in the clinical training portion of any of the college’s programs should anticipate the requirement of completing at least a portion of their training, at their own expense, at health care facilities away from the campus. Anyone interested in visiting the College of Pharmacy or in obtaining career guidance should contact the Dean’s office.

Purpose and Goals
The purpose of the College of Pharmacy is to anticipate and respond to the needs of the people through the education of highly qualified pharmacists and the advancement of knowledge leading to quality pharmaceutical care. To accomplish this mission, the college has adopted the following goals:

• to provide a challenging education for qualified students in order to prepare them for professional competency, subsequent advanced study in pharmaceutical sciences, and growth in professional achievements by building on the liberal arts and basic sciences foundation,
• to explore and innovate new methods of practice through the establishment of appropriate practice models,
• to encourage study and original work in basic and applied health research to aid in the improvement of health care delivery systems,
• to emphasize concern for ethical and moral values that characterize professional responsibility,
• to provide programs of continuing education to stimulate the desire for continued development of knowledge and personal capabilities,
• to offer public service to the people of South Carolina and the nation through specialized knowledge and research, especially in the control of dangerous drugs,
• to assist public health agencies in the prevention and control of disease,
• and, to provide expertise in disease management to the health care team.

Accreditation
The College of Pharmacy is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council on Pharmaceutical Education and is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Committees
Administrative Advisory Committee
Admissions
Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure
Assessment
Curriculum
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Honors and Scholarships
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Student Activities