UF College of Pharmacy Facts

College of Pharmacy Fact Sheet 2023-24 version

Dr. Sarah Kim

Education

Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 4 pharmacy college nationally, the University of Florida College of Pharmacy excels at preparing graduates to practice in an evolving environment where the pharmacist is an interprofessional team member who collaborates to improve patient care. Doctor of Pharmacy graduates have the foundational knowledge and skills to improve medication therapy in an evidence- based manner. They also are prepared to assume leadership roles in the pharmacy profession and the U.S. health care system.

First- to third-year Pharm.D. students study at campuses in Gainesville, Orlando and Jacksonville, and fourth-year students rotate throughout the state and nation for their clinical practice experiences. Many UF graduates practice in community pharmacy settings, with the remaining graduates choosing a variety of roles,including academia, hospitals, ambulatory clinics, the pharmaceutical industry, the Foodand Drug Administration and others. In five of the past six years, the UF College of Pharmacy ranked No. 1 nationally in the number of graduates securing highly competitive pharmacy residency positions.

Future pharmaceutical scientists receive training in one of the college’s comprehensive graduate programs. Under the mentorship of more than 50 graduate faculty, UF College of Pharmacy Ph.D. students have the opportunity to participate in lifesaving research and take a lead role in advancing science. In 2023, the graduate program achieved a record enrollment with 137 students.

Fiscal Year 2023 Revenues

SOURCEAMOUNT% OF TOTAL
Research$39M47%
State funding and tuition$24.5M30%
Online programs$12.8M16%
Foundation$1.9M2%
Other$4M5%
TOTAL $82.2M

Dean

Peter Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm.

Dean Peter Swaan

#4 U.S. News & World Report pharmacy colleges ranking

3 degree programs: Pharm.D., Ph.D., M.S.

893 Pharm.D. students

137 On campus Ph.D. and master’s students


Research

Research activities in the UF College of Pharmacy span the entire life cycle of a drug and include broad interest areas such as medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, clinical and translational research, and pharmaceutical outcomes and policy. Led by award-winning faculty whose discoveries are significantly impacting the lives of patients around the world, the college secured a record $41 million in total grant funding in 2023. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy ranks UF No. 3 nationally in total research funding as well as NIH funding. Researchers in the college are using scientific approaches to improve the treatment of a variety of diseases through drug discovery, marine natural products, pharmacology, developing models of disease, pharmacokinetics/ pharmacometrics, pharmacogenomics and precision medicine, pharmacoepidemiology and patient safety research.

Five active centers support these diverse research programs:

  • Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety
  • Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease
  • Center for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development
  • Center for Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine
  • Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology

Distance Education Graduate and Professional Programs

Since 2000, the college has developed unique master’s degree and certificate programs using distance learning technologies, so that working professionals everywhere can access high-quality education in many pharmacy disciplines. Our online graduate programs include M.S. degree and certificate programs in forensic sciences, pharmaceutical chemistry, clinical toxicology, pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, model-informed drug development, precision medicine and individualized medicine.

The online programs are among the largest and most successful in the world, having received multiple national awards for excellence in distance education. The programs are fully self-supporting and generate more than $12 million annually, which supports the infrastructure required for course development and delivery as well as student affairs.

Innovative Practice and Service Models

Through interdisciplinary and collaborative practice arrangements, the UF College of Pharmacy is a national leader in developing and evaluating innovative clinical pharmacy practice models, including pharmacogenomics and precision medicine. The shared responsibility model partners clinical pharmacists with academic clinicians to strengthen the education of future pharmacists and increase scholarly activity. Innovative use of collaborative practice plans, both internal and external to UF Health, creates new training opportunities for pharmacists, generates clinical revenue and serves as a template for other academic institutions.

In 2022, the college expanded its alliance with the Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida, to launch a polypharmacy telehealth consultation service – in addition to its existing anticoagulation service. In this service model, clinical pharmacists at the UF College of Pharmacy’s Orlando campus provide medication consultations via videoconferencing and work closely with on-site medical providers at Shell Point to optimize care.

Quick-facts

$41 million in research awards* *According to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy most recent data from the federal fiscal year, Oct. 2022 to Sept. 2023

#3 national ranking in total, federal, and NIH funding

468 refereed publications in fiscal year 2023

1,762 online students

7 online M.S. programs

15,300 living alumni in all 50 states

Last updated October 2023