Which subject areas are covered in the Pharmaceutical Sciences section of the PCOA?

The Pharmaceutical Sciences section of the PCOA primarily focuses on the core scientific disciplines that underlie the practice of pharmacy. This includes pharmacology, which is the study of how drugs interact with biological systems, medicinal chemistry, which involves the design and development of pharmaceutical compounds, and pharmaceutics, which is concerned with the formulation and delivery of these drugs. This knowledge is essential for understanding how medications work, their chemical properties, and how they can be effectively designed and delivered to patients.

While other areas such as clinical trials, patient counseling techniques, and health policy are important in the pharmacy field, they fall outside the scope of what is typically covered under Pharmaceutical Sciences. This section specifically emphasizes the scientific foundations that support safe and effective medication use.