USC School of Pharmacy

Ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report for its Pharm.D. program, the USC School of Pharmacy uniquely covers the full spectrum of pharmaceutical care – from drug discovery and development to translation and regulation to patient care and outcomes – giving students the opportunity to learn and experience in a multidisciplinary, “bench-to-bedside” environment.

Founded in 1905, the USC School of Pharmacy is the oldest and foremost pharmacy school in Southern California. The school is a national leader known for its progressive curriculum and research excellence. Approximately 50 percent of the practicing pharmacists in Southern California are graduates of USC. The school has an average student body of 735 full-time students in the Pharm.D. program and 220 students pursuing M.S., Ph.D., and DRSc degrees in pharmacology and toxicology, pharmaceutical sciences, health economics, regulatory science and healthcare decision analysis. There are 67 full-time faculty and more than 400 part-time and volunteer faculty at the school.

The school occupies state-of-the-art facilities on the USC Health Sciences Campus in metropolitan Los Angeles, adjacent to the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center (one of the largest teaching hospitals in the country), the USC Norris Cancer Hospital and the Keck Hospital of USC. USC pharmacy students receive clinical training at these facilities and many other affiliated hospitals, health care clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home health care agencies and pharmacies in the Southern California region.

Recognized as one of the most innovative schools of pharmacy, the USC School of Pharmacy serves as a model for other progressive schools. In 1950, USC was the first to establish a Doctor of Pharmacy program. Additional national “firsts” that distinguish the school include: first clinical pharmacy program and first M.S. in radiopharmacy (both in 1968); first Pharm.D./MBA dual degree program (1988); first M.S. and Ph.D. programs in pharmaceutical economics and policy (1994) and first professional doctorate in regulatory science (2008).

Consistently the top private pharmacy school nationwide, the school is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and the Pharm.D. program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

R. Pete Vanderveen, Ph.D., R.Ph., Dean

Sarah F. Hamm-Alvarez, Ph.D., Executive Vice Dean and Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs

Scott Evans, Pharm.D., Associate Dean, Academic Health Center Programs

Fred G. Weissman, Pharm.D., J.D., Associate Dean, Student/Faculty Affairs and Admission

Michael Z. Wincor, Pharm.D., Associate Dean, Global Initiatives and Technology and Interim Chair, Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Economics & Policy

Kathleen H. Besinque, Pharm.D., M.S.Ed., Assistant Dean, Curriculum and Assessment

Curtis Okamoto, Ph.D., Interim Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Faculty

John Stauffer Dean’s Chair in Pharmaceutical Sciences: R. Pete Vanderveen, Ph.D., R.Ph.

University Professor and Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Jean Chen Shih, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor: Walter Wolf, Ph.D.

Hygeia Centennial Chair in Clinical Pharmacy: Steven Chen, Pharm.D.

Quintiles Chair in Pharmaceutical Development and Regulatory Innovation: Darius Lakdawalla, Ph.D.

R. Pete Vanderveen Endowed Chair in Therapeutic Discovery and Development: Roberta Diaz Brinton, Ph.D.

John A. Biles Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Wei-Chiang Shen, Ph.D.

Gavin S. Herbert Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Sarah F. Hamm-Alvarez, Ph.D.

Charles Krown/Pharmacy Alumni Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Enrique Cadenas, M.D., Ph.D.

Provost Professor of Cell and Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Psychology: Pat Levitt, Ph.D.

Provost Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy: Michael Kahn, Ph.D.

Professors: Enrique Cadenas, M.D., Ph.D.; Roberta Diaz Brinton, Ph.D.; Dana Goldman, Ph.D.; Sarah F. Hamm-Alvarez, Ph.D.; Michael B. Nichol, Ph.D.; Wei-Chiang Shen, Ph.D.; Jean C. Shih, Ph.D.; Rajindar Sohal, Ph.D.; R. Pete Vanderveen, Ph.D.; Walter W. Wolf, Ph.D.

Associate Professors: James D. Adams, Jr., Ph.D.; Julio A. Camarero, Ph.D.; Jason N. Doctor, Ph.D.; Roger F. Duncan, Ph.D.; Ian S. Haworth, Ph.D.; Geoffrey Joyce, Ph.D.; Jeffrey S. McCombs, Ph.D.; Curtis T. Okamoto, Ph.D.; Neeraj Sood, Ph.D.; Bangyan Stiles, Ph.D.; Clay C.C. Wang, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors: J. Andrew MacKay, Ph.D.; Bogdan Z. Olenyuk, Ph.D.

Lecturer: Rebecca Romero, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professors: Chuanqing Ding, Ph.D.; Julie Zissimopoulos, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professors: Liana Asatryan, Ph.D.; Julianna Hwang, Pharm.D., Ph.D.; Jennica Zaro, Ph.D.

Professors of Pharmacy: Frances Richmond, Ph.D.; Glen L. Stimmel, Pharm.D.; Bradley R. Williams, Pharm.D.; Annie Wong-Beringer, Pharm.D.

Associate Professors of Pharmacy: Melvin F. Baron, Pharm.D., MPA; Paul M. Beringer, Pharm.D.; Kathleen H. Besinque, Pharm.D., M.S.Ed.; Steven Chen, Pharm.D.; Daryl L. Davies, Ph.D.; Julie A. Dopheide, Pharm.D.; Kevin L. Forrester, Pharm.D.; William C. Gong, Pharm.D.; Cynthia L.L. Lieu, Pharm.D.; Stanley G. Louie, Pharm.D.; Gladys H. Mitani, Pharm.D.; Tien Ng, Pharm.D.; Kathleen Rodgers, Ph.D.; Irving Steinberg, Pharm.D.; Fred G. Weissman, Pharm.D., J.D.; Michael Z. Wincor, Pharm.D.

Assistant Professors of Pharmacy: Betty Chan, Pharm.D.; Marc Cosep, Pharm.D.; Jennifer H. Cupo-Abbott, Pharm.D.; Melissa Durham, Pharm.D.; Emily Han, Pharm.D.; Jiwon Kim, Pharm.D.; Kum Ja K. Lee, Pharm.D.; May C. Mak, Pharm.D.; Emi Minejima, Pharm.D.; Edith Mirzaian, Pharm.D.; Rory O’Callaghan, Pharm.D.; Eunjoo Pacifici, Pharm.D., Ph.D.; Susie Park, Pharm.D.; Paula Phongsamron, Pharm.D.; Florence H. Wong-Yu, Pharm.D.

Distinguished Emeritus Professor and Dean: John A. Biles, Ph.D.

Emeritus Professor and Dean: Timothy M. Chan, Ph.D.

Emeritus Professor: Eric J. Lien, Ph.D.

Programs

The School of Pharmacy offers curricula leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Doctor of Regulatory Science (D.R.Sc.) degrees and graduate degrees through the Graduate School including: Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in pharmaceutical sciences, Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in molecular pharmacology and toxicology, Master of Science (M.S.) in pharmaceutical economics and policy, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in health economics, Master of Science (M.S.) in Health Care Decision Analysis, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in clinical and experimental therapeutics, Master of Science (M.S.) in regulatory science, and Master of Science (M.S.) in management of drug development. Seven dual degree programs, one joint program and numerous certificate programs are also offered, including: Pharm.D./J.D., Pharm.D./MBA, Pharm.D./MPH, Pharm.D./M.S. in regulatory science, Pharm.D./M.S. in gerontology, Pharm.D./M.S. in global medicine, Pharm.D./Ph.D., Pharm.D./graduate certificate in gerontology, Pharm.D./M.S. in health care decision analysis, and graduate certificates in clinical research design and management, food safety, preclinical drug development, and patient and product safety.

The USC School of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 135 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603-4810, phone: (312) 664-3575, Fax (312) 664-4652 or (312) 664-7008.

Tuition and Fees (Estimated)

Tuition for School of Pharmacy degree programs (Pharm.D.; M.S. and Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences; M.S. and Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology and toxicology; M.S. and Ph.D. in health economics) is charged at a flat rate (which differs from standard USC tuition). See the Tuition and Fees section for fee information. These fees are subject to change.

Doctor of Pharmacy students must pay a $500 non-refundable acceptance deposit that is applicable toward tuition. For deposit information in other degree programs in the School of Pharmacy, please consult appropriate offices.

Honor Societies

Rho Chi

Theta chapter of Rho Chi, the academic honor society in pharmacy, was established at USC in 1925. Charters for chapters of this organization are granted only to student groups in those colleges that are members in good standing of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Eligibility for membership is based on high attainment in scholarship, character, personality and leadership. All candidates selected for membership must have completed three semesters of the pharmacy program, and they must be approved by the Dean of the School of Pharmacy.

Phi Lambda Sigma

The Phi Lambda Sigma chapter was established at USC in 1988. This national pharmacy leadership society is devoted to identifying, supporting and recognizing the contribution of pharmacy students to their colleges, their classmates, their campuses, their communities and to their chosen profession.

Student Housing and Service Facility, Health Sciences Campus

There are limited university-managed accommodations on the Health Sciences Campus. The Blanche and Frank R. Seaver Student Residence, adjacent to the John Stauffer Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, provides dining facilities and a bookstore. For residence information, call (323) 442-1576; for bookstore information, call (323) 442-2674. Students may also live in student housing on the University Park Campus, located about eight miles from the Health Sciences Campus.

Student Health Services, Health Sciences Campus

Services of the Student Health Center, covered by the mandatory student health fee, include the ambulatory care health services provided by the Student Health Center nursing staff. The Student Health Center is located in the USC Health Care Consultation Center, 1500 San Pablo Street, Suite 104, adjacent to the USC University Hospital, one block northeast of the School of Pharmacy. The telephone number is (323) 442-5980. In addition to the student health fee, all Pharm.D. students must have major medical insurance coverage from the USC Student Health Plan. A student may request a waiver of the USC Student Health Plan if covered by a personal medical plan that meets criteria established by the Health Insurance Office.

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