The Gulf Pharmacy College aims to provide an innovative, integrated, comprehensive and patient-centered Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D) Program to the qualified students, using world-class facilities, clinical simulations and the latest technologies to ensure excellence in pharmacy practice. The teaching/learning is based on directed self-learning, critical thinking, evidence-based and patient related approach. The didactic part of the program focuses on the integration of basic and medical sciences subjects which are clinically oriented.

Clinical simulations in various subjects allow the students to enhance their skills and monitor their performance through self-assessments using I.T. learning means.

Students are exposed from the early stage to the clinical environment in order to better understanding the relations of the human body to the clinical practice.

Despite the tremendous progress achieved in the field of Pharmacy, we are facing nowadays new challenges that need more coordination and planning between the different decision makers at the Ministry of Health at the national level from one side and the academic institutions offering pharmaceutical programs from the other side. To determine the level of education needed in the UAE and the region and to define the profile of the new graduates as per the needs of the community, knowing that drug consumption is quite higher if compared to the standards of living, this issue must be referred to the different health authorities and educational institutions to define a strategy with precise objectives and outcomes to deal with this decisive challenge, promoting awareness among the populations at different levels, from schools to universities, ensuring that the graduates must reflect the needs of the community, emphasizing on preventive measures and providing qualitative services. To achieve these objectives, the concerned health authorities and universities must join their efforts to provide facilities for clinical training and internship. Moreover, they may rely on the expertise and experience, if needed, of the various international health institutions and the support from international institutions and relevant companies which may contribute to promote the benefits of the clinical pharmacist education among the new graduates through school health programs, preventive measures while enhancing the clinical pharmacy services to the community. The Gulf Pharmacy College, at the Gulf Medical University, aims to lead this initiative, through the expertise of its faculty and staff, as defined in the mission and objectives and outcomes of the Pharm D. Program.

The Gulf Pharmacy College will be providing the students with the knowledge and skills to successfully face these challenges in a systematic academic manner that shall evolve continuously to meet these developments. The programs offered are dynamic and flexible to address the new challenges. Basic and Medical courses are integrated and clinically oriented, the learning methods will be dynamic and diversified; an innovative approach which combines the conventional learning methods to the clinical simulations which allow the students to acquire the clinical skills in a clinical like environment. The physical clinical training program will enhance the clinical skills of the students during their clinical training period, under qualified and dedicated clinical faculties and staff.

Program Mission:

The Pharmacy program will educate students to become competent pharmacists with fundamental knowledge in biomedical and behavioral sciences. The graduates will be dedicated to serve the communities and will carry out their pharmaceutical duties with the highest level of ethical and moral standards. The curriculum will also focus and emphasize on the importance of research and encourage student participation in research activities.

The program conception aims to promote the pharmacy education, enhance the pharmacy practice through a broad spectrum of knowledge which reflects a combination of simulations and clinical practice, prepare a generation of future pharmacists with clinical competency, produce graduates who possess the knowledge, skills, and values to begin the practice of pharmacy, to serve the citizens of UAE or any other geographic location of their choice.

The mission supports that of GMU - "Participation in the health care and educational efforts of UAE by providing educational opportunities in medicine and allied health sciences for aspiring students of all nationalities and extending its facilities to ensure provision of health care services in academic settings".

Admissions Requirements:

The applicants shall meet all criteria for admission to all programs offered by the University as laid down in the Standards Manual of the Ministry of Higher Education:

The applicant must have completed a minimum of 12 years of education in school and passed courses in Physics, Chemistry and Biology in higher secondary school.

Students who complete their secondary school education as per UK curriculum must have completed at least two of the three science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in 'AS' levels or'A' levels provided they have passed in all the three subjects in their " O " levels;

The applicant must have secured a minimum of 80% marks as per U.A.E. Secondary School education standards or its equivalent in each of the three science subjects.

The applicant must have completed 17 years of age on or before the 31st of December of the year of admission.

The applicant must have proficiency in spoken and written English and Sciences terminology.

The applicant must have completed a course in English language proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS. A minimum score of 530 for TOEFL or IELTS (5.5) equivalent is required.

The applicant shall appear for a personal interview before the GMC Admissions Committee

The Admissions Committee shall evaluate all applicants for both cognitive and noncognitive traits demonstrating their aptitude for the chosen area of study.

All applicants shall submit all academic documents and official transcripts / credits / grades / marks duly attested by the Ministry of Education, U.A.E. and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.A.E. or U.A.E. Embassy in their country on admission into the program.

Applicants are required to get their academic documents and official transcripts/credits/grades/marks endorsed by the Ministry of Education, UAE and submit an equivalency certificate thereof.

Career Opportunities:

The role of the pharmacist has changed greatly. Emphasis is now on the pharmacist's responsibilities in patient care. Constant expansion of health care programs and the increasing need for quality pharmaceutical care ensure a continuing demand for well-educated pharmacists. Graduates of the Doctor of Pharmacy program are highly sought by numerous employers, throughout the world.

Community Pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy, Pharma Industry, Education and Research, Health Department/Drug Control, Packaging, Advertising, Organizational Works for Professional Association, Technical Writing, Magazine Writing, Science Reporting.

Curriculum:

The Gulf Pharmacy College offers a 12 Levels program leading to the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) through a well balanced didactic academic program which offers the students a range of general education courses that stimulate their critical thinking and widens their horizons, while the major courses consist of an integrated, clinically oriented program which combines clinical simulations in the major subjects and a comprehensive clinical training program. In addition, the internship program is designed to allow the students to be prepared for their new professional life, enhancing their skills and gaining more self-confidence while working in a professional environment.

The pharmacy program consists of 12 Levels. The first two years(4 Levels) of the curriculum are designed to educate students in biomedical sciences, behavioral sciences and clinical sciences courses. During the third, fourth and fifth years, students will concentrate on advanced pharmaceutical studies and management under the strict supervision of qualified faculty. The 10th, 11th and 12th Levels are the compulsory Internship year where students will be exposed to the different medical specialties to gain clinical experience through various rounds.