Diploma of Doctor of Pharmacy

The training leading to the DFA SP has for objectives, according to a competency-based approach:

• The acquisition of scientific, medical and pharmaceutical knowledge completing and deepening that acquired during the previous cycle; this knowledge concerns the fields of sciences applied to drugs and other health products, biological sciences, medical semiology, public health and therapeutics.
• The acquisition of practical knowledge: internships and training for professional practice, the purpose and organization of which are adapted to the student's curriculum.
• The acquisition of skills to ensure the role of listening and accompanying the patient
• Training in the scientific approach
• Learning to work in a team and acquiring communication techniques, which are essential for professional practice.
• The development of the ability to evaluate oneself and to ask the right questions in a situation
• The introduction to continuous professional development including the evaluation of professional practices and the continuous deepening of knowledge.

The common core training allows the acquisition of knowledge and skills in order to

• Communicate with the patient and other health professionals, promoting an interprofessional approach.
• Understand the pathologies and clinical and biological investigations as well as the related therapeutics
• Study drugs and other health products from the point of view of design, synthesis, mechanism of action, toxicology and proper use
• To participate in the therapeutic education of the patient
• To ensure first aid procedures
• Understand the objectives of public health
• Apply the legal, deontological and ethical rules.

The training includes :

• semesters one and two which include a common core and specific teaching;
• semesters three and four, which constitute the university hospital year.

From the second semester onwards, specific teaching is organised for the training course chosen for the next two semesters. It allows the student, by relying on teaching units in the field of the chosen professional orientation, to deepen or complete his knowledge and skills in a field of pharmaceutical sciences. From the third semester onwards, the courses specific to the chosen course of study enable students to deepen their knowledge and skills in the field of their chosen professional orientation.

The following internships are organized :

• in the 4th year (DFA SP1), a compulsory internship in a pharmacy or in a hospital department under the responsibility of a pharmacist carried out during semesters one or two of the advanced training diploma and having for objective the practical application of thematic teachings. Its duration is of one week minimum according to the duration of the training course carried out during semesters five and six of the diploma of general training in pharmaceutical sciences;
• in the 5th year (DFA SP2), a compulsory hospital internship lasting between five and six months full-time equivalent, during semesters three and four of the training, the purpose and organisation of which are adapted to the student's training course. The duration of this hospital internship will be defined in such a way that the total duration of the compulsory internships in a pharmacy and in a hospital under the responsibility of a pharmacist is not less than six months full-time equivalent at the end of the second year of training;
• one (or more) optional internship(s) to discover the professional environment in the field of health, carried out within the framework of the student's professional orientation project.

The third short cycle is accessible to students who have obtained the diploma of in-depth training in pharmaceutical sciences and who have validated the certificate of pharmaceutical synthesis (CSP). The short third cycle lasts two semesters. It allows the student :

• to deepen the knowledge and skills related to the chosen professional orientation and training course and possibly to engage in a particular pharmaceutical specialization, specific to this professional orientation;
• The short third cycle includes theoretical, supervised and practical courses as well as a six-month continuous full-time professional internship. Optional courses may be offered by the universities. The educational recommendations relating to the short third cycle are set out in Annex II of this decree. The teaching and training courses are adapted to the chosen professional orientation.

The period of professional practice shall be completed :

• either in a pharmacy, a mutual benefit pharmacy or a pharmacy of a mining relief society, whose proprietor or managing pharmacist is approved under the conditions laid down in article 21 below, or, exceptionally, in a pharmacy for internal use in a health establishment. This training period may, following the opinion of the training advisers provided for in Article 22 of this Order, be completed in two pharmacies in two three-month periods
• or in a pharmaceutical establishment referred to in article L. 5124-1 of the public health code, or in an industrial or commercial establishment whose activities are likely to contribute to the training of pharmacists. This training period may, exceptionally, be completed in any other structure which has been approved by the board of the training and research unit providing pharmaceutical training. The trainee receives a monthly allowance from the pharmacy, industrial establishment or structure which hosts him.

Students may, at their request and with the agreement of the director of the training and research unit concerned, complete their training period in an establishment located outside France, subject to approval by the president of the university, on the proposal of the director of the training and research unit providing pharmaceutical training and after signing an agreement between the university and this establishment defining the conditions for organising this training period with a view to its validation.When this training period is carried out in a pharmacy located abroad, it must be completed by a training period of at least three months in France carried out in a pharmacy whose holder is approved under the conditions laid down in article 21 of this decree.

The State Diploma of Doctor of Pharmacy is awarded to students who have successfully completed the three cycles of study and defended their thesis.

A - At the latest 3 months before the date planned for the defense, deposit several documents (including the thesis subject) at the BU

B - At the latest 1 month before the date scheduled for the defense, deposit of several documents (including the defense authorization signed by the thesis director) at the school

C - 1 week before the defense, deposit several documents (including the thesis registration form) at the BU

You can at any time pre-book a date for the defense by sending your request by email to the concerned school managers

• Defense during or after the 6th year of the curriculum (short cycle) : Nathalie SYLVI - nathalie.sylvi@univ-amu.fr
• Defense during the DES (Internship) : Nathalie LOUBET - nathalie.loubet@univ-amu.fr