Top Learning compassionate patient-centered care begins with student-centered teaching. For more than 20 years, Chicago College of Pharmacy (CCP) has been providing an outstanding pharmacy education for its students. Its alumni are successful pharmacists who practice in a variety of settings. The pharmacist is the medication expert on the healthcare team. They counsel patients on medication use, provide treatment recommendations to the health care team, and supervise the medication dispensing process. The faculty members at CCP are dedicated to teaching pharmacy students to become lifelong learners and make a difference in the lives of their patients. A minimum of six years of coursework are required, with the minimum first two years at another accredited college or university and the last four years at CCP. The pharmacy curriculum is comprised of four types of teaching environments. Students attend lectures provided by faculty with clinical and scientific expertise, who provide real-life examples to illustrate concepts. Courses also may include workshops where students work in small groups to solve problems and discuss patient cases, using technology to access current treatment guidelines. Some courses include labs where students practice formulating unique drug dosage forms or practice patient care in simulated environments. Students also participate in experiential courses. These courses begin in the first year and are required throughout the program. Experiential courses are often referred to as rotations and require students to practice pharmacy in the "real world" under the supervision of clinical faculty, referred to as preceptors. CCP partners with the best medical centers, clinics and community pharmacies in the Chicago metropolitan area to provide rotations. For example, select practice sites where students may complete rotations include, and are not limited to, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Advocate clinics and hospitals, Edward Hospital, as well as a wide network of chain and independent community pharmacies. Students may also opt to complete their fourth year rotations out-of-state, subject to certain terms, conditions, and availability. Summer breaks after the first and second professional years offer more opportunities to build students' pharmacy resume before graduation. Most take advantage of this time to participate in various pharmacy internship positions or gain valuable research experience.

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