PharmD/MBA

Female medical student in lab coat standing in left side of photo with trees in background.

Ishita Mehta, PharmD/MBA ’17

Drive the business of the pharmaceutical industry forward with the analytical tools and managerial skills necessary to become a leader.

Prepare for a career in retail pharmacy, hospital and health care systems, or pharmaceutical manufacturing. The School of Management and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offer a collaborative program leading to both the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and the MBA degrees.

Be Career Ready

  • Apply analytical skills to understand the delicate balance between patient outcomes and efficiency
  • Develop effective leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills
  • Develop practical financial management skills
  • Understand the inter-related role of health care policy development, facility management and strategic planning
  • Immerse yourself in the diverse community of full-time MBAs
  • Network with alumni and leaders from the top health care organizations around the country through the school’s active Health Care Advisory Panel

Timeline

You may apply to both schools simultaneously or during the first or second professional year of your pharmacy program. You will take MBA core and electives in a dedicated year, blending your remaining MBA electives and capstone in your remaining pharmacy years.

Admissions

Apply to Both Schools

Apply separately to both schools. Applications do not have to be submitted concurrently. For MBA admissions, you may submit your PCAT scores in place of the GMAT or GRE. For specific program timeline and curriculum, consult with our Graduate Programs Office before applying.

If you are an Early Assurance (EA) pharmacy student, you will be required to take the GMAT or GRE. The GMAT/GRE requirement for PharmD EA candidates will be waived if you meet the following criteria:

∙ Proof of EA acceptance
∙ Minimum, cumulative graduate (PharmD) GPA of 3.25
∙ A recommendation letter from Karl Fiebelkorn, senior associate dean, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Apply to PharmD program
Apply to MBA program

Total Hour Requirement

School of Pharmacy Credits School of Management Credits
Pharmacy courses


Total		 146


146		 MBA core courses
MBA electives
MBA internship
Total		 27
18
3
48
School of Pharmacy Credits
Pharmacy courses
Total		 146
146
School of Management Credits
MBA core courses
MBA electives
MBA internship
Total		 27
18
3
48
  • 4/2/20

    “The MBA taught me how to apply technical knowledge and cross-functional teamwork in the commercial side of the business, while pharmacy practice helped me understand how treatments impact patients on an emotional level. Maintaining that patient focus, and not looking at the science in isolation, is critical.”

    Peter Fendt, PharmD/MBA ’16

  • 12/3/19

    “UB BLAST was an ideal opportunity to truly test what I have spent time learning in the MBA program. The technical skills I gained—including analysis, operations and supply chain planning, and drafting a business plan and pitch—were certainly helpful.”

    Andrea Kraft, MPH/MBA, Winner of UB BLAST (Business, Law and Surgical Technology) Competition

  • 5/15/19

    “Our team was at a real advantage because all four of us were dual degree majors in the PharmD/MBA program. Without the dual degree program, I do not believe we would have been as successful.”

    Laura Bielecki, PharmD/MBA ’18

Apply
Inquire
Attend a Recruiting Event
Webinars On-Demand

Graduate Programs Office
 School of Management
University at Buffalo
203 Alfiero Center
Buffalo, NY 14260-4010

Tel:  716-645-3204
Fax: 716-645-2341
som-apps@buffalo.edu

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Sequencing of Courses for Dual PharmD/MBA Students

First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Fifth Year

First Professional Year

Fall and Spring Semester

Follow School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences first professional year curriculum.

Rotation/Internship Requirement

A PharmD/MBA student must fulfill six APPE rotations for the PharmD program and 48 credits in the MBA program, including a 3-credit MBA internship. To fulfill the curricular requirements of both schools, you must complete one of the following:

  1. Take one of the PharmD APPE electives (6 hours) to fulfill the MBA internship requirement (3 hours). To fulfill both requirements, choose a rotation that serves both purposes (e.g., HMO, hospital administration, etc.). You must inform the appropriate staff in the Pharmacy Department and your MBA advisor. You must complete a 3-credit MBA elective to fulfill the 48-credit-hour requirement under this option.

  2. Take a 3-credit MBA internship. (Summer internships will require additional MBA tuition and fees per credit hour.) You still must fulfill six APPE rotations for PharmD completion.

To learn more about the Doctor in Pharmacy program, visit the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

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