RPHARM Concentration
The RPHARM concentration is a series of 6 elective courses that prepare students for practice in a rural community after graduation. Participants take 1 elective course every semester for the first three years of pharmacy school.
1st & 2nd Year Curriculum Heading link
1st Year Curriculum
- Topics
- Population-Based Approach to Rural Health Care
- Agricultural Hazards, Toxicology, & Farm Safety
- Development of Health Resources in Rural Communities
- Rural Mental Health Issues
- Community-Based Rural Health Research
- Trips
- No Harm on the Farm
- Central Exposure (Central Illinois)
- Projects
- Shadowing Rural Pharmacist
- Shadowing Rural Physician
2nd Year Curriculum
- Topics
- Community-based Health Education
- Community Health Needs Assessment
- Rural Ethical Situations
- Essentials for a Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) Project
- Clinical Case Simulation
- Trips
- Northern Exposure (Northern Illinois)
- Projects
- Health Jam
- Shadowing 3rd Healthcare Professional
3rd & 4th Year Heading link
3rd Year Curriculum
- Topics
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) Process
- Practice Locations and Career Options
- Clinical Case Simulation
- Projects
- Rural Community Health Needs Assessment
- Development of Community-Orientation Primary Care (COPC) Project
- IRB COPC project submission
4th Year Curriculum
- Hands-on learning in selected rural community for 18 weeks
- Implementation of COPC Project
- Poster presentation at Rockford Research Day
ByGrad Heading link
By Graduation, All RPHARM Students Will Have:
- PharmD degree
- A concentration in rural pharmacy services
- Completed their own research project
- Connections to rural healthcare professionals throughout the country
Healthcare Professionals Involved with Mentoring RPHARM Students:
- Pharmacists
- Advanced Nurse Practitioners
- Physicians
- PhDs in Public Health
- Social workers
- Rural EMTs
- Rural Firefighters
- Flight nurses
- Healthcare lawyer