Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm)

Introduction 

Increasing access to safe and cost effective medicine is the overarching goal of the teaching, research, and entrepreneurial activities of the School of Pharmacy. Launched in 1992, the CUHK Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) Programme was the first UGC funded pharmacy programme in Hong Kong. It is a 4-year full-time programme that prepares graduates for a 1-year internship before licensure. For more than three decades, the academic staff has lived up to the tradition of bringing out the best in each student with a high quality, rigorous and dynamic curriculum.

We have created a nurturing environment that cherishes teamwork, leadership, and commitment to civic responsibility. The School also takes pride in being able to raise the awareness of the public in the value of those services only the pharmacists are qualified to provide. Over 900 pharmacists in Hong Kong are CUHK graduates, accounting for about 27% of the pharmacist work force.

Three Decades of Innovation

• Pioneered an outcome-based Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum that has been regarded as one of the best at CUHK.
• Pioneered the first Master of Clinical Pharmacy and the first Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy in Hong Kong.
• Pioneered the first university-led community outreach program that also serves as an active learning platform for our students.
• In partnership with the private sector, successfully translated technological innovations created in the School’s research laboratories into a recognized health supplement in Hong Kong.

Programme of Choice for Talented Students

• Prepares graduates for a successful career in any healthcare setting by emphasizing problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking built upon a strong foundation of basic knowledge and skills.
• Exposes students to an array of innovative learning environments, including oversea exchange and outreach into the community.
• A dynamic training program known for its excellence in balancing knowledge- and practice-based teaching, integrating western and traditional Chinese Medicine, and emphasizing the importance of behavioral and social sciences that is the foundation of modern patient care.
• Has forged a strong teaching partnership with the Hospital Authority, Department of Health, community pharmacy, private hospitals, multinational pharmaceutical companies, and local pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Has the strong support of alumni and leaders in the pharmacy profession.
• Driven by a rich tradition of excellence in discovery, learning, and entrepreneurship under the aegis of a world class academic staff.

BPharm Programme Leaflet

Click HERE to download PDF version

Programme Structure

Our programme is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitude to be lifelong learners and innovators who accept the responsibility of meeting the public’s needs for safe, efficacious, and cost-effective medicine.

** MEDF1011 & 1012 are prerequisites for PHAR1433 & 1434; MEDF1012 is prerequisite for PHAR1423; PHAR1110 is prerequisite for PHAR2110; PHAR1433 is prerequisite for PHAR2410; PHAR2211 & 2212 are prerequisites for PHAR2213; PHAR2213 is prerequisite for PHAR4402; PHAR2410 is prerequisite for PHAR3413, 3414 & 3415; PHAR2520 and PHAR3510 are prerequisites for PHAR4501; PHAR2711 is prerequisite for PHAR4401; PHAR3330 is prerequisite for PHAR4201; PHAR3413, 3414, 3415 & PHAR3812 are prerequisites for PHAR4301; PHAR4911 is prerequisite for PHAR4912.

^ Major Elective

® Required Course for Area of Concentration: Pharmacy Clerkship

Admission Requirements Intake

Applicants who are inquisitive, creative, and collaborative and who welcome the challenge of applying science to bring innovative, cost-effective medicine to patients are encouraged to apply. Pharmacists must also be able to communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare team members caring for the patient. Accuracy, attention to details, and a strong sense of ethics are integral to pharmacy practice. The minimum admission requirements are stated as below:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will the degree lead to a professional qualification or license? What is the career path of this degree?

The programme has been granted accreditation by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong. CUHK B.Pharm. students who have completed a full-time pharmacy degree and one additional year of internship are qualified as registered pharmacists in Hong Kong.

To date, CUHK School of Pharmacy have graduated over 900 pharmacists.  Our graduates work in various sectors in the pharmacy field including hospital and community pharmacies, pharmaceutical industry, non-governmental organization and private clinics, HKSAR government, academia, and more.

2. I am a JUPAS applicant. Will the interviewer know the actual priority of the programmes that I have put in my JUPAS application?

We only know that you have put our programme in your Band A list, but NOT the actual ranking.

3. How will I get invited to the admission interview?

The interviews will be done either in-person or via tele-conferencing.

JUPAS: Students who have put CUHK Pharmacy (JS 4525) in Band A (top 3 choices out of 20) will be invited to join the interview in June-July the following year.

Non-JUPAS: The interview of Advanced Offer Round will be in December of each year. We shall also arrange interview for Main Round between February and July in the following year. Students who have indicated Pharmacy as their first programme choice in CUHK non-JUPAS application are selected to join the above interview. 

4. Will taking additional electives increase my chance of admission?

In addition to subjects considered in the selection principles of our programme (4C+2X), applicant’s performance in extra elective subjects will be considered, and bonus points will be awarded to up to the 7^th subject.

5. Will your programme accept applicants from Internal Transfer / Degree Holder?

We accept the best candidates from Internal Transfer / Degree Holder.

6. What are the different experiential training “tracks” during the final year of the B.Pharm. Programme?

Our curriculum allows students to explore their areas of interest during the experiential training in the final year of our Programme.  Research Track prepares students who are interested in laboratory or clinical research by providing them the opportunity to carry out independent research projects under the supervision of a faculty member.  Practice Track, on the other hand, provides exposure to various pharmacy practice fields/specialties.  Students learn alongside a preceptor through numerous individual and group learning activities.   

Please refer to our website for experiential learning.

7. Will there any exchange opportunities?

Yes, numerous summer internship opportunities are available every summer.  The School also takes an active role in connecting students with various volunteering/internship/part-time job opportunities in the pharmacy field. 

Currently, the School has academic exchange agreements with 12 oversea pharmacy programmes.  We have exchange sites in Australia, Canada, China, Japan, UK, and the US.  Some of the exchange experience are also credit-bearing.

Please check out from our website for student exchange.

8. Will there be scholarships designated for the overseas exchange programmes?

Yes, we have scholarships each year that specifically support students who have been accepted to an exchange site. 

Please check out from our website for scholarships & prizes.

Last Update: July, 2022

Admission Series

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Experiential Learning

A key component of the BPharm curriculum is experiential learning. This type of learning allows students to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world pharmacy practice. Experiential learning encourages a deeper understanding of pharmacy and contributes to the student’s own personal and professional development. At CUHK, these learning opportunities are offered throughout the student’s education.

Student Placement Opportunities

CUHK School of Pharmacy has built a network of over 50 partnering sites across the 18 districts of Hong Kong. Our sites include a wide range of pharmaceutical industries from manufacturing to distribution to direct patient care settings. This ensures students explore as many options as possible. Placement opportunities are available early in the students’ BPharm journey. Options include full-time during the summer months or part-time during the academic term. Our network of alumni and professional partners mentor our students to become successful future pharmacists.

Student Training Opportunities are available in the following areas:

• Hospital Pharmacy
• Community Pharmacy
• Health Clinics
• Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies
• Local Manufacturers
• Outreach Program
• Pharmaceutical Wholesaler
• Non-Government Organizations

Pharmacy Clerkship

In the final year of their studies, students may choose to participate in our signature Pharmacy Clerkship program which highlights the CUHK Pharmacy curriculum and transforms our students into competitive graduates.

Areas of Concentration:                          

International Student Exchange

The CU Pharmacy International Exchange program offers an intensive and immersive learning experience of international pharmacy practice. The program provides attachments in various specialty areas such as Community Practice Management, Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Organ Transplant etc. Students are engaged in active learning alongside their international preceptors to expand their knowledge and deepen their understanding of pharmacy practice.

Partner institutions include: 

• Kyoto University, Japan
• United Family Healthcare, Beijing, China
• University of Arizona, USA
• University of California San Diego, USA
• University of Colorado, USA
• University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
• University of Manchester, UK
• University of Southern California, USA
• University of Sydney, Australia
• University of Toronto, Canada
• University of Wisconsin, USA

Exchange Student Sharing:

Summary of the Global Alliance of Medical Excellence (GAME) Inter-Professional Educational & Stimulation in Medicine Workshop

This year, we have professors/lecturers and students of medicine/nursing/pharmacy from 6 different universities and regions participating, including Monash University, Korea University, University of Bologna, Nagoya University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Before the face-to-face workshop starts, we had a zoom pre-program meeting and a list of preparatory readings.

On Day 1, we went to the LMU campus and participated in an escape room activity to enhance team-building skills. It was surprising and interesting to see that the escape room activity can actually reward teamwork and effective leadership by immersing ourselves in an engaging, fun, non-threatening, non-clinical activity. The other group participated in a more formal case discussion and ward round stimulation, which is also an equally fruitful experience. Followed are Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) Presentations & Reflections of group works, and discussion/lectures on stereotypes in medical teams. We ended our day with a delicious Bavarian Dinner. 

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On day 2, we went to the LMU Klinikum (LMU teaching hospital). Each institution presented their posters about their faculties and researches, and we exchanged ideas on curriculum. We then had a lecture from a Certified Emergency Manager on crew resource management, and had insights on how to properly avoid fatal mistakes that can harm the patients from a psychology perspective. Following is a talk by a social worker and also a nurse in the LMU hospital working in palliative care. We understood the true meaning of palliative care and had perspectives on the care for those approaching the end of life in LMU and in Germany. She also emphasized the importance of interprofessional collaboration in palliative care and led us to visit the palliative care ward. Finally, we walked for around 20 minutes around the beautiful LMU Klinikum campus and had a barbecue dinner with LMU TEI alumni to end our day.

On day 3 and 4, we moved to an island (Frauenchiemsee) and lived in a monastery by the nuns. We discussed on international and interprofessional education and recognized its importance. Students are grouped according to their own institution and discussed ideas on an IPE curriculum. Then, students from different universities are divided into different case-groups to exchange ideas based on the previous discussion results in order to refine the curriculum. We had a short talk by a nun, and she guided us to walk around the church. Finally, we are back into the previous case-group and finalized the development of the curriculum.

On day 5, we left the island and travelled to the highest mountain in Germany, Mount Zugspitze, where an environmental research station locates. One of the reasons that this place is chosen is because just like healthcare, environmental research requires great interprofessional collaboration. Students learnt more about environmental research and interprofessional collaboration through guided tours. Students from each institution then drafted letters to the deans and recorded videos. The letters and videos were collected by the LMU and may be read or played later in the IPE conference in November. We travelled back to Munich Central and ended our trip.

Overall, we would say we enjoyed the trip very much. It was delightful to befriend students and meet teachers in the medical field from other countries, and we definitely learnt a lot and gained many insights. Lastly, we would like to thank Prof. Alice Kong from the Faculty of Medicine, for her kind coordination of this Programme!

Photos of students and professors/lecturers:

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Newsletter:

• Hong Kong pharmacy students motivated by rotation at University of Toronto

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Scholarships and Prize

Admission Scholarship

Exchange Scholarship

Other Scholarship

List of Scholarship and Prize Awardees

• Please click here for the list of Scholarship and Prize Awardees

CUHK Undergraduate Student Handbook

Please refer to The Chinese University of Hong Kong Undergraduate Student Handbook for the terms of regulations. The University / Faculty / School of Pharmacy has the right at any time and from time to time to make such changes. You are advised to visit the CUSIS or the following homepage for the updated information.

• For students admitted to the 4-year curriculum in 2012-13 and thereafter

Roadmap to a Registered Pharmacist

Students must complete four years of full-time study for graduation and one additional year of internship to be qualified as registered pharmacists. In their final year of study, students will have training in Research or Pharmacy Clerkship.

Pharmacy Degree (4 years) ⇒ Internship (1 year) ⇒ Registration of Pharmacists*

*Subject to the provisions of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap.138, Laws of Hong Kong), any person who intends to practise as a pharmacist in Hong Kong should first be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. Applicants who hold a pharmacy degree awarded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong after the completion of a full time course of study at the university are required to undergo the Pharmacy and Poisons Board approved training in Hong Kong for an appropriate period determined by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, which normally is one year. Although the internship program is separate from the school, the CUHK School of Pharmacy has been active in expanding the network of internship sites.

Future Career

The goal of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program at CUHK is to provide our graduates with the core knowledge, skills, and attitude to flourish in any career setting. In general, our graduates are attractive to the employers in all sectors of pharmacy practice.

• Hospital Pharmacist
• Pharmacist in Teaching & Research
• Non-government Organization Pharmacist
• Public/Private Clinic Pharmacist
• Pharmaceutical Industrial Pharmacist
• Government Pharmacist
• Retail Community Pharmacist

Well Established Internship Training Programme

Job opportunities have been offered to our graduates by different healthcare related companies for their internship training.

Employer Sharing

Students’ Sharing – My 4-year Journey in School of Pharmacy, CUHK

Alumni Series

Cherry Wong (2018 CUHK BPharm Graduate)