Design and implementation of the extended 5-year doctor of pharmacy degree pathway

Pacific University School of Pharmacy in Oregon introduced a dual-pathway model in fall 2023 to complement its existing on-campus 3-year (3Y) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) pathway with an on-campus extended 5-year (5Y) pathway. This new pathway was designed to provide increased flexibility for students balancing academic, professional, and personal responsibilities and thus increase access to a PharmD education. The 5Y pathway was designed as a small cohort pathway of 10-15 primarily non-traditional local students who need to work at least part-time and/or manage significant family obligations while earning their degree. The 5Y pathway curriculum mirrors the content and competencies of the 3Y pathway but distributes the first two years of didactic coursework over four years, with the final year dedicated to experiential learning. Both the 3Y and 5Y student cohorts share identical didactic coursework, and faculty resources are leveraged efficiently, minimizing duplication of effort. Initial educational outcomes assessments demonstrated that 5Y students are equivalent in meeting benchmarks relative to the 3Y cohort. It provides a compelling model for other institutions seeking to diversify pharmacy education pathways. Ongoing data collection, assessment, and feedback will be crucial to further refine the pathway and assess long-term outcomes.