Best Pharmacy Schools in Canada – The University of Toronto Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
Please note that this is Part 1 of a 5 part series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
Last week I walked into my first day as a pharmacist, as I walked in I observed the tidy isles of bottles with unusually long medical names, and several pharmacists busily working to fill prescriptions. Suddenly, I heard yelling and noticed a large man with stained clothes barking at the pharmacist “I want a higher dose, this won’t even last
me a week!” the pharmacist was not frayed as if this was an everyday occurrence. The man grumpily walked away and gave me an angry look as he brushed past me.
Through this experience I came to realize that Pharmacists were the mysterious professions of the 21st century. They work with unscrupulous potions, and magic elixirs that cure the toughest of illnesses. Why else would they work with “medications” that are too long to say and hardly anyone can pronounce? 😉
In this guest article series I will shed light on the pharmacy profession and discuss the Best Pharmacy Schools in Canada. These rankings are based on faculty performance, my personal experience, student feedback, alumni strength and overall quality of education.
We will begin with the University of Toronto
Best Pharmacy Schools in Canada: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (UofT)
The University of Toronto Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is listed among the largest pharmacy schools in Canada. Known not only for its excellent academic reputation but also its research prowess, this pharmacy school ranks at
the top of our list. The faculty is situated across the Ontario Legislative Building, placing it on the northwestern corner of University Avenue and College Street. Being a part of Discovery District of Toronto, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy can easily be found 1-2 blocks away from 4 internationally recognized hospitals – Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Hospital for Sick Children, Mount Sinai Hospital and Toronto General Hospital.
The faculty’s spectacular building is an award-winning structure. It is a modern, high-tech facility in terms of both the architectural design and educational facilities. The building has also received international coverage and a number of awards, in part due to its incredible design team, as well as its prestigious sponsor Leslie Dan. The University of Toronto has been delivering innovative pharmacy programs for over 85 years. The university has managed to be a place of creativity, innovation and brilliance in pharmacy education since 1927.
Programs Offered
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy offers the following revolutionary educational programs.
The Graduate programs provide every student in the biological, physical, social and clinical sciences an exigent and worthwhile research-oriented educational program leading to MSc (Master of Science) and PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees.
Research Opportunities
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy offers equal research opportunities to the faculty, students, post doctoral fellows and research associates. The research conducted by the researchers normally focuses on medications and drugs and perfectly reflects the issues and questions regarding recent drug therapy. It also explains the role of a pharmacist in the current health care system, drug discovery, medication delivery, the mechanism of new compounds, and numerous others. Such research has shown a huge impact on molecular level.
Recent research carried out by researchers at the Faculty of Pharmacy includes:
- The development of a reasonably-priced diagnostic tool (nanomaterial-based) for identifying cancer and other infectious disease
- Influencing healthcare databases in order to observe the effects of medications on the health of a patient, and how various resources are used, enabling policy-makers to come up with better decisions related to the delivery of healthcare
- The development of a new medication-distribution system to support wound-healing in people who are diabetic.
Healthy Learning Environment
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy offers you the best possible resources and conditions for learning and research. The leading-edge research conducted by the students is contributing tremendously to the health sector. The highly competent faculty members work in an immaculate working environment based on impartiality, mutual respect and merit. The University of Toronto pharmacy graduates have shown incredible problem solving abilities in the field of pharmacy over time. In combination with strong academic knowledge, these graduates have excellent research and communication abilities. You will learn to strive in difficult conditions and secure a sustainable future.
Office of Continuous Professional Development
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy provides its students with a life-long learning opportunity via the Office of Continuous Professional Development that delivers innovative educational programs which improve the competency of pharmacy professionals, scientists, researchers and allied processionals riveted in pharmacy practice and policies. The university’s commitment to education and academics extends beyond the profession of healthcare. The Faculty of Pharmacy is working hard to answer every shifting need of the profession.
Financial Assistance for Students
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy values your hard work and dedication. That is the reason why they offer a number of awards to the out-standing students. These awards play a very important role in a student’s academic career. Financial assistance offered by the Faculty accomplishes two vital things:
- They are an excellent way to recognize the brilliance of a student and his/her achievements
- They provide important financial help to the students in need that allows them to focus on their academics
Student awards are normally offered in form of bursaries or scholarships. They recognize countless achievements including extracurricular involvement, academic excellence, commitment to the profession and leadership.
The dedicated group of alumni has established the following student awards with the goal to help students become leaders in the field of pharmacy:
Funding Opportunities for MSc and PhD Students
If you are among the full-time students accepted into the Faculty of Pharmacy’s MSc or PhD programs, you will receive a viable minimum stipend. Moreover, most of the students are qualified to apply for the external funding awards offered by different funding foundations and councils.
Career Opportunities
A Pharmaceutical Sciences degree can lead you to a number of career opportunities. Graduates from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy have found employment in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, consulting, government and business.
Ranking
The University of Toronto Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy has been accepted as the top pharmacy school in Canada. According to the QS World University Ranking for Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is 11th best in the world. A number of factors are considered while determining these rankings, such as student-faculty ratio, academic reputation, faculty citation, research influence and employer reputation.
This acknowledgment from QS has signified that the Leslie Faculty of Pharmacy is constantly striving to provide comprehensive and diverse academic environment to both the students and the faculty members. Every program offers student with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to become advanced practitioners. Furthermore, this ranking is a perfect representation of the dedication and commitment the faculty has shown over time.
All the graduate programs at Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy are populated by the finest graduates from all over the world. The quality of the research conducted at the campus and dedication of the institute has improved with time. In a nutshell, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is an ideal place for students who dream to become leaders in the field of pharmacy and is one of the best pharmacy schools in Canada.
Please note that this is Part 1 of a 5 part series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
