Study Pharmacy at the University of Montana

Engage in unique clinical experiences and develop hands-on professional skills in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at UM — the only program of its kind in the state of Montana.

Combining rigorous pharmaceutical science education with extensive clinical experiences that begin your first semester, the PharmD program emphasizes skills for providing care, population health and community outreach, as well as rural and underserved health (including opportunities in tele-health). The program also features innovative small group discussion and problem-solving, helping you to develop analytical and applied learning skills.

Our faculty members are renowned scientific researchers and experienced clinicians, with expertise in asthma education, pharmacogenetics, medication therapy management, psychiatric pharmacy, diabetes, neuroscience, environmental health, public health, immunology, drug design and drug information. Most of our faculty members are board certified in pharmacotherapy and other specialties.

97%

graduate employment rate

93%

first-time NAPLEX pass rate

$216K

in scholarships awarded annually

Other degree options for the PharmD students at UM

  • PharmD with a Master of Business Administration
  • PharmD with a Master in Public Health
  • PharmD with a Master or Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Design

What can you do with a PharmD?

A doctoral degree in pharmacy can open many professional opportunities. Our graduates work in pharmacies, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, government agencies and research centers. Many also go on to complete post-graduate training such as residencies and fellowships. Our track record speaks for itself: we have a 97% graduate employment rate and 79% residency match rate.

Why employers choose UM PharmD graduates

  • Our PharmD program is nationally recognized for its quality of patient-centered care and interprofessional training and outreach programs.
  • Our students gain real-world skills through extensive clinical pharmacy experiences and simulations, as well as advanced training in basic and translational research within the pharmaceutical sciences.
  • 93% of our students pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) on their first try.

PharmD jobs

Here are some of the diverse career options available to pharmacy doctorate degree graduates:

  • Clinical pharmacist
  • Community pharmacy owner
  • Patient care pharmacist
  • Clinical professor
  • Director of pharmacy services
  • Drug safety officer
  • Clinical research scientist
  • Pharmacy operations manager
  • Ambulatory care pharmacist
  • Hospital pharmacist
  • Compounding pharmacist
  • Nuclear pharmacist
  • Psychiatric pharmacist

PharmD salary

According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacists nationally earn a median pay of $128,090 per year. In Montana, pharmacists can expect to earn an average of $115,270.

PayScale.com reports that the average Doctor of Pharmacy salary is $121,678.

Video: Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program at Skaggs School of Pharmacy

Hear from students in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Montana.

Beyond the classroom: Experiential learning in the PharmD program

In the Doctor of Pharmacy program at UM, you’ll learn practical, hands-on skills starting your first day of class. From clinical experiences to community outreach, our program gives you the opportunity to work with Montana citizens on campus and across the state. Our program includes:

  • Pharmacy-based immunization training and certification during your first semester.
  • Clinical rotations and experiences in rural and underserved health.
  • Opportunities for teaching, research, clinical services and outreach in pharmacogenomics, precision medicine and tele-health through the L.S. Skaggs Institute for Health Innovation.

IPHARM Health Screening at the University of Montana Skaggs School of Pharmacy

Our IPHARM mobile wellness screening program connects Montana seniors, community members and vulnerable populations to wellness screenings throughout the entire state of Montana. Learn more about the IPHARM screening program.

Study abroad opportunities for Doctor of Pharmacy students

Find opportunities to participate in International Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) in Scotland, France, Indonesia and other countries around the globe. Study abroad experiences in the Doctor of Pharmacy program give you the opportunity to work in low-resource settings and learn about travel medicine, pharmaceutical practices overseas, traditional medicines used in other cultures and more. Learn more about study abroad opportunities in the PharmD program

Research in pharmaceutical science

Work with UM faculty on cutting-edge research in pharmaceutical science. Active areas of investigation include:

  • Designing and developing novel therapeutics.
  • Optimizing pharmaceutical therapies to improve efficacy and safety.
  • Identifying drug targets and biomarkers of disease pathogenesis and progression.
  • Exploiting small molecules to understand protein structure and function.

PharmD facilities and labs

Get real-world experience working in state-of-the-art facilities on UM’s campus. Our in-house IPHARM Pharmacy, staffed by both professional and student pharmacists, offers medication therapy management services for patients within certain health care plans. Our pharmacy practice lab includes prescription processing software, an IV room and simulation mannequins. Counseling rooms offer dedicated space to practice physical assessment and counseling patients about medication and disease states.

Career development in the PharmD program

We do more than prepare you with the hands-on skills and knowledge to succeed in your profession. We help make sure you hit the ground running in your career, and find the opportunities that match your goals. With the help of faculty and staff, our students often find careers through experiences and professional contacts made in the program.

In the PharmD program at UM, you’ll never feel like a number. We offer small classes and a small faculty-to-student ratio — ensuring personal attention and one-on-one support. You’ll get to know your instructors, and your classmates, and build supportive, often lifelong relationships in the process. We’re here to support each other, and we’re all in this together.

Student organizations for PharmD

Participate in professional service functions and social events. Explore diverse career opportunities in clinical pharmacy. Give back to the community through service work. You’ll have these opportunities and more through student organizations including:

  • American Pharmacists Association
  • American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
  • Kappa Epsilon
  • Kappa Psi
  • National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
  • Phi Lambda Sigma
  • Rho Chi

PharmD scholarships

We’re here to make your pharmacy graduate program affordable. Each year, we award about $216,000 in scholarships to Doctor of Pharmacy students, with a wide variety of individual scholarships available. Learn more about pharmacy scholarships at the University of Montana.

Explore classes for the PharmD program

The PharmD curriculum explores biochemistry, microbiology, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, social administrative pharmacy and therapeutics. We also offer a variety of elective courses in areas such as medicinal plants, Ayurvedic medicine, gerontology and recent advances in clinical medicine.

View all classes for the Doctor of Pharmacy program.