College of Pharmacy - Umm Al-Qura University

College of Pharmacy

Overview

Year of Establishment: 1426 AH\ 2006

Establishment: During session 39 of the Supreme Council of Higher Education (SCHE), held on 25\10\1426 AH, a royal decree was issued to establish the College of Pharmacy to join the medical colleges (College of Medicine and Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences) at Umm Al-Qura University.

Address: Makkah, Umm Al- Qura University- Al-Abidiyya

P.O. Box: 13174

Postal Code: 21955

Tel: 025270000\ 4031

E-mail: pharmcol@uqu.edu.sa

Tasks:

Curriculum and Teaching Method at the College

Courses are given in English according to the modernist scientific teaching technologies, which are applicable all over the world. The college employs modern teaching methods, notable among which are:

1- Modern Audio materials

2- Clinical Skill lab for specialties that require direct contact with scientific simulation devices.

3- Holding seminars for having direct contact with the college's staff.

4- Following the approach of Problem-based learning in medical education at the College.

5- Training students to apply self learning methods.

6- Emphasizing the necessity of following the comprehensive quality method in education outputs.

7- Holding symposiums and workshops to develop medical education at the College.

8- Providing internet services for all students to use them in learning about the latest developments in their field of specialization.

Careers Secured by the College:

The College graduates pharmacists to work in different pharmacology sectors, such as:

1. Governmental and civil pharmacies

Hospital pharmacies

Military pharmacies

Company pharmacies

2. Centers of pharmaceutical and toxic information

Public and private pharmacies

3. Drug Testing labs

Labs of food and water testing

Labs of toxin discovery and treatment

Testing and quality control

4. Pharmaceutical industry

Pharmaceutical industries

Factories of medical supplies and their quality

5. Scientific offices of pharmaceutical companies

Pharmaceutical media and marketing

6. Pharmaceutical and medicinal researches

Research centers and universities

7. Jobs of management and technical nature.

A graduate can also work in medical storehouses as a superintendent of a drug storehouse. Medical storehouses are divided into different pharmaceutical forms or treatment groups, each having a storehouse superintendent. Additional supervisory jobs are also available for graduates. It should be noted that the Ministry of Education has issued a circular to the effect that a drug storehouse superintendent should be a Saudi pharmacist.

Activities:

Vision of the College:

The vision of the college includes its passion to acquire skills; achieve international criteria in the field of pharmaceutical education and scientific research; encourage the spirit of creativity and development and employ all factors so that the country can serve the country's objectives regarding the pharmaceutical sector in all fields.

Mission of the College:

The College of Pharmacy at Umm Al-Qura University was established on the basis of an influentially-prepared academic program. The program aims at graduating skillful and specialized pharmacists who can assume an effective and efficient role in the fields of healthcare, pharmaceutical industrialization, testing and quality control. The program provides graduates with the fundamental necessary to develop pharmaceutical information and modernize the professional practice of pharmacists. Such measure is intended for achieving the ideal usage of drugs and rationalizing drug consumption. The program looks forward to helping the Saudi society enjoy good health; which can be achieved through some procedures including:

Education, training and graduating highly-qualified and skillful pharmacists capable of exchanging and dealing with modern information that is based on diligent researches in pharmaceutical, social and clinical sciences. The result would certainly be easier living and better health for the entire society.
Modernizing and developing the practice of pharmacology
Preparing distinctive programs featuring academic and central education for a student; an environment which is home for efficient and influential pharmacists
Awarding the bachelor's degree in pharmacology which enables a student to understand the principles of pharmacology
Providing efficient students and qualified graduates with intensive information in pharmacology and related sciences and helping them acquire skills in scientific researches. By employing all such skills, students and graduates are able to assume their due roles in higher education, governmental services, pharmaceutical industrialization and healthcare.
Giving courses on the best drug usage, rationalization of drug consumption and avoidance of drug side effects.
Conducting and developing qualitative researches and service programs to achieve high results that go in line with the strategic research objectives; fulfills healthcare requirements all over the society and provides the necessary skills for pharmacists and other health specialists.
Developing the sense of moral and processional responsibility and promoting continuous pharmaceutical education.

Courses:

1- At the present time, students study the bachelor of pharmacy course, in which the College of Pharmacy awards the bachelor's degree in pharmacy (B. Pharm).

2- Currently, the College is preparing for another course; that is the Doctor of Pharmacy course (Pharm. D.). It aims at providing two courses to graduate efficient pharmacists who are able to meet the needs of their society in all pharmaceutical fields.

Course Duration;

1. Five years for attaining the bachelor's degree in pharmacy (179 credit hours).

2. Six years for attaining the doctor's degree in pharmacy.

Course System:

Courses are given on an annual basis in two semesters. The first year (preparatory year) is common to all medical colleges at the university (i.e. colleges of pharmacy, medicine and medical sciences). The preparatory course lasts for an academic year and is considered as a transitional stage between high school and university. In this stage, the college focuses on preparing a student to integrate into courses and it pays special regard to promoting his level in the English language. This is because all courses of medical colleges are given in English. The college also aims at promoting a student's learning skills and setting a specialized curriculum in computer sciences, the language of the modern world, in addition to medical professions and their ethics as well as the requirements of the University.

Objectives:

The College of Pharmacy, Umm Al Qura University, was established to achieve several objectives serving science and knowledge, the health sector and the Saudi society as a whole. Based on this view, the general objectives sought by the College of Pharmacy are:

1. Giving an idea about the specialized courses and pharmaceutical plans; establishing the basic pharmaceutical sciences and developing a student's primary skills to practice the profession of pharmacy.

2. Qualifying students and attracting them towards specialized courses and pharmaceutical plans to practice pharmacy in a better way.

3. Guiding students towards interaction with the problems of the surrounding environment and providing their solutions, for achieving progress of the regional society.

4. Studying the subjects related to pharmaceutical sciences, such as biological and medical chemistry, microbiology, immunology, medical physics, pathology, anatomy, histology, nutrition, computer applications in pharmacology.

5. Teaching pharmaceutical sciences in general and focusing on the dynamics of medicine, drugs and extracted herbal substances, biological chemistry, analytical pharmacy, dynamic technology of drugs, technology of pharmacy, preparing and discovering drugs.

6- Giving students all the information about drugs as to their action, indications, dangers, side effects, dosage and the diseases for which such drugs are prescribed.

7- Teaching all the information about the names and actions of the drugs used in medical prescriptions and teaching the skills of pharmaceutical calculations in preparing such drugs.

8- Training students to deal with forms of pharmaceutical care in order to achieve satisfactory results and enjoy better health.

9- Developing the necessary skills, potentialities, behaviors and values required in the theoretical and practical fields of pharmacy to ensure that the graduates have full understanding of healthcare values.

10- Promoting thinking skills of the students in order to deal with clinical and critical problems; increase their abilities in solving such problems and deliver the best pharmaceutical care for patients.

11- Teaching learners who are able to conduct independent researches and specialized, in-depth studies in any of the pharmacy branches; providing learners with educational plans and laboratory technology in industrial, academic or governmental fields, or in any other fields.

12- Teaching students and graduating pharmacists who are able to work in pharmacy branches for the service of patients and the society in all fields; providing a student with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors and values in the field of theoretical and practical pharmacy; developing an understanding of the value of pharmacy care; evaluating critical, giving an example for pharmaceutical care that leads to improving final results, for ensuring better health for patients, and finally providing an appropriate environment to test cases.

13- Activating the role of pharmaceutical sciences and preparing a student to for the specialized teamwork and social communication.

14- Training students and graduates on leadership skills and the management of pharmaceutical institutions to qualify them to become leaders in their societies.

15- Graduating pharmacists who are knowledgeable and experienced in types of pharmaceutical preparations as to their different sources, and that is fully aware of all pharmaceutical information (drug indication- drug action-side effects-reactions, etc.)

16- Activating the role of the College of Pharmacy for the service of patients and the development of the Saudi society.

17- Establishing research centers that are specialized in different pharmaceutical sciences to solve social problems in cooperation with other research centers in the University as well as other universities.

Departments: overview\ admission prerequisites\plan\department chairpersons\ staff\ academic degrees awarded by the department\ objectives of the program\ contact the department

Overview:

The College of Pharmacy houses five departments:

1- Department of Pharmacology (PHCL)

2- Department of Pharmacognosy (PHGN).

3- Department of Pharmaceutics (PHCU).

4- Department of Clinical Pharmacy (PHCP).

5- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PHCH)

Admission Prerequisites:

1- A student shall be a Saudi national, or with a Saudi mother.

2- A student should obtain at least 90% or more in high school.

3- A student should obtain a special percentage of 90% or more in science subjects (chemistry, physics, biology, English)

4- The high school certificate should be obtained for a period not exceeding two years.

5- A student should make the ability and achievement tests set for medical colleges.

6- A student should successfully pass the interviews set for medical colleges.

7- A student should be well-mannered and well-behaved.

8- A student should be medically-fit.

Academic Plan of the Department

All such departments teach the college's curricula and graduate all students.