Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
Earn Your Pharm.D. On Campus or Online
As a pharmacist, details matter. Lipscomb's program is committed to graduating health professionals who not only know how to execute in their field but see a deeper level of caring as essential to their work and the communities they serve. Earn your Pharm.D. online wherever you are or on campus in the health care capital of America, building the knowledge and gaining the versatility you need to advance your career.
The online Pharm.D. pathway is a flexible, innovative option for students seeking a rigorous and comprehensive education. This pathway includes both asynchronous and synchronous online coursework with in-residence immersions for labs and experiential learning, ensuring hands-on proficiency with cohorts beginning each August. This new offering complements Lipscomb’s highly regarded traditional, in-person Pharm.D. pathways with August and January entry points.
Rooted in the Christian faith, we are committed to developing pharmacists who not only know how to execute in their field but see a deeper level of caring as essential to their work and the communities they serve.
Job Placement for Licensed Graduates
Program Highlights
January Start (On Campus)
Apply by October 1 to join a January start term. This provides a year-round option for those desiring to complete their degree in 3.5 years. The schedule provides one summer break following the P2 year instead of breaks after both P1 and P2 years, while still allowing for traditional content delivery and time for you to pursue a dual degree.
A Pharm.D. Based in the Health Care Capital of America
High Residency Match Rate
Our Top 25 Residency Match Rate is evidence of student and programmatic success in pharmacy education. Lipscomb's pharmacy graduating class of 2024 achieved a 90.1% residency match. These top-tier numbers showcase how we provide the support you need to achieve your goals with confidence.
Job Placement Security
And with our 100% job placement rate, we're confident that when you've earned your degree, you'll have a career to go with it. You also have the opportunity to maximize your time, money and effort when you choose one of our dual degree programs.
Expansive Industry
According to the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the health care industry is the region's largest and fastest-growing employer. With more than 900 health care companies located here, a program based in Nashville connects you with diverse, high quality industry experts and covers a large expanse of the industry.
Care Beyond the Counter
Interested in this program? Fill out the form below to learn more about Lipscomb's Pharm.D. program.
Meet our faculty
Tom Campbell
Dean, College of Pharmacy
Dr. Campbell's prior work experience includes a pharmacy practice residency with VA Medical Center in Memphis, Columbus Regional Health System in Columbus, Georgia, and Sanofi Pharmaceuticals.
Scott Akers
Executive Director , PSR & Associate Dean of Research
Dr. Akers research expertise as a clinical pharmaceutical scientist over the past 25 years bridges the pre-clinical and clinical phases of small molecule drug development in the areas of pre-formulation and formulation development, drug metabolism and drug transporter assessment, and the analysis of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics relationships in cell-based assays, isolated organs, whole animal models, and humans.
Beth Breeden
Associate Professor and Chair, Health Care Informatics
Our chair of Health Care Informatics, Dr. Beth Breeden, is an AMIA Certified Health Informatics Professional (ACHIP) Diplomate with more than 25 years of experience in Health Care Informatics to help prepare Lipscomb students for long careers in the profession.
Abbie Burka
Associate Dean of Assessment
As Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Director of Interprofessional Education, Dr. Burka coordinates opportunities for students in the health science programs to collaborate and learn together. Her driving passion is to break down barriers for students and practitioners to effectively work together to improve patient outcomes.
Kevin Cluason
Professor
Dr. Clauson interacts with student pharmacists in courses including health informatics and independent research in pharmacy practice as well as an informatics advanced pharmacy practice experience.
Sarah Collier
Assistant Professor
After completing her doctorate degree from the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology from Vanderbilt University in 2014, Dr. Collier served in the role of Senior Project Manager of Special Projects in the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center focusing on research resource operations, biobanking/genomics, and healthcare informatics.
Zac Cox
Professor
Dr. Zac Cox, who has a dual role as a Lipscomb professor of pharmacy and inpatient clinical pharmacist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has worked with Yale University’s Dr. Jeff Testani on 13 published articles exploring various drug therapies for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.
Rachel Crouch
Assistant Professor
Dr. Crouch's research interests here at Lipscomb are focused on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, and she teaches in various courses included in the Pharmaceutical Sciences curriculum. She is also collaborating with Dr. Akers on a National Institutes of Health-funded project with Vanderbilt’s Dr. Jeffrey Johnston who synthesized a variant cyclopeptide produced by a fungus to test its therapeutic effects on cardiac arrhythmias.
Kevin Eidson
Director of Health & Wellness
Dr. Eidson teaches Pharmacy Law and Ethics and assists with coordinating continuing educational opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Eidson is a member of the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy and has served as Vice-President and President of the Board.
Chad Gentry
Associate Dean Experiential Education Pharmacy
When Dr. Chad Gentry came to Lipscomb’s pharmacy faculty in 2012, he began a partnership with Vanderbilt University’s nursing program to establish a pioneering interprofessional practice program at Nashville’s Clinic at Mercury Courts, where he serves as lead clinical pharmacist.
Sarah Graff
Assistant Professor
Dr. Graff's current research interests center on changes in pancreatic ion channel expression during exercise and how that, in turn, regulates glucose homeostasis.
Kayce Gill
Health Sciences Librarian
In her role with the College, Ms. Gill is responsible for teaching faculty and students how to effectively and efficiently use health sciences library resources and research tools, collaborating with faculty on research projects, and managing the health sciences library resources and budget. She works with 25+ courses across the health sciences programs.
Ben Gross
Department Chair, College of Pharmacy
Gross has continued to advance his expertise by earning a number of certifications including Certified Diabetes Educator, Board Certified Advanced Diabetes Manager, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, Board Certified Ambulatory Care Specialist, and Certified Hypertension Clinician. Gross also received certifications in diabetes including insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring.
Susan Hamblin
Assistant Professor
She has served as a PGY1 Residency Coordinator and PGY2 Critical Care Residency Program Director during her career, and she currently works as the Lipscomb Coordinator for the Vanderbilt-Lipscomb Critical Care Fellowship training program affiliated with the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS) Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Randy Jerkins
Assistant Professor
Jerkins joined Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy in 2008 after having experience as Assistant Director of Clinical Services at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, TN after graduation receiving his Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy in 1985 and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1986 from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. In 2001 he left Williamson Medical Center to join Terri Jerkins at MidState Endocrine Associates as a clinical Pharmacist and Clinical Trial Investigator and joined Lipscomb in 2008.
Justin Kirby
Assistant Professor
Kirby is currently the PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Residency Program Director, and he also serves as the faculty advisor for the student chapters of the National Community Pharmacy Association and the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists.
Lindsey Miller
Associate Professor
Miller maintains her clinical practice site at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital while also precepting students. Additionally, Miller is the Residency Program Director for the PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency at Lipscomb University in affiliation with Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital in Nashville.
Kam Nola
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Nola is currently Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice for the Lipscomb College of Pharmacy. Her areas of expertise include rheumatology, health care delivery policy and outcomes research, communication skills, and health care for vulnerable and underserved populations.
Jon Pouliot
Associate Professor
Jon serves as an instructor in a variety of courses across the curriculum as well as serving as a preceptor at his inpatient Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine practice site for IPPE and APPE students. His interests include research design and methodology, infectious diseases, critical care medicine, and anticoagulation management.
Allison Johnston
Associate Professor
In addition to her leadership role within VPIL, Johnston has an established clinical practice site at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, where she provides pharmaceutical care on an interprofessional medical team to children in the hospital. Johnston is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Board Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist.
Brent Thompson
Assistant Professor
Dr. Thompson's passions are educating student pharmacists on the key roles they will play as pharmacy leaders and managers. He also serves as the Program Director for the dual PharmD/Master of Management degree for the College of Pharmacy and Health Science.
James Torr
Associate Professor
Torr has held numerous leadership positions with local and state professional associations and currently serves as Treasurer for the Tennessee Pharmacists Association. His intellectual pursuits focus on the use of healthcare simulation as an active learning methodology.
Sarah Uroza
Associate Professor
At Lipscomb Uroza specializes in Ambulatory Care and Women's Health She has a practice site at Faith Family Medical Center where she takes IPPE and APPE students throughout the year. Sarah teaches Medication Therapy Management, Non-Prescription Medications and Devices and Women's Health.
Matt Vergne
Associate Professor
Dr. Vergne was a Senior Technical Support Specialist at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments before joining Lipscomb University. Dr. Vergne manages the instrumentation in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Bioanalytical Chemistry Research Core Lab in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center.
Jessica Wallace
Associate Professor
Wallace maintains her clinical practice site precepting fourth year pharmacy students and residents on the Internal Medicine teaching service at the VA in Nashville, which is affiliated with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She also has a research appointment with Vanderbilt University medical center for nephrology based research with a recent subaward on NIH research study evaluating post-discharge care of acute kidney injury patients.
Greg Young
Assistant Professor
Prior to joining the faculty at Lipscomb University, Young served for six years as a Nuclear Pharmacist and Pharmacy Manager for Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy Services. He previously served as the Pharmacy Manager for Marcrom’s Pharmacy and Clinical Care Services.