Career Planning
Creating a strategic and thoughtful plan to help you get your dream job starts the day you enter pharmacy school.
Create a Positive Professional Image
Manage your online image and create a personal brand- Your Online Image from MU Career Center
- Join LinkedIn
- Student first and last name (larger and distinct font)
- University of Missouri-Kansas City (Add "at MU" if in Columbia or "at MSU" if in Springfield)
- Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 20XX
- Phone number
- UMKC email address
- Templates are available on the OSA Canvas site under Student Business Cards.
- Resumes and Professional Communications from MU Career Center
Take Coursework That Will Set You Apart
UMKC Pharm.D. students may complete coursework that will help to set them apart when preparing for residencies and the workforce. You can complete these courses as part of your Pharm.D. electives, or as part of coordinated programs. With the help of your pharmacy faculty advisor, you can create a roadmap that reflects your interests and career goals.
Coordinated programs:
- Pharm.D./Professional MBA program
- M.S. in Bioinformatics
- Graduate Certificate in Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Gerontology Certificate
- Pharmacy Elective Options (PDF)
- Pharmacy Career Pathway and Elective Course Advising Resource (PDF)
Be Active in Student Organizations
- Give back to your community.
- Learn about career options and the qualifications to be competitive in that field.
- Refine your patient care skills.
- Complete co-curricular requirements.
- Create personal and professional networks with faculty, professionals in the field, senior students, classmates and students at other sites.
- Enhance your qualifications for jobs and residencies.
- Advocate for your patients and your profession.
Explore School of Pharmacy student organizations
Explore the Job Market
Job boards administered by professional organizations:- Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy
- American Pharmacists Association
- American Society of Health System Pharmacists
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy
- UMKC Career Services
- UMKC Career Services Resource Guide (PDF)
- MU Career Services
- MSU Career Services
Learn More About Residencies and Fellowships
- Attend the Residency Roundtable sponsored by the Student Society of Health System Pharmacists (PDF) in late September or early October.
- Talk to faculty advisors about their residency training.
- Join student organizations that can teach you about residencies and fellowships and explore their parent organizations' websites.
- Read residency information from professional organizations.
- Academy of Managed Care Pharmacists
- American Society of Health System Pharmacists
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy
- American Pharmacists Association
- National Community Pharmacists Association
Explore UMKC-affiliated residencies
- UMKC Community Pharmacy Residency Program
- KC Care Health Center (PDF)
- Truman Medical Center
- UMKC Drug Information Center (PDF)
- Jordan Valley Community Health Center (PDF)
- Western Missouri Psychiatric Residency Program (PDF)
- Resident Teaching Program (PDF)
Prepare for the NAPLEX and MPJE
Download the NAPLEX/MPJE Registration Bulletin
Self-assess your readiness for the NAPLEX and MPJE:- Your academic performance — did you struggle with specific parts of the curriculum, and does that content relate to the NAPLEX competency statements?
- PreNAPLEX and PCOA scores from P3 year
- History of test anxiety on standardized tests
- Slow test-taker or fast test-taker
- Top 200 brand and generics knowledge
- Pharmacy calculations skills
- Preferred learning style when selecting prep materials
- Use NAPLEX practice tests to assess your baseline knowledge and become comfortable with the NAPLEX testing format.
- PreNAPLEX, vendor’s Q Banks
- Proactively address test anxiety.
- Make an appointment at your campus's counseling center.
- Set a study start date and a consistent study schedule. Start early and take breaks — be realistic about how much you can study on a given day or period of time.
- Develop the stamina to sit for the exam. It's like training to run a marathon.
- Select test prep methods that suit your learning style, are up to date, fit your budget and make practice tests available.