Experiential Education

Apply the knowledge you learn in the classroom to real-world situations while you earn your Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. Pharmacy practice experiences, also called rotations, are a requirement of your degree and make up more than 30 percent of the curriculum.

Your Pharmacy Rotation

Earn academic credit during your rotations, which are unpaid. Build traditional career skills in areas such as:

• Clinical pharmacy services
• Disease state management
• Patient counseling

What’s a Preceptor?

A preceptor is a licensed health care professional who will provide on-the-job guidance, supervision and mentorship during your pharmacy rotations.

Practice Settings

Enjoy the opportunity to practice your skills in a variety of different environments throughout your time at the UNM College of Pharmacy. You can count on the UNM College of Pharmacy Office of Experiential Education to coordinate and help you schedule your practice experiences.

Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs)

Your IPPE during your first professional year will take place in a community pharmacy. You’ll learn how to:

• Dispense drugs
• Take a drug and medical history
• Communicate drug, health and safety information to patients

Your IPPE during your second professional year will take place in a hospital. Refine skills like:

• Participating in clinical activities and administration
• Evaluating drug orders for completion and accuracy
• Preparing sterile products
• Making calculations to compound, dispense and administer medications

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs)

Your APPEs will take place in your fourth year after you complete the classroom phase of the curriculum. Get advanced training while serving on an interprofessional team of health care professionals caring for a diverse patient population. Expect to:

• Consult with patients
• Make prescription and non-prescription medication and dosing recommendations
• Prepare and administer medications
• Take part in discussions and assignments on health care policy
• Work with pharmacy practice technology
• Manage the use of investigational drug products and, in some case, medical emergencies

APPE Specialties

Your APPEs will include nine rotations based on your individual interests. Choose from a variety of specialties, including:

• Cardiology
• Critical care
• Diabetes
• Emergency medicine
• Geriatrics
• Infectious diseases
• Nephrology
• Pediatrics
• Primary care

Rural Pharmacy Practice

Get firsthand experience providing care and services to patients in a rural setting. At least one of your rotations will take place in a rural community in New Mexico.

Required Hours

You’ll complete a total of 160 hours for each IPPE and APPE.