PharmD for Pharmacists

In this section:

Sessional Dates

Fall Session, 2023

Winter Session, 2024

Summer Session, 2024

TBD

Policies & Procedures

1. Minimal Course Requirement Annually

   In order to ensure all students are progressing through the PharmD for Pharmacists program at an adequate pace to complete the degree within the maximal time allowed, students are required to enroll in at least four (4) courses annually (defined as 3 consecutive terms – winter, spring/summer, fall).

2. Maximal Time Allowed to Complete the Program

   In order to ensure that all students are progressing through the degree within an acceptable time frame for degree completion, the maximum time allowed to complete this program will be four (4) years.
   
   Accessibility Services Exemption
   
   Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in the PharmD for Pharmacists program. Students who are unable to meet the PharmD for Pharmacists program requirements for minimal course enrollment and/or maximal time allowed to complete program due to medical or other conditions which may be covered under Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto should contact Accessibility Services directly to discuss accommodations that may occur within the program.

3. Scheduling Rotations

   Rotations will be scheduled through the Office of Experiential Education (OEE) at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Students must ensure that all required documentation has been received by OEE prior to starting their rotations.

   Rotations can be completed concomitantly or interspersed with didactic course work, only after a student has completed the following 3 courses:

   1. Foundations for Advanced Pharmacy Practice
   2. Critical Appraisal
   3. One (1) Pharmacotherapy course

   Two (2) direct patient care rotations can only be completed after all didactic work has been completed.
   
   Please note:  Each rotation is 5 weeks in length and approximately 200 contact hours in an experiential placement setting.  Scheduled rotation days can occur any day of the week including evenings and weekends.

4. Grading Practice Policy

   Grading Scale:

   • Didactic courses use the numerical grading scale on which a Grade Point Average is calculated.
   • Experiential courses (i.e., rotations) use the H/P/F grading scale.

   Progression through the Program:

   • Progression through didactic courses:
     • The passing grade for didactic courses is 60%.
     • A student who obtains less than 60% in a didactic course may be permitted to write a supplemental examination in the failed course, and would be allowed to proceed to following academic activities conditionally.
       • If the mark on the supplemental exam is greater than or equal to 60%, the student will be deemed to have passed the course and be allowed to proceed as normal.
       • If the mark on the supplemental exam is less than 60%, the student will be deemed to have failed the course and may be allowed to repeat the course at the next viable opportunity.
         • If the failed course is a selective or elective course and the student is allowed to repeat the course, the student may choose to repeat the same course or take another selective or elective of the same kind.
       • Supplemental exam results will be reported on the transcript as Pass or Fail.
          
   • Progression through experiential courses:
     • A student who fails an experiential rotation may undertake a supplemental rotation as scheduled by the Office of Experiential Education. Objectives and activities for the supplemental experiential course will usually be those from the same type that was initially undertaken. The student would be allowed to proceed to following academic activities conditionally.
       • If the mark on the supplemental rotation is Pass, the student will be allowed to proceed as normal.
       • If the mark on the supplemental rotation is Fail, the student will be deemed to have failed the rotation and may be allowed to repeat the rotation.
       • ​Students who fail an experiential course (no serious concerns identified) – The student must successfully complete a supplemental experiential course in order to proceed to subsequent ones.  The student may be allowed to proceed with didactic activities conditionally.
       • Students who fail an experiential course (serious concerns are identified) – The student must successfully complete academic support activities prior to and/or during their supplemental experiential course.
       • Students who fail an experiential course and a supplemental experiential course – The student will be deemed to have failed the course and may be allowed to repeat it.  Academic support activities must be successfully completed prior to a final attempt at an experiential course.  The student may request to repeat the same experiential course or take another one of the same type.
     • Students who fail a didactic course that is required for an APPE course – Students will be required to write a supplemental exam for the failed course which may necessitate a delayed start to experiential courses.  If the student has already begun an APPE course, they may be allowed to continue it, conditionally.  The student will not be able to continue future experiential courses until a passing grade is obtained on the supplemental exam.

5. Academic Standing

   • Didactic Courses
     • The maximum number of supplemental exams in didactic courses that a student can attempt over the duration of the program is 4 (four).
     • The maximum number of courses that a student can repeat throughout the program is 2 (two).
        
   • Experiential Courses
     • The maximum number of supplemental rotations that a student can attempt over the duration of the program is 1 (one).
     • The maximum number of rotations that a student can repeat throughout the program is 1 (one).

6. Honours Citation

   ‘Honours’ citation on the parchments will be based on:

   • A Cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 3.50 in all didactic courses, including the pharmacotherapy elective; AND a final grade of ‘Honours’ in at least 3 (three) of the experiential rotations; OR
   • A Cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 3.50 in all didactic courses; AND a final grade of ‘Honours’ in at least 4 (four) of the experiential rotations, including the elective rotation.

7. Withdrawal from the Program

   Students who wish to withdraw from the PharmD for Pharmacists Program should consult the Program Coordinator immediately. A student who is facing a recommendation for termination of registration, may only withdraw prior to final Termination action by the PFP Program office. Once a student has withdrawn from the program, the student may not re-enter the program. However, the student may re-apply to the same program by completing a new application form.

Rules for Online Examinations

Students registered in the PharmD for Pharmacists Program are required to write all examinations online. Students with a valid petition or those registered for an accommodation through Accessibility Services may write their examinations at an approved Examination Testing Centre.  The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Faculty) uses online proctoring services to ensure exam integrity. Students who take their examinations online must agree to be proctored by such service throughout the duration of the examination.

Prior to the Examination Day

1. Students must confirm that they have a valid TCard in their possession prior to each examination.  The TCard is the only valid piece of identification accepted by ProctorU.  Contact the PharmD for Pharmacist program (pfp.adm@utoronto.ca) if you do not have your TCard.
    
2. Students must create an account with ProctorU at least two (2) weeks prior to the first examination date in the PharmD for Pharmacist program.  Create an account by clicking on the "sign up" button on the University of Toronto Proctor U Portal Page.  An account is required to be created once only.
    
3. Students are responsible for testing their equipment 24 hours prior to the start of each examination.  Test the actual equipment (laptop/desktop, webcam, speakers, microphone, etc.) that will be used to write the exam.  Click here to see a full list of requirements.  Student are responsible for testing their equipment prior to the start of each exam.  Failure to test your equipment could result in delays to the launch process.  It is important that the equipment test be performed in the same environment in which the exam will be written.  Use the same equipment, location, internet connection, etc.

On the Day of the Examination 

4. Students should log into Quercus and the ProctorU extension to begin their exam.
    
5. Students must first complete the automated pre-checks to launch their exam.  A TCard is required.  Contact the office of the PharmD for Pharmacists Program prior to your exam if you do not have a TCard.
    
6. Students are encouraged to access the internet using a wired connection and to avoid the use of a wireless connection where possible.  If a wireless connection is not possible, please make sure you are not streaming additional applications on the WiFi during the time of your exam.  This can slow down your connection with ProctorU.
    
7. Students are allowed to use the washroom during the exam.  They are encouraged to use the washroom prior to or after writing exams.  However, if a student needs to use the washroom during an exam, they must identify that they are leaving the exam space for a washroom break by stating this out loud.  They must not speak to anyone during their time away from the exam space.  No additional time will be given to use the washroom.
    
8. The examination desk space must be clear of any notes, devices and unpermitted resources. There must be nothing on or under the desk.
    
9. Only one monitor or laptop may be in the room.
    
10. Recording devices are not permitted.  Non-programmable calculators may be permitted if so indicated by the instruction of the Course Coordinator.  Cellular phones are permitted to be in the same room in the event ProctorU attempts to contact the student experiencing technical issues. Cellular phones must be away from immediate reach.
     
11. Students are not permitted to wear baseball caps or other hats.  Religious head coverings are an exception.
     
12. Sunglasses and earphones are also not permitted.
     
13. Food brought into the examination room for consumption is limited to a small snack in a transparent bag or container. Wrappers on food products, e.g., granola bars, must be removed. Only drinks in transparent containers (with labels removed) are permitted.
     
14. All components of online proctoring (webcam and remote desktop monitoring) must be maintained for the duration of the exam.
     
15. During the exam, the proctor may reach out to the student if they lose the ability to proctor the exam (student's camera view obstructed/loss of remote desktop view). If the proctor contacts the student during the exam through a pop-up message, voice, or a loud beep, the student must respond to the proctor.
     
16. Failure to respond to the proctor and to re-establish proctoring threatens the integrity of the exam. This will be investigated to determine whether an academic offence has been committed as per the University of Toronto Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
     
17. Students with a valid petition or those registered for an accommodation through Accessibility Services may write their examinations at an approved Examination Testing Centre.  Petitions must be submitted to the Program Coordinator at least two weeks in advance of the exam date.  All exams must be written on the same day as the examination is offered.  Students who petition to write at a testing centre must pay all testing centre fees.
     
18. At the completion of the examination, a report of student exam-taking behaviours is generated and reviewed by the Faculty and IT staff.
     
19. Examination grades will NOT be released to students until the integrity of the exam has been verified through ProctorU, the staff of the PharmD for Pharmacists program, and relevant teaching Faculty.

Policies 

20. Candidates are expected to make appropriate judgements about their fitness to write an examination and must accept the outcome of their choices.  Therefore, in the event that:
    1. A candidate begins but does not complete an examination, the candidate is considered to have been present, and the examination will be graded.  A make-up examination will not be permitted.
    2. A candidate completes an examination, the examination will be graded and, there will be no opportunity to re-write the examination.
    If candidates believe that there were extenuating circumstances affecting their performance, a petition with supporting documentation may be submitted to the PharmD for Pharmacists program.  Such petitions will be kept on file until the Board of Examiners meets to approve final grades and to discuss candidates who are in academic difficulty.

Missed Examinations or Assignments

Students are expected to write all examinations as scheduled and to submit all assignments by the specified deadlines. Only in cases of documented illness or legitimate conflict should a student submit a petition requesting accommodation for a missed examination or assignment or another course/program requirement.

Missed examinations include quizzes, term tests and final examinations which comprise a portion of the total evaluation of a course, where a student is absent for the entire quiz, term test or final examination.

Missed assignments include, but are not limited to, essays, and problem sets, which comprise a portion of the total evaluation of a course, where a student fails to hand in or complete the assignment by the specified deadline.

Missed mandatory course/program requirements include, but are not limited to, workshops, which comprise a portion of the total evaluation of a course and/or for which attendance is required for successful course/program completion.

When a student misses an examination or assignment, or other mandatory course/program requirement, and wishes to request academic accommodation, it is the student’s responsibility to immediately notify the course instructor and Program Coordinator. The student must file with the Program Coordinator a petition for consideration with respect to the missed examination or assignment together with the appropriate supporting documentation. A decision on the validity of the reason will be determined by the Program Coordinator and the Director, PharmD for Pharmacists Program. More complex situations may be referred to the Committee on Academic Standing as required.

For missed assignments, the petition and supporting documentation must be submitted no later than the due date for the specific assignment.

For missed examinations and other mandatory course/program requirements, the petition and supporting documentation must be submitted within five business days of the missed examination or course/program requirement. 

Exception: For examinations missed during the regularly scheduled examination periods (December, April and August), petitions and supporting documentation must be submitted within five business days of the last day of the examination period.  Supporting documentation should follow in a timely manner if unavailable by the end of the examination period, with an absolute deadline of the relevant Board of Examiners meeting. Information about this date may be obtained from the Program Coordinator.

Students who are given permission to write make-up examinations or to complete missed assignments must pay a ‘Special Examination’ fee of $72 per examination. When students receive information regarding the date and time of the make-up examination, they will also receive fee payment instructions and deadline information. Failure to make arrangements for paying this fee by the deadline provided will result in the loss of privilege to write the make-up examination, and a grade of ‘0’ will be assigned for the missed examination.

If a final examination is missed in December, the make-up examination will be scheduled during the Winter term mid-term examination period in February.

If a final examination is missed in April, the make-up examination will be scheduled during the Summer term mid-term examination period in June. 

If a final examination is missed in August, the make-up examination will be scheduled during the Fall term mid-term examination period in October.

If a student is eligible to write a make-up exam in a Pharmacy course, a maximum of two opportunities will be offered, unless otherwise specified in the course syllabus. If the make-up exams are also missed, the next opportunity to write such an exam will be during a specific designated exam period.

If a student who is eligible to write a make-up examination misses this examination, a grade of zero will be assigned, unless the student demonstrates (through the petition process) that missing the make-up examination was unavoidable. If there is an approved petition, a second make-up examination will be offered. Students must be aware that they are not automatically entitled to a second opportunity to make up a missed examination.

In accordance with Faculty policy, if the petition is not approved, or if there is no petition, a grade of zero will be assigned for the missed examination, assignment, or other mandatory course/program requirement.

If the petition is granted the course coordinator will be expected to proceed with the appropriate action according to the course policy. Course policy must conform to the University Assessment and Grading Practices Policy.

When a petition has been approved for a missed examination, assignment or other mandatory course/program requirement, and the sum of all other examinations and evaluations in the course is equal to or greater than 20% of the total grade:

1. the student will be given a make-up examination (written or oral at the instructor’s discretion), or another assignment comparable to the missed evaluation, or
2. in a course with a cumulative final examination, the weight of the final examination will be increased to equal the value of the missed examination, plus the original value of the final.

Note that in accordance with the University Assessment and Grading Practices Policy, no one evaluation should have a value of more than 80% of the total grade. Exemptions must be approved by the Committee on Academic Standing prior to the commencement of a course.

If the sum of other examinations and assignments in the course is less than 20% of the total grade the student must be given a make-up examination or other assignment comparable to the value of the missed evaluation.

The examination or assignment option chosen by or available to the instructor must be conveyed to the students by the second lecture period in a course, with the method of evaluation, and filed with the PharmD for Pharmacists Program.

Petition Procedures

A petition is a written request for special consideration, because of illness or other circumstances, related to non-compliance with course requirements or impact on academic performance. Petitions are submitted to the Program Coordinator, in the requisite form, and are considered in confidence by, or on behalf of, the Committee on Academic Standing. Petitions are presented to the Board of Examiners only in the event that a student’s satisfactory performance in the program is in jeopardy.

If a petition is submitted by the appropriate deadline, with a clear explanation of the circumstances, and any required documentation is provided, the request will be given prompt consideration. Petition decisions are based on the validity of the request. Approval is not automatic and should not be taken for granted. If students fail to observe deadlines or to organize their academic priorities, or if they have been negligent about their responsibilities, then special consideration will not be warranted. The petition process is not a means to salvage courses and/or the academic record.

A petition should be submitted only when there are circumstances which are not only beyond the student’s control, but which also could not reasonably have been anticipated or overcome, and which have affected the student’s studies or impacted academic performance.

Relevant and appropriate documentation must be provided at the time the petition is submitted. Only original copies of documents are accepted.  In the absence of this documentation, the petition is not valid and a grade of ‘zero’ will be assigned for the missed evaluation.

In the case of illness, a University of Toronto Verification of Student Illness or Injury form must be provided. Note that the physician’s report must establish that the student was examined and diagnosed at the time of the illness, not after the fact. A statement that merely confirms a report of illness made by the student for documentation by the physician will not be sufficient; rather, the medical report must show:

• that the student was examined at the time of illness;
• the degree of incapacitation on academic functioning;
• the duration of the incapacitation.

For missed assignments, the petition and supporting documentation must be submitted no later than the due date for the specific assignment.

For missed examinations and other mandatory course/program requirements, the petition and supporting documentation must be submitted within five business days of the missed examination or course/program requirement. 

Exception: For examinations missed during the regularly scheduled examination periods (December, April and August), petitions and supporting documentation must be submitted within five business days of the last day of the examination period.

A “general” petition with supporting documentation may be submitted if students believe there were extenuating circumstances affecting their academic performance. The deadline to submit “general” petitions is five business days after the release of the final grades.

Checking of Marks

Students may request a re-check of a final grade in a course if they think there was an error with the addition on the final examination or in the calculation of the final grade. Requests are made to the course coordinator directly by the following deadlines:

• Fall term courses: by the end of March
• Winter term courses: by the end of September
• Summer term courses: by the end of November

Students may request re-reads of term work (such as mid-term examinations, make-up examinations and assignments) within one month of the date the term work was returned to the student. Such requests are made to the professor responsible for the assessment.

Students may request to have a final examination re-read for a fee of $37. The examination, in its entirety will be re-read. (Students should note that failed examinations must be re-read by the Course Coordinator before the marks are reported.)

Requests for re-reads of final examinations must be submitted, in writing, to the Program Coordinator as follows:

• For December examinations: by the end of March
• For April examinations: by the end of September
• For August examinations: by the end of November
• Supplemental examinations: within four months of the date the examination was written

A re-reading of an examination or assignment, or the re-checking of a final grade, may lead to a lowering, a raising, or no change of the final grade in the course.  If the final grade in a course changes as a result of a final examination re-read, a refund of the $37 fee will be made to the student.  Students who would like to see any examination may do so in the presence of program staff.  Viewings are conducted onsite at the St. George Campus of the University of Toronto only.  For final examinations, if a student requests more than one viewing of any examination, a fee of $10 will be levied for the second and any subsequent viewing. Requests for the second and any subsequent viewing of the same examination must be made in writing and submitted to the Program Coordinator along with the fee payment. The deadlines for submitting requests to view examinations are the same as the deadlines for submitting requests for re-reads of examinations (see above). The student may view only his/her own examination. Examination papers will not be reproduced for students.

Accreditation Status

The PharmD for Pharmacists program is accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) until December 2025.  In order to graduate from an accredited program, students must complete all program requirements and be eligible for November 2025 convocation.  For more information on CCAPP, visit their website at http://ccapp-accredit.ca/.

For more information on the PharmD for Pharmacists program, visit the website at https://www.pharmacy.utoronto.ca/programs/pharmd-pharmacists

PharmD for Pharmacists Program Description, Admission and Completion Requirements