Acute Care Certificate
Build the clinical skills needed to succeed in acute and hospital-based pharmacy practice.
The Acute Care Certificate at the Touro University California College of Pharmacy prepares PharmD students for advanced clinical practice in hospital and acute care settings. Through focused coursework, infectious disease training, and experiential learning, you will strengthen the clinical decision-making and professional skills needed to care for patients with complex medical conditions.
Highlights
- Integrated with the PharmD curriculum
- Combines acute care coursework with experiential learning
- Includes antimicrobial stewardship training
- Designed to prepare students for hospital-based rotations and residency pathways
This certificate is completed alongside the PharmD curriculum and does not extend time to graduation. It helps students prepare for advanced clinical rotations, residency training, and acute care pharmacy practice.
What You'll Lern
Through this certificate program, you will:
- Strengthen clinical decision-making for complex and acutely ill patients
- Apply antimicrobial stewardship and patient safety principles in hospital settings
- Develop skills used in clinical rotations such as journal clubs, case presentations, and clinical documentation
- Communicate effectively with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals
- Build confidence and readiness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences in acute care
Courses and Experiences
Acute Care Elective
PRMC 630 – 2 credits
This elective course prepares students for acute and critical care learning experiences. Students review complex disease states commonly encountered in hospital practice and participate in activities such as case discussions, journal clubs, and clinical documentation exercises that mirror the expectations of acute care rotations.
Antibiotic Stewardship Training
Students complete at least four hours of antibiotic stewardship training through the CDC TRAIN platform. This training reinforces the principles of responsible antimicrobial use and infection management.
Acute Care / Critical Care APPE
PRMC 803 – 6 credits
Students complete an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) in an acute or critical care setting as one of your elective APPE courses. During the rotation, students participate in patient care rounds, medication management, clinical documentation, and antimicrobial stewardship activities under the supervision of clinical preceptors.
Eligibility and Requirements
PharmD students must successfully complete the following coursework before or during participation in the certificate:
Infectious Disease Foundations
- PRMC 659 – Bacterial Foundations
- PRMC 660 – Bacterial Applications
- PRMC 662 – Fungal, Viral, and Opportunistic Infections
PEP/PrEP Training
Students must complete the California Board of Pharmacy PEP/PrEP training and examination through ISST 9.
Acute Care Foundations
Students must complete the following prior to the end of the P2 spring semester:
- PRMC 658 – Neurologic Diseases
- APPE Readiness Assessment (ARA) – Acute Patient Care
These requirements ensure students are prepared for acute care experiential learning.
Who Should Apply
This certificate is ideal if you are interested in:
- Acute or critical care pharmacy practice
- Hospital-based clinical rotations
- Residency or fellowship training
- Advanced clinical pharmacy practice
How to Apply
Applications for College of Pharmacy certificates are submitted by email.
To apply, email tuc.copcertificates@touro.edu with the following information:
- Full name
- Student ID
- PharmD class year (year of graduation)
- Certificate of interest
- Confirmation that eligibility requirements have been met or are in progress
Applications are reviewed by the College of Pharmacy, and you will be notified once eligibility is confirmed.