Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience

Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE)

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS), in accordance with the American College of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) guidelines, provides a continuum of pharmacy practice experiences throughout the curriculum.  Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) has been developed to prepare and train students to render optimum patient centered care in collaboration with other healthcare professionals in the community, health systems and public health settings. IPPE seeks to engage students  pharmacy practice activities that take place in community, hospital, and retail settings during students’ second through third professional years of pharmacy school. The program combines classroom training with practical experiences in pharmacy in an effort to better prepare students for their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE).  Students who master the competencies of the IPPE program will also exhibit strong ethics of professionalism, confidence and leadership.

In the first year, students participate in service learning and co-curricular experiences to involve them in the community and improve their understanding of public health and health disparities. In addition, students participate in professional observation, simulation, and activities which facilitate their understanding of pharmacy practice.

Second year students, who are recognized by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as pharmacy interns, practice in the community/ambulatory setting and acquire 160 hours. These students carry out duties including, but not limited to patient interviews, medication reconciliation, prescription entry and verification, dispensing, patient counseling, and immunization delivery.

Third year students are required to complete a total of 160 hours in the health-system setting. These experiences will help facilitate their transfer into Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) their fourth year as well as build the knowledge and confidence required to deliver direct patient care.     Tasks associated with these experiences include but are not limited to chart reviews, medication reconciliation, drug utilization reviews, preparation of discharge summaries, participation in Inter Disciplinary Team (IDT) and Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) committee meetings and participate in inpatient pharmacy duties including intravenous preparations, shortages, dosage calculations, dispensing and inventory.