Current PharmD Student Advising

Doctor of Pharmacy students stay with the same advisor for the first three years of the program. In the fourth year of the program when students are completing their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (Clerkships) they are advised by the Assistant Dean for Experiential Education.

To schedule a meeting with your advisor, please make an appointment through the Starfish online scheduling system. Advisors are available Monday-Friday to meet in person or virtually on Zoom. Walk-in advising is also available.

Typical advising appointments are 30 minutes; however, please feel free to request a longer time if needed. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please call at least 24 hours in advance. Questions can be addressed via phone or email, but we may ask you to schedule an appointment if we feel that it would be better to address your questions in person. Please note that it may take up to 48 hours for advisors to respond to phone or email inquiries.

If your needs are urgent, please contact the Office of Student Services (608) 262-6234 to get an immediate message to your advisor or to set up a phone appointment.

Why you should contact your advisor

You can talk with your advisor about:

Academic difficulty
Career advising and referrals
Illness, personal crisis, death in the family, etc. requiring you to miss class
Physical health, disability, and mental health resources and referrals
Academic support services referrals (e.g., tutoring, test-taking and study skills)
Enrollment issues including forms and other information and advice regarding course add/drop or credit changes, pass/fail or audit registration, or withdrawal from school
Information on progress toward completion of graduation requirements
Independent study and mentoring opportunities
International for-credit educational experiences
Conflict resolution with peers, classroom concerns including student/faculty relations
Academic and non-academic misconduct (e.g., cheating, professionalism)
Scholarships, financial aid, AOF (Advanced Opportunity Fellowships), short-term loan funds
Written confirmation for the Office of Student Financial Services regarding your standing relative to the “10-semester rule”
Verification of student status for jury or military duty, or to secure an auto loan
GPA certification for auto insurance or non-UW–Madison scholarships or loans
General advice…

What you can expect from your advisor

You Can Expect Your Advisor to:

Understand and effectively communicate School of Pharmacy policies and procedures
Listen to your concerns and respect your individual values and choices
Help you evaluate and define your academic, career, and personal goals
Assist you in creating an educational plan that is consistent with your goals
Support and encourage you as you work toward meeting your goals
Be available to answer your questions through scheduled meetings, walk-ins, phone or email
Assist you in working with faculty and staff members
Refer you to other campus offices as appropriate

What your advisor expects from you

Your advisor expects you to:

Schedule and attend advising appointments at least once/year
Come to appointments prepared with questions and/or topics to discuss
Accept responsibility for your decisions and actions
Review your grades each semester and track your progress towards completing your graduation requirements
Become knowledgeable about the PharmD curriculum and policies, procedures and resources within the School of Pharmacy as well as the University of Wisconsin–Madison
Follow through on recommendations and referrals
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Become knowledgeable of campus policies, procedures, and resources