The Global Pharmacy Initiative is dedicated to enhancing the health of global citizens by contributing to the advancement of pharmacy education, research and practice both locally and globally.
Through collaboration with global partners, our faculty, staff, and students are involved in creating and discovering knowledge to improve the well-being of our state, regional, national and global communities.
The college fosters opportunities for the international exchange of people and ideas across borders. Our partners are able to engage in pharmacy education, research, and practice in Central Ohio; and Ohio State students, staff, and faculty engage in opportunities with partners abroad.
Global Education - International Pharmacy Experience
The College of Pharmacy, in partnership with the Office of International Affairs, offers an annual, short-term international travel program to College of Pharmacy students.
The International Pharmacy Experience helps students gain perspective on the pharmacy and healthcare systems of another country, while comparing these considerations to their education, work, and personal experiences.
The 2025 International Pharmacy Experience will travel to Bath and London, England during Ohio State’s Spring Break, March 8-16, 2025. The England 2025 program application cycle will be open from September 20 – October 20, 2024, with the application accessible through OSU's Office of International Affairs.
There is a $150 fee to apply, which will be refunded if you are not accepted to the program, the program is canceled, or if you withdraw your application prior to the deadline. Applicant selection is competitive and students will be notified of their program decision by mid-November.
“This global education opportunity allowed me to not only travel by myself and establish a sense of independence, but it also allowed me to travel while learning about one of my greatest passions, pharmacy. I knew this opportunity to learn about the role of a pharmacist in Switzerland would contribute to this interest and would allow me to learn about how I can be advocating for the role of a pharmacist in Ohio.”
The International Pharmacy Experience offers a week-long travel program for College of Pharmacy undergraduate, professional, and PhD students to an annual rotating destination, guided by college faculty and staff. The traveling group engages with healthcare practitioners and experiences the destination through a pharmacy lens through guest lectures, site visits, and other engagements with local culture.
This week in-country is highly structured and experiential, involving consecutive days of group excursions, tours, and observations for 8-hours or longer. Significant time is spent utilizing public transport and walking, and participants can expect an upwards of 15,000 steps (6.5 miles) or more per day.
The International Pharmacy Experience is a competitive program with limited spaces available. Students will be evaluated on their quality of response to four application questions. Successful applicants can provide thorough responses that fully address the question, cite specific details and examples, and articulate their thoughts in a clear manner.
To be eligible to apply, a student must be an undergraduate student in the Pharmaceutical Sciences major; a P1, P2, or P3 Doctor of Pharmacy student; or a graduate student in one of the college’s PhD programs.
Students must meet the Office of International Affairs’ General Eligibility Requirements and Conditions for Participation. All students are required to attend and engage in the weekly in-person PHR 5798 International Healthcare Experience in Pharmacy course prior to departure.
Students accepted into the program will be enrolled in the 7-week PHR 5798 International Healthcare Experience in Pharmacy course that will meet weekly in-person prior to departure. Throughout the course, students will engage with topics on pharmacy & healthcare, culture of the destination, international travel, and establishing a traveling group identity. Undergraduate Pharmaceutical Science majors and PharmD students may apply the course’s three credit hours towards their academic program’s elective requirements.
Program cost varies year-to-year based on destination and is announced at the opening of each application cycle. The program fee assessed to students will include roundtrip airfare, in-country transportation, accommodations, some meals, cultural activities, and health-insurance. Out-of-pocket expenses will vary by student and can include passport application, other meals, souvenirs, in-country purchases, activities/experiences outside of the set group itinerary, and other personal items.
Undergraduate students participating in STEP (Second-year Transformational Experience Program) may utilize these funds towards the International Pharmacy Experience.
Scholarships are available for College of Pharmacy students to help defer the overall program cost and information will be shared during each application cycle.
Contact
Reach out to Polly Carlson, Program Manager in the Office of Student Success, at carlson.616@osu.edu for more information or with any questions.
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