In addition to the academic requirements for admission, candidates must possess skills and abilities that will allow them to successfully complete the curriculum and practice the profession of pharmacy. The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Pharmacy has an ethical responsibility for the safety of patients for whom the students come into contact. Therefore, patient safety is a major factor in establishing requirements for physical, cognitive, and emotional capabilities of applicants. The College is committed to enabling students with disabilities by reasonable means of accommodations to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. Some accommodations cannot be made because they are not reasonable. The use of a trained intermediary is not acceptable as it compromises the essential function of the pharmacist. For example, the use of an intermediary in many clinical situations implies that a candidate’s judgment must be mediated by someone else’s power of selection and observation.

Mastery of the pharmacy curriculum is required of all students. Candidates for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree must be able to perform the essential functions in each of the following categories: Observation; Communication; Sensory and Motor Coordination and Function; Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities; Behavioral and Social Attributes; and Ethical Values. These functions include, but are not limited to:

Observation: A candidate must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences. A candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. The candidate must be able to visually observe and interpret presented information. This will necessitate the functional use of vision, hearing, and somatic senses.

Communication: A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, caregivers, faculty/staff, and all members of the healthcare team. The focus of this communication is to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communication. These skills include the appropriate use of spoken and written English, hearing, reading, and computer literacy.

Sensory/Motor: The candidate must have sufficient motor function and skills necessary to perform basic tasks in the practice of pharmacy. Examples of such tasks may include the compounding of medicinals, administration of drugs, and the provision of basic cardiac life support. Such actions require the coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses.

Intellectual: Problem solving and critical thinking are key skills to proper performance of the responsibilities of a pharmacist. A candidate must have the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and integrate information that is essential to fully develop these skills. A candidate must be fully alert and attentive at all times in clinical settings.

Behavioral/Social: A candidate must be of sufficient emotional and mental health to utilize fully his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the prompt completion of all patient care responsibilities. A candidate must possess the ability to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. A candidate must be able to tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. A candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. A candidate must possess compassion, integrity, interpersonal skills, and motivation to excel in pharmacy practice.The pharmacy student must be able to modify behavior in response to constructive criticism.

Ethical Values: A candidate must demonstrate the highest level of professional demeanor and behavior, and must perform in an ethical manner in all dealings with peers, faculty, staff, and patients.

When a letter of acceptance to the College of Pharmacy is mailed, a detailed copy of the Technical Standards for Completion of the Curriculum will be included. The applicant will be asked to respond in writing whether he/she can meet the standards with or without accommodation. In the event that accommodation is requested, the student must submit documentation of disability with proposed accommodation from a certified specialist to the Office of Student Affairs. The College may require verification by a specialist whom it has approved. A judgment will be made by the College personnel who are knowledgeable in the field of the particular disability. If reasonable accommodation cannot be achieved, the letter of acceptance will be withdrawn. An applicant should evaluate him or herself for compliance with these Technical Standards.

A detailed copy of these Technical Standards may be downloaded in PDF format by clicking here.