The University of Missouri-Kansas City offers the doctor of pharmacy, or Pharm.D, degree, which is required for practicing pharmacists. It is a six-year program requiring students to complete two years of prerequisites followed by four years of pharmacy school. The university also offers doctoral programs in pharmacology and toxicology as well as in the pharmaceutical sciences. The St. Louis College of Pharmacy, which is an institution serving only pharmacy students, also offers a six-year Pharm.D program.
Coursework is focused on the sciences and drug therapy. Students take courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy and pharmacology at both the University of Missouri and at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Their academic training, however, involves much more than drugs and medical applications. Students must complete coursework in communications, social science, ethics and government. St. Louis students also take courses in health systems management focused on social and economic aspects.
Residencies are an integral part of pharmaceutical training. The UMKC offers students the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of areas including community, clinical, public health and psychiatric facilities. Special post-graduate residencies are also available at Missouri Drug Information Centers. Students at St. Louis College complete rotations during their sixth year in the program. Settings include several hospitals and teaching institutions such as the St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Most residencies for St. Louis students are located in the Midwest, according to the college's website.
Graduates of these programs must complete examinations to meet the licensure requirements of the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. In addition to submitting documentation of their academic training and residencies, they must also complete a criminal history background check. They must take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam, which covers pharmaceutical law. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy administers both of these exams.