The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy offers an innovative program that prepares pharmacy practitioners for the challenges of a rapidly changing profession and promotes the provision of pharmaceutical care. The first pharmacy class was graduated in May 2000 and sat for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examinations (NAPLEX). The school of pharmacy was initially accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education in June 2000, and was recently awarded accreditation until 2028.

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program at Shenandoah University (SU) offers a “2 + 4” design. The pre-pharmacy curriculum requires a minimum of two years to complete the required 65 semester hours of course work. Pre-pharmacy requirements may be completed at Shenandoah University or transferred from another accredited academic institution.

The four-year professional curriculum integrates didactic courses and experiential clerkships within the framework of 142 semester hours.

The pharmacy curriculum is offered on the Winchester Medical Center (SU Health Professions Building) about two miles from Shenandoah University's main campus.  This modern facility is designed especially for pharmacy and is equipped with laboratories, computer technology, and small group discussions areas.

Video: A Student’s Perpective

On average, 60 students are admitted each year into the four-year professional Pharm.D. program in Winchester, VA. Exceptional high school students may elect to apply for the SU pre-admit 3+4 program. Because of the highly selective admissions process and the competitive nature of the Pharm.D. program, freshmen admitted as undergraduate pre-pharmacy students will be monitored carefully throughout the two or three year pre-pharmacy program. Admission to the Pharm.D. program is not guaranteed to students entering the pre-pharmacy programs. Admission decisions to the professional program are made on a competitive basis and will be based on published admissions criteria.

Research & Labs

Dr. Wendell Combest in our working medicinal garden.

The school has active research in multiple areas including pharmacogenomics, herbal medications, preparation stability, therapeutic outcomes, cardiology, psychiatric medications, and informatics.

Tuition & Other Financial Aid

Tuition is the same for in and out of state students at Shenandoah’s school of pharmacy. The tuition for the 2023-2024 school year is $38,076. In addition to the tuition there is a technology fee for Shenandoah University’s new environmentally friendly integrated mobile learning program, iMLearning, which provides students and faculty with the tools to enhance student learning and engagement.

The program delivers on the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and campus sustainability by putting an environmentally friendly 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop and an iPad Pro with Retina display (10.2", 64GB, Wi-Fi) with an Apple pencil into the hands of all incoming full-time, undergraduate students and full-time students in designated graduate programs.   

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office and explore their financial options as soon as possible. The majority of students accepted are eligible for significant amounts of financial aid through subsidized and unsubsidized loans and Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant if qualifying Virginia residents. Last year, our pharmacy students received over $585,000 in scholarship funding. This includes scholarships which students procured prior to entering our program to help pay their pharmacy school tuition. The Shenandoah University Financial Aid Office can be reached by calling (540) 665-4538 or by clicking here.

Recognition & Awards

Our students and faculty are often recognized for excellence at the local, state, and national levels. For example, one of our former students won the national patient counseling competition sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association and in spring 2011, our Rho Chi Chapter received the Shenandoah University Outstanding Student Organization Award for their community service efforts.

Alison Smith, Class of 2012, received the Virginia Pharmacists Association (VPhA) Foundation 2011 Student Award.	Drs.Sarah Parnapy and Mary Ann Kirkpatrick surrounded by the Self Care Competition winners, Michelle Chandler, Shannon Fisher, Carolyn Maness, and Katie Miller plus two students from SU, Shelby Jenkins and Ashley Anderson.

University & School History

The Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy was created in 1995 to respond to the growing need for pharmacists in the health-care system. In so doing, Shenandoah University responded to an unmet need for additional pharmacists, but it did so in a unique way. Combining new ideas in pharmacy education with the use of information technology, it created a new educational model that is even more relevant today.

The four-year Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum is student-centered, competency-based and technology delivered. All curricular materials are developed as Web-based documents making complete sets of notes, lecture outlines, slides, and simulations available to students prior to each class session. Even though the curriculum is delivered through various technologies, our student-to-faculty ratio (10 to 1) offers students the opportunity to receive individualized attention. Each student is assigned to a faculty advisor who works closely with the student across the entire four years of the curriculum. The Dunn School of Pharmacy faculty is committed to providing a positive learning environment where students can grow both professionally and personally. Originally, the School of Pharmacy was only located in the Health Professions Building on the Winchester Medical Center campus, but in 2006 the Dunn School of Pharmacy opened its Ashburn Campus located in Innovation Hall on the grounds of The George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus. Students were able to attend that campus for a year, and then continue the program at the Winchester campus. In 2011, the school continued to extend the program and offered all four years of classes in Ashburn.  In June 2017, the Ashburn Campus moved to INOVA's Center for Personalized Health located in Fairfax, Virginia.

Other Information

Many of our students engage in global experiences including medical mission trips, and Project Hope experiential rotations. Our active student body engages in community service through professional organizations, the Free Medical Clinic, as well as service to the Shenandoah Valley Compassionate Pharmacy.

Rho Chi Health Fair

Faculty

• Robert Kidd, Professor and Chair of Biopharmaceutical Science - Interim Dean 
• Arthur Harralson, Professor and Associate Dean ICPH Fairfax Campus: 
• Timothy Bloom, Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs:  
• Thomas Ellington, Associate Professor/Pharmacy Practice and Assistant Dean of Assessment: 
• Zara Risoldi Cochrane, Associate Dean of Student Affairs:  
• Rebecca Andersen, Assistant Professor: 
• Deepak Bhatia, Professor/Pharmacogenomics:  
• Marcia Brackbill, Professor/Pharmacy Practice: 
• Jennifer Bryant, Professor/Biopharmaceutical Sciences: 
• Wendell Combest, Professor (adjunct): 
• Amber Darr, Associate Professor and Director of Continuing Professional Education:  
• Jeremy Fox, Associate Professor and Chair Pharmacy Practice: 
• Nina Hengen, Associate Professor/Biopharmaceutical Sciences: 
• Jamie Huff, Assistant Professor/ Pharmacy Practice:  
• Gretchen Johnson, Adjunct Assistant Professor: 
• Mark Johnson, Associate Professor and Director of Post Graduate Programs/Pharmacy Practice: 
• Kayla Joyner, Assistant Professor/Pharmacy Practice:  
• Sean Kim, Associate Professor/Biopharmaceutical Sciences:  
• Abby Lennon, Assistant Professor / Pharmacy Practice: 
• Alla Marks, Associate Professor and Director of Professional Education/Pharmacy Practice: 
• Clarence Moore, Assistant Professor/Pharmacy Practice:  
• Kelsey Morgan, Assistant Professor/Pharmacy Practice:  
• Shahrzad Movafagh, Associate Professor/Pharmacogenomics:  
• Amanda Munson, Associate Professor/Pharmacogenomics and PGPM Director:
• Tracey Nickola, Associate Professor/Pharmacogenomics: 
• Sarah Parnapy-Jawaid, Associate Professor/Pharmacy Practice; 
• Katerina Petrov, Assistant Professor/Pharmacy Practice:  
• R. Iain Pritchard, Assistant Professor/Pharmacy Practice:  
• Craig Richard, Professor/Biopharmaceutical Sciences:
• Katie Sanders, Assistant Professor and Director of Recruitment and Admissions:  
• Ranjani Varadarajan, Associate Professor/Pharmacy Practice: 
• Amber Wesner, Associate Professor and Director of Experiential Education:  
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