»Experiential Education Curriculum

Experiential education is integrated and sequenced with the didactic curriculum and is mapped to the CUSP student learning outcomes (SLOs). Experiential learning occurs throughout the 3 years at CUSP, during which students refine their skills involved in the patient care process.

Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) provide students practical experience in community, indepe and hospital pharmacy settings during Year 1 and 2 at CUSP. Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) are 6-week rotations comprised of 4 required rotation types and 2 electives that expose students holistically to all angles of pharmaceutical pursuits.


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IPPE - Year 1

T1 Immunization IPPE (Trimester 1)

  • Students are assigned to a local chain or independent pharmacy where they administer immunizations to patients during the flu season.
  • This IPPE is embedded into the Immunization course offered during Trimester 1.

Community Pharmacy IPPEs (Trimester 2 and 3)

  • Students are assigned to a retail and an independent community pharmacy during Trimester 2 and 3.
  • Students are at their assigned site for 8 hours a week for 5 weeks and accumulate a minimum of 40 hours each trimester.

IPPE - Year 2

Community and Health-System IPPEs (Trimester 4, 5, and 6)

  • Students are assigned to a community pharmacy and a health-system pharmacy site during Trimester 4, 5, and 6.
  • Students are at their assigned site for 8 hours a week for 10 weeks and accumulate a minimum of 80 hours each trimester.

APPE - Year 3

Students complete six, 6-week rotations during Year 3. A broad overview of rotations are below:

Acute Care/Medicine

Students provide direct patient care to hospitalized patients by monitoring and adjusting medication treatment plans. The rotation may focus on a specialty area, such as infectious disease or emergency medicine.

Hospital/Health System

Students work within a centralized and/or satellite pharmacy to promote efficient medication distribution and to understand pharmacy operations. Students may participate in medication reconciliation, patient discharge education and transitions of care consultations.


Community

Students work within an outpatient setting to review, fill, and counsel patient on their prescription and over-the-counter medications. Students may also administer vaccines and provide disease state education.


Ambulatory Care

Students manage patients in an outpatient clinic setting where they generally monitor and adjust medication treatment plans and provide patient education.


Electives

An array of electives is offered to our students. Examples include: managed care, pharmacy administrative, pharmaceutical industry, or specialty areas such as, infectious disease, oncology, anticoagulation, critical care, and drug information. 

Rotation Schedules

IPPE students are scheduled to their rotation site 8 hours, once a week. 

APPE students are scheduled to their rotations site 40 hours per week.


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IPPE Year 1

Class of 2025:

Rotation Dates
Summer, Block B

June 16, 2023- July 14, 2023

Class of 2026:

Rotation

Dates

Immunization

10/16/23 - 12/1/23

Spring Block A

1/12/24 - 2/9/24

Spring Block B

2/16/24 - 3/15/24

Summer Block A

5/10/24 - 6/7/24

Summer Block B

6/14/24-  7/12/24

 

IPPE Year 2

Class of 2026:

Rotation

Dates

Immunization

10/16/23 - 12/1/23

Spring Block A

1/12/24 - 2/9/24

Spring Block B

2/16/24 - 3/15/24

Summer Block A

5/10/24 - 6/7/24

Summer Block B

6/14/24-  7/12/24

APPE Year 3

Rotation

Dates

Fall 1

8/14/23 - 9/22/23

Fall 2

9/25/23 - 11/3/23

Fall 3

11/6/23 - 12/15/23

Spring 1

1/8/24 - 2/16/24

Spring 2

2/19/24 - 3/29/24

Spring 3

4/1/24 - 5/10/24