The conceptual framework of Pharmaceutical Care as proposed by the World Health Organization has now spread globally and it points out the important role of the pharmacist. The concept stresses the welfare of the patient and the pharmacists' aim to provide patients, as well as the community, with the most effective treatment and health care. The pharmacist is expected to expand his or her expertise from the individual patient to the entire community.
To meet the newly developing trends, we have reformed the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Two of our former departments, Pharmacy and Pharmacy for Public Health, have now been combined into the "Depatment of Pharmaceutical Sciences." Students are also exposed to courses on Health and Medical Care and Social Services. We firmly believe that this newly reformed 6-year program will produce excellent and well-rounded pharmacists with extensive knowledge in the areas of Basic Science, Clinical Science, and Social Science.
This Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical Master’s Program was established by reorganizing two preexisting divisions, “Medical Pharmacology” and “Pharmacology.” With a strong foundation in life sciences, the Master’s Program develops students’ specialist knowledge and research ability necessary for foundational research and pharmaceutical development. The Doctoral Program further expands the pharmaceutical field of research by training research students from the three fields of pharmaceutical chemistry, environmental pharmaceutics, and clinical pharmaceutics.
In 2007, the “Making the most of Hokkaido’s strengths: Professional Development Program,” as jointly submitted by this university, Sapporo Medical University, Hokkaido University, and Asahikawa Medical College, was chosen by the Ministry of Education, Cultural, Sports, Science and Technology as the “Cancer Professional Development Plan.” This resulted in the development of the Cancer Specialist Pharmacy Course in 2008. The Infection Control Specialist Pharmacy Course has also been established.