06/13/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/13/2025 09:00
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy is launching a new graduate certificate program in Clinical and Translational Pharmacy (CTP), aimed at pharmacists and health care professionals eager to deepen their expertise in applied research. This one-year, 12-credit, fully asynchronous online program focuses on clinical and translational science in pharmacy and health care, offering essential training on the impact of health policies and interventions on medication use and patient outcomes.
The College of Pharmacy developed the CTP program in response to shifting workforce demands and the evolving landscape of pharmacy practice and the broader health care sector. Traditional employment opportunities for pharmacists are rapidly changing. Fortunately, new data sources and innovative health care delivery models drive demand for pharmacy professionals skilled in applying policy, health economics, and outcomes research to address population health concerns. This certificate addresses these trends by equipping current and future pharmacy and other health care professionals with relevant skills to remain competitive and transition into emerging roles.
The CTP program offers career-relevant skills without requiring a long-term commitment. It helps pharmacists and researchers prepare for non-traditional roles in areas such as health outcomes research, managed care, public health policy, and pharmaceutical industry settings. It also enhances their ability to compete for graduate education or advanced professional opportunities in academia, research, and administration.
Unlike other programs in public health or policy in Tennessee and beyond, the CTP certificate offers a flexible, fully asynchronous online format tailored for working professionals. It emphasizes the application of clinical and translational science in pharmacy. Being housed within the College of Pharmacy also affords a unique alignment with pharmacy practice.
Students will develop practical skills in clinical and translational pharmacy, including the application of quantitative and qualitative research methods in pharmacy, health policy analysis, epidemiological methods, and health and pharmaceutical economics. The curriculum emphasizes both research methodology and policy insight, helping students become more evidence-driven and analytically capable health care professionals.
The goal is for students to walk away with a sharpened ability to evaluate and apply research methods and tools of clinical and translational science within the context of pharmacy and health care. More than providing technical knowledge, the program aims to foster forward-thinking professionals who can confidently navigate and influence a health care system that is becoming increasingly data-driven and outcome-focused.
Students are required to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States or its equivalent. Applicants must submit a short personal statement, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and may be invited for a virtual interview. International students from non-English-speaking backgrounds must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or another equivalent test.
For more information or to apply by July 1, visit uthsc.edu/ctpprgm.