Earn an accredited doctor of pharmacy degree through a partnership between the University
of Alaska Anchorage and Idaho State University. One of the most highly regarded professions
in the country, pharmacists have excellent earning potential and job security.
Alaska needs pharmacists. Pharmacists play a vital role in improving people's lives.
Through a partnership between theUAA College of HealthandIdaho State University College of Pharmacy, you can earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree while staying in Alaska.
As a student, you’ll train to prepare and dispense medications, advise health professionals
on drug decisions, counsel patients on the use of their medications, and perform other
essential functions in patient care. The PharmD program prepares you to respond to
the unique needs of Alaska’s communities, with special emphasis on rural health and
multi-site delivery.
Students are accepted each fall into the traditional four-year program. With classes
located on UAA campus, and on-site faculty and staff using state-of-the-art AV technology, you'll
be educated by an institution with a 100-year history of creating leaders in pharmacy
practice. This program qualifies you to sit for the two standardized tests to become licensed
to practice in Alaska: the national North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination
(NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination. Upon successfully
completing the program, students will be awarded a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree
from Idaho State University.
Graduates pursue a wide range of careers, such as:
Get hands-on experience in recently renovated facilities dedicated to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. As a pharmacy graduate student, you’ll
have exclusive access to classrooms, a compounding lab, a student lounge, facilities
equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, , and dedicated on-site faculty
and staff.
Each year, the ISU College of Pharmacy awards more than $500,000 in scholarships to
PharmD. students. You may also qualify for financial aid through the ISU Office of Financial Aid.
Participate in leadership activities and community outreach. With a focus on impacting
the health care needs of Alaska, the UAA/ISU Doctor of Pharmacy program is highly
active in the community, leading engagement efforts related to diabetes, cardiovascular
health, poison prevention and immunizations.
Work directly with on-site faculty and staff for all program components, including
experts in biomedical sciences and pharmacy practice, as well as practicing clinical
pharmacists. Their specialties include infectious disease, psychiatry, oncology, pediatrics,
geriatrics, cardiology, critical care and nutritional support.
Almost half of UAA students have experienced food insecurity. UAA offers several resources to combat hunger and food insecurity, including the Seawolf Food Pantry, which supplies non-perishable foods, as well as three-day emergency food support.
Dr. Corrie Whitmore, an associate professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences, and her team at UAA’s Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services are celebrating the recent publication of a new article. The paper, which was published in the Dec. 2025 issue of Nursing for Women’s Health, offers a framework and actionable strategies for nurses to improve communication and patient experience in discussions around substance use and contraception.
Philippe Amstislavski, a scientist with a passion for sustainable innovation, is pioneering the use of mycelium insulation to help Alaska’s remote communities combat extreme cold and climate change.
From campus food pantries to statewide health initiatives, Keely Livingston is turning passion into purpose. Keely’s journey into public health began with hands-on work in food security during her undergrad years at Montana State and led her to enroll in UAA's Master of Public Health Program.
DPHS Public Health Professor Philippe Amstislavski leads research using spruce and fungi to create biodegradable alternatives to plastic, addressing Alaska’s pollution challenges.
Message from the DEAN
Welcome to Alaska’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, the pharmacy program of the last frontier.
There is no better place to receive your pharmacy education. We have opportunity and
experiences that no other program in the country can offer. Our students train and
practice in the largest hospitials to the smallest remote communities in Alaska, a state
rich with opportunity for students to learn and grow in the profession. As you complete
all four years of the program in the state, you will network with industry employers,
researchers, leaders that will transform into a world class pharmacist.
-Tom Wadsworth PharmD, BCPS, Executive Associate Dean, Associate Professor