Maryland's nontraditional pathway to the doctor of pharmacy degree: Development and improvement

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy faculty decided in 1989 to mo ve to the Doctor of Pharmacy as the entry-level degree, admitting the first class of PharmD-only students in the Fall of 1993. Concomitantly, a non-tr aditional (NTPD) pathway was established to permit practitioners the opport unity to earn the PharmD degree. This article summarizes the NTPD Pathway a s it was originally designed, including the underlying premises. The Curric ulum Committee has recently completed a formal evaluation of the NTPD Pathw ay, and made recommendations for improvement to more closely meet the termi nal performance objectives of the PharmD degree, and to better meet the nee ds of the students enrolled, including: eliminate practice-specific version s of courses, institute a readiness assessment course designed to optimize students' success in the pathway, more fully develop the therapeutics seque nce of courses, institute a Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences course, a nd create elective opportunities within the pathway.