Introduction:
The educational objective of the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is to prepare students for the practice of pharmacy. Students admitted to the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; therefore, must possess the necessary intelligence, integrity, physical, personal, and emotional characteristics that are necessary to acquire the knowledge, behaviors, clinical and technical skills that they will need to successfully complete the curriculum and pursue any pathway of pharmacy practice. The ability to meet the technical standards essential for the fulfillment of the requirements for the Pharm.D. degree and the educational objectives established by the faculty are evaluated in all candidates for admission and graduation. All applicants are held to the same academic and technical standards of admission and training.
The faculty of the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have established Technical Standards for Admission and Completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. These technical standards describe the requisite non-academic and academic qualifications and performance standards that are essential to admission, advancement and graduation. Each degree candidate must meet these minimum standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, to achieve successful completion of the degree.
Those individuals who would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of others are not considered suitable candidates for admission, including individuals who are currently impaired by alcohol or substance abuse. Candidates who are unable to meet the technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, will not be admitted to the program.
Reasonable Accommodations:
UC San Diego SSPPS is committed to the equitable inclusion of diverse qualified students with and without disabilities and fully supports the use of reasonable accommodations. We provide confidential and specialized disability support and are committed to excellence in accessibility; we encourage students with disabilities to disclose and seek accommodations. Students who, after review of the technical standards determine that they require accommodation(s) to fully engage in the program, should contact the UC San Diego Office of Students with Disabilities to confidentially discuss their accommodations needs prior to matriculating. Given the clinical nature of the program, additional time may be needed to implement accommodation(s) and accommodations are never retroactive; therefore, we encourage early disclosure and request for accommodation.
Technical Standards:
The awarding of the Pharm.D. degree signifies that the holder is prepared for entry into the practice of pharmacy. It follows that graduates must have the knowledge and skills to practice and function in a wide variety of settings and situations. Candidates for the Pharm.D. degree must be able to perform specific essential functions that the faculty deem requisite for the practice of pharmacy. These functions fall into several broad categories, including: observation; communication; motor; conceptual, integrative and quantitative; behavioral and social; and ethics and professionalism. Candidates must also have the physical and emotional stamina to function in a competent manner in clinical settings.
Observation:
Candidates must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic and pharmaceutical sciences (e.g., medical illustrations and models, microscopic studies of microorganism and tissues in normal and pathologic states). They must be able to directly and accurately observe a patient (e.g., to perform appropriate physical assessments and to correctly integrate the information derived from these observations to develop an accurate plan). These skills require the functional use of vision, auditory, and somatic sensation or the functional equivalent.
Communication:
Students should be able to communicate effectively and sensitively in English with patients and all members of the healthcare team both in person and in writing, and adjust communication approaches to match the needs of the recipient. Communication must be proficient across multiple domains including individual and group settings with healthcare professionals and trainees, in person, by telephone, or within a virtual platform.
Motor:
Students must possess the capacity to elicit information from patients using basic patient assessment skills (e.g., palpation, auscultation, percussion) and to engage with computer-based information systems. They must possess the motor function sufficient to perform basic injections (e.g., glucose monitoring or vaccine administration) and to accurately compound and prepare prescription products for dispensing to patients. Such actions require some coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, balance, and equilibrium, or the functional equivalent.
Interpretive, Conceptual, and Quantitative Abilities:
Candidates must have effective and efficient learning techniques and habits that allow mastery of the pharmacy curriculum. They must be able to learn through a variety of modalities including, but not limited to, in-person and virtual instruction, small group activities, individual study, preparation and presentation of reports, and use of computer technology. They must be able to memorize, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize. They must also be able to comprehend spatial relationships and three-dimensional models.
Behavioral and Social Attributes:
Students should possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the role of a pharmacist. They must be able to relate to patients and their families, colleagues, and other members of the healthcare team with courtesy, maturity, and respect for the dignity of individuals. This requires that they place the welfare of their patients foremost, and demonstrate honesty, integrity, dedication, compassion and nondiscrimination in the care of their patients. Students must be able work effectively as a member of a health-care team and be able to contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments; accept constructive feedback from others; and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes. Students should be able to tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They should be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical environment. Compassion, honesty, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, professionalism, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are expected during the education processes. This requires ongoing self-examination of personal attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes in order to avoid potential negative impacts on relationships and patient care.
Ethics and Professionalism:
Students should maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a pharmacist in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students, and the public. All candidates for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree are expected to understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of pharmacy and function within the law and ethical standards of the profession.
Disability Accommodations:
Students who determine that they require accommodation(s) to meet the technical standards, should contact the UC San Diego Office for Students with Disabilities to confidentially discuss their accommodations needs prior to matriculating. Contact information located at https://students.ucsd.edu/well-being/disability-services/ or by contacting Ms. Rosezetta Henderson, Disability Specialist for School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy (858) 534-2131, email rnhenderson@ucsd.edu
Approved 04/01/2025