PHA202 / Medical Anatomy and Physiology [4 cr.]

This course covers the anatomy and physiology of the human body with emphasis on the skeletal and muscular systems, central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular and renal systems, immune, endocrine, gastrointestinal, respiratory and reproductive systems. A thorough understanding of homeostatic regulation of bodily functions and a discussion of imbalances to homeostasis will be covered. Congenital malformations and their physiological impacts and clinical connections will also be discussed. Case studies will be used to illustrate the clinical connections within each system.

Prerequisite: BIO201 and Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 1 status

PHA204 / Computer Application to Pharmacy [2 cr.] 

This course will allow students to use computers efficiently for educational, academic and professional problem solving. It introduces students to computer terminology, hardware peripherals, programs and multimedia computing systems. It also covers the literature resources and evaluations in preparation to the pharmacy professional years. Materials covered for literature evaluation are on-line information resources, databases, as well as professional sites.

Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 1 status

PHA205 / Statistics for Health Profession Majors [3 cr.] 

This course covers descriptive and inferential statistics as they related to design of biomedical and biopharmaceutical investigations. The students are introduces to methods of data summarization and presentation techniques. Different probability distributions are covered including binomial, z, and t. Methods of confidence interval building are addressed. Finally testing hypothesis is covered for different designs, as well as issues related to errors, and power.

Co-requisite): Pre-Professional Year 1 status

PHA208 / Medical Biochemistry [4 cr.] 

This course covers the chemistry and metabolism of biomolecules (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and DNA) and metabolic pathway to energy utilization. Particular emphasis is placed on the biochemical basis for disease, and targets and therapeutic intervention.

Prerequisites: BIO201, CHM201, CHM312 and CHM314 and Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 2 status

PHA209 / Principles of Pathophysiology and Immunology [4 cr.]

This course covers the pathophysiologic processes of cellular and tissue death, inflammation, infection, the pathophysiology of genetic as well as environmental and nutritional disorders. Alterations in cellular proliferation and differentiation (cancer) and hemodynamic and blood cell disorders will also be covered.  Furthermore, an extensive description of the immune system structure and function will be covered followed by discussions of immunologic disorders. When applicable, pertinent laboratory data and diagnostic approaches will be studied. Interrelation between the various pathologic processes will be explored and explained. Case studies will be presented for each system to illustrate the clinical connections.

Prerequisite: PHA202 and Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 2 status

PHA210 / Systems Pathophysiology [4 cr.] 

This course is a continuation of PHA209 Principles of Pathophysiology and Immunology. It covers the pathologies and disorders that affect the human body in its various systems. It discusses disease processes, etiologies and symptoms, as well as diagnostic modalities, the interpretation of relevant laboratory data, and an introduction to the basic pharmacology and the treatment of major diseases of the various bodily systems.  The course consists of lectures and discussions as well as case presentations.

Prerequisites: PHA202 and PHA209 and Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 2 status

PHA211 / Microbiological Basis of Disease [3 cr.]  

This course provides a foundation in basic microbiology with an emphasis on infectious diseases. The student will gain an understanding of the various characteristics of microorganisms in general and the specific characteristics of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. Topics covered include the different aspects of medical microbiology, identification and the control of pathogens, disease transmission, host resistance, immunity, control of infection, and development of microbiological techniques.

Prerequisite: BIO201 and Co-requisite: Pre-Professional Year 2 status

PHA308 / Pharmaceutical Analysis and Biotechnology [2 cr.]  

This course provides an introduction to biotechnology and its application in a variety of medical, clinical and science disciplines. Fundamental principles of recombinant DNA technology are presented with an emphasis on pharmaceutical applications where appropriate. Furthermore, this course introduces the principles and techniques of spectroscopy and chromatography used in pharmaceutical analysis.

Prerequisite: PHA208 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA309 / Pharmaceutical Analysis and Biotechnology Lab [1 cr.]

This is a laboratory course taken concurrently with PHA308 Pharmaceutical Analysis and Biotechnology course.

Prerequisite: PHA208 and Co-requisites: PHA308 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA312 / Medicinal Chemistry I [3 cr.]

This course covers the physicochemical properties of various drug categories, their relationship to biological activity, metabolic pathways, structure-activity relationship and their adverse effects.

Prerequisites: CHM312 and CHM314 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA313 / Medicinal Chemistry II [3 cr.]  

This course is a continuation to PHA312 Medicinal Chemistry I.

Prerequisite: PHA312 and Co-requisite: Professional year 1 status

PHA314 / Dosage Forms I [3 cr.]

This course covers the design, formulation, manufacturing and evaluation of pharmaceutical dosage forms, based on physical chemical principles. Drug regulatory affairs, current good manufacturing practices, in compliance with FDA guidelines and standards, pre-formulation studies, formulations of solids, liquids, and aerosols are discussed.

Co-requisites: PHA315 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA315 / Dosage Forms I Laboratory [1 cr.]

This laboratory course is taken concurrently with PHA314 Dosage Forms I course. Techniques and principles used to prepare and dispense individual extemporaneous prescriptions, including calculations and labeling of compounded dosage forms, are covered.

Co-requisites: PHA314 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA316 / Dosage Forms II [3 cr.]  

This course is a continuation of PHA314 Dosage Forms I. The course deals with the design, formulation, manufacturing and evaluation of semi-solid, complex and novel pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Prerequisite: PHA314 and Co-requisite: PHA317 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA317 / Dosage Forms II Laboratory [1 cr.]

This laboratory course is taken concurrently with PHA316 Dosage Forms II course.

Co-requisites: PHA316 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA320 / Physical Assessment [2 cr.]

This course is a combination of didactic lectures and concurrent workshops that serve the monitoring of drug therapy and the evaluation of the patient’s response to the prescribed treatment by describing experienced difficulty or adverse effects from the medications. The lectures feature how to interview a patient and how to perform a thorough assessment of body systems and regions. The workshops include practice on appropriate tools, equipment and techniques.

Prerequisites: PHA209 and PHA210 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status.

PHA322 / Professional Communication [1 cr.]

This course prepares students to interview, counsel and respond to patients in an empathetic and understanding manner within the framework of shared decision-making. The course allows students to establish a therapeutic relationship with patients by understanding the emotional and psychological aspects of illness that patients often experience and to review one’s own communication with patients, caregivers or other healthcare professionals and provide constructive and objective feedback to fellow students regarding their own interview.

Prerequisite(s): ENG202, ENG203, and PHA210 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA325 / Pharmacy Practice and Ethics [2 cr.]

This course provides a study of the profession of pharmacy, emphasizing the ethical principles upon which the profession rests. The nature and place of pharmaceutical services in society are considered. The moral standards and professional conduct required of a pharmacist are emphasized. The course includes Lectures, ethics cases using problem-based learning method.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA330 / Pharmacology I [4 cr.]

The course is designed to introduce students to the principles of drug use.  The course emphasizes the drug-receptor relationship, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug-drug interactions and adverse effects of various categories of drugs.

Prerequisites: PHA210 and PHA312, and Co-requisites: PHA313 and Professional Year 1 status

PHA333 / Pharmacy Management [3 cr.]

This course is an introduction to pharmacy management, as applied to various pharmacy practice settings. Topics will be discussed within the framework of Lebanese law.

Co-requisite: Professional Year I status

PHA340 / Pharmacotherapeutics I [2 cr.]

This is the first in a series of six Pharmacotherapeutics courses. The sequence courses address the principles of Pharmacotherapeutics and the functional consequences of major diseases.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA312 and PHA320, and Co-requisites: PHA 330, Professional year 1 status

PHA398 / Pharmacy Practice Management I [3 cr.]

This course provides pharmacy students with aspects of practical experience in selected Community Pharmacy Management Settings under the supervision of pharmacists and clinical faculty preceptors. It focuses on community pharmacy management approaches and styles, organizational principles, personnel, purchasing and inventory control, pricing, and  para-pharmaceuticals.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA322, PHA333 and PHA320; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA421 / Drug Information and Literature Evaluation [2 cr.]

This course is designed to instruct students on the use of different reference sources to retrieve, evaluate, and disseminate information in pharmacy practice. Fundamentals of research design, methodology and analysis in practicing evidence-based medicine are also covered to help students assess the significance of reported data and conclusions.

Prerequisites: PHA205 and PHA330, and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA422 / Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics [4 cr.] 

This course entails the study and application of the fundamental concepts of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and the elimination of drugs. The effects of formulation, disease and diet on pharmacokinetics, as well as the principles of bioavailability and bioequivalence are discussed.

Prerequisite: PHA316 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA430 / Pharmacology II [4 cr.]

This course is a continuation of PHA 330 Pharmacology I.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA211, PHA313 and PHA330; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA435 / Pharmacognosy and Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine [2 cr.]

This course is an introduction to the preparation and extraction of active ingredients, and the identification and classification of medicinal plants. An explanation of the pharmacology and therapeutic use of commonly prescribed and dispensed herbal medicines, based on current scientific research, is covered.

Prerequisite: PHA313 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA441 / Pharmacotherapeutics II [3 cr.]

This is the second in a series of six Pharmacotherapeutics courses. These sequenced courses address the principles of Pharmacotherapeutics and the functional consequences of major diseases. Endocrinologic diseases, Ophthalmologic diseases and women’s health will be discussed in this course.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320 and PHA398; and Co-requisites: PHA430 and Professional Year 2 status

PHA442 / Pharmacotherapeutics III [3 cr.]

This is the third in a series of six Pharmacotherapeutics courses. These sequenced courses address the principles of Pharmacotherapeutics and the functional consequences of major diseases. Discussions will focus on therapeutic problem solving, and the evaluation of drugs commonly used in clinical practice. Emphasis includes the individualization of pharmacotherapy, the selection of appropriate drug regimen with its efficacy and monitoring parameters, the assessment and the determination of therapeutic endpoints. Disease prevention, patient counseling, and pharmacoeconomic issues will be an integral part of each disease state management. Pharmacotherapy of rheumatologic, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and renal diseases will be discussed in this course.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA397, PHA398 and PHA399; and Co-requisites: PHA 430 and Professional Year 2 status

PHA443 / Pharmacotherapeutics IV [3 cr.]

This is the fourth in a series of six Pharmacotherapeutics courses. The sequence courses address the principles of Pharmacotherapeutics and the functional consequences of major diseases. Cardiac and dermatologic diseases will be discussed in this course.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA398 and PHA430; and Co-requisites:  Professional Year 2 status

PHA444 / Pharmacotherapeutics V [3 cr.]

This is the fifth in a series of six courses addressing the pharmacotherapeutic principles and functional consequences of the disease state. Discussion will focus on therapeutic problem solving and the evaluation of drugs commonly used in clinical practice. Individualization of pharmacotherapy, selection of appropriate drug regimen, with its efficacy and toxicity monitoring parameters, and the assessment of various drug interactions, and their adverse reactions, are covered. Disease prevention, patient counseling, and pharmacoeconomic issues will be an integral part of each disease state management. This course focuses on infectious diseases.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA 211, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA397, PHA398, PHA399, and PHA430; and Co-requisite:  Professional Year 2 status

PHA445 / Pharmacotherapeutics VI [3 cr.]

This is course is the last in a series of six Pharmacotherapeutics courses. The sequence addresses the principles of Pharmacotherapeutics and the functional consequences of major diseases. This course focuses on hematology and oncology, neurology and men’s health.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA398 and PHA430; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA449 / Dispensing and Pharmaceutical Care [3 cr.]

This course is designed to teach students the proper techniques and skills required to safely and accurately dispense drug products to patients in community and hospital settings. Case discussions, OTC scenarios and patient counseling are also covered.

Prerequisites: PHA322, PHA340, PHA430, PHA441 and PHA442; and Co-requisites: PHA443, PHA444, PHA445, PHA452 and Professional Year 2 status

PHA452 / Toxicology [3 cr.]

The course covers the fundamental and mechanistic aspects of toxicology, with emphasis on the mechanisms of toxicants, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and on the management of toxic exposures, and antidotal therapy.

Prerequisites: PHA330, PHA422 and PHA430; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA497 / Introduction to Professional Pharmacy Practice Experience [1 cr.]

This course introduces the student to the practice of pharmacy through structured early learning experience in different clinical settings under the supervision of clinical faculty. Lecture and workbook exercises will be utilized to reinforce the fundamentals of clinical practice presented to the student to serve as a foundation for later professional experiential rotations.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA322, PHA333, PHA330 and PHA340; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA499 / Pharmacy Practice Management II [2 cr.]

This course provides pharmacy students with practical experiences in selected Hospital Pharmacy Management environments under the supervision of pharmacists and clinical faculty preceptors. It focuses on management approaches and services provided in hospital pharmacies.

Prerequisites: PHA210, PHA313, PHA316, PHA320, PHA322, PHA333, PHA330 and PHA340; and Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA510 / U.S. Pharmacy Law and Regulation [2 cr.]

This course covers the U.S. federal laws that affect the regulation of drugs and the practice of pharmacy. The course helps students realize and understand the general principles of the federal laws related to drug control and to pharmacy practice.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA512 / Lebanese Pharmacy Law and Regulation [1 cr.]

This course discusses the regulations of pharmacy practice in Lebanon including the requirements to become a licensed pharmacist, establish a community pharmacy, operate a hospital pharmacy, and receive a license for manufacturing a drug or importing any substance that falls under its category.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA515 / Pharmacy Seminar [1 cr.]   

The course allows future pharmacists to evaluate, analyze and come up with a treatment plan after gathering all necessary information from patients, healthcare professionals and performing a literature review with emphasis on primary literature and treatment guidelines. Students will have to use professional communication skills acquired in previous courses and during their internship training in order to present patient cases and recommend treatment plans. Critical thinking is a key component of this course, where students have to analyze and employ the collected information to write a SOAP note and defend their recommendations and thinking process.

Prerequisites: PHA340, PHA421, PHA422, PHA441, PHA 442, PHA443, PHA444 and PHA 445; Co-requisites: Professional Year 3 status

PHA523 / Clinical Pharmacokinetics [1 cr.]

Clinical Pharmacokinetics is the application of pharmacokinetic principles for the rational design of an individualized dosage regimen.

Prerequisites: PHA 422 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA550 / Introduction to Pharmacogenomics [1 cr.]

This course covers the relationship of genetic individual variability to drug response. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to pharmacogenomics, allowing for a more systematic understanding of the relationship of genetic inter-individual variability to drug response. Some ethical considerations related to the emerging key role of pharmacogenomics in drug development are also discussed.

Prerequisite: PHA430 and Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA557 / Pharmacoeconomics [3 cr.]

This course is an introduction to the role of pharmacoeconomics in the health care system, with emphasis on research outcomes. This course covers the application of pharmacoeconomic analysis in clinical practice.

Prerequisites: PHA333 and PHA421; and Co-requisite(s): Professional Year 3 status

PHA560 / Clinical Nutrition & Diet Therapy [2 cr.]

This course provides learners with a basic knowledge of nutrients and the importance of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of diseases. It also educates learners on the pathological conditions of patients with nutrition-related chronic diseases and their specific nutritional requirements. Further, learners will acquire advanced evidence- and practice-based knowledge on formulating, designing, monitoring, and administering disease- and patient-specific parenteral and enteral nutrition; and advancing the role of the pharmacist in providing nutrition support therapy.

Prerequisites: PHA340, PHA441, PHA442, PHA443, PHA444, and PHA445; Co-requisite(s): Professional Year 3 status

PHA570 / Professional Pharmacy Practice – Hospital/DIC Experience [6 cr.]

This is a required four-week pharmacy practice experience that will expose the student to pharmacy practice in hospital settings through the provision of drug information services to other healthcare providers. The student will learn how to screen and intervene on hospital medication orders; will learn accreditation standards for hospital pharmacies, proper hospital pharmacy management, policies and procedures as well as drug distribution systems and patient-centered pharmacy services. The student will participate in several hospital pharmacy activities such as preparing a drug monograph, assessing Adverse Drug Reactions, and conducting a Drug Utilization Evaluation and a critical analysis of clinical trials.

Prerequisites: Passing all the PHA courses from the professional years; and Co-requisites: Professional Year 3 status

PHA571 / Professional Pharmacy Practice – Community Experience [6 cr.]

The course will allow future pharmacists to evaluate, analyze, and come up with a treatment plan after gathering all necessary information from patients and healthcare professionals and performing a literature review with emphasis on primary literature and treatment guidelines. Students will have to use professional communications skills acquired in previous courses and during their internship training in order to present patient cases and recommend treatment plans. Critical thinking is key in this course, where students have to analyze and employ the collected information to write a SOAP note and defend their recommendations and thinking process.

Prerequisite: Passing all the PHA courses from the professional years and Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA572 / Professional Pharmacy Practice - In-Patient Care Experience [12 cr.]

Professional Pharmacy Practice-in-Patient Care Experience will allow the students to learn and apply therapeutic problem-solving skills and knowledge of the appropriate use of medications in a patient care environment: patient monitoring, therapeutic consultation, in-service presentation and communication with health care professionals and patients. Acute patient care rotations include Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Critical Care.

Prerequisite: Passing all the PHA courses from the professional years and Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA567B / Special Topics - Public Health [1 cr.]

This course introduces topics of public health to the students of pharmacy. The course looks at leading causes of death, and measures of morbidity/mortality. Topics related to outbreaks, screening, vaccinations, health determinants, major chronic diseases, and public health program planning and evaluation are covered in the course.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA567C / Special Topics - Immunizations [1 cr.]

This is a pharmacy elective offered for first professional year students. This course provides students with knowledge of vaccine-preventable diseases and the role of pharmacists as vaccine advocates. 

Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA567D / Special Topics - Cosmeceuticals and Dermatology [1 cr.]

This is a one credit elective course that is offered to P2 pharmacy students. This course will provide pharmacy students with well-rounded knowledge of skin diseases and skin care methods mostly seen in the outpatient setting.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 1 status

PHA567E / Special Topics - Drug Interactions [1 cr.]

This course focuses on assessment and application of drug interaction information and identification, and management of commonly encountered drug interactions by therapeutic category.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA567F / Special Topics - Pharmacoepidemiology [1 cr.]

This course introduces students to the principles, concepts and application of epidemiology in the field of pharmacy. The course consists of lectures, assigned readings that provide the students with basic knowledge and tools relevant to pharmaco-epidemiology practice. Topics relates to pharmaco-epidemiological designs, pharmaco-vigilance, and post marketing surveillance are also covered.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA567G / Special Topics - Career Opportunities [1 cr.]

This course provides students with insights into different pharmacy career opportunities.

Co-requisite(s): Professional Year 3 status

PHA567H / Special Topics - First Aid [1 cr.]

This course allows students to acquire knowledge and skills to addrss  potential emergency related accidents that may threaten the vital functions of a human being.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 2 status

PHA567I / Special Topics – Critical Care [1 cr.]

This courseactively engages the pharmacy student with one to two select real life problems encountered by pharmacists in critical care practice settings such as the ICU, CCU, and ED. The primary focus of each class session is to develop a general understanding of select critical illnesses and practice the application of one to two interventions that pharmacists are commonly consulted on in such settings. The primary approach to course delivery is a combination of both didactic as well as active learning strategies.

Co-requisite: Professional Year 3 status

PHA567J Special Topics – Geriatrics [1 cr.]

This course introduces students to the most important principles in the provision of care to the elderly population.

Prerequisites: PHA 441 and PHA442; and Co-requisites: PHA 443, PHA444, and PHA445 as well as Professional Year 2 status