Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) has been a respected global leader in healthcare education since 1823. It is fully committed to helping international students channel their talents and passions into rewarding healthcare careers, both in the United States and throughout the world.
International students at MCPHS are supported and prepared for entering the world of American healthcare. Alumni from all over the globe stand as proof. Almost 1,000 international students from around 100 countries make up more than 18 percent of MCPHS’s student body, creating an enriching, dynamic, and vibrant community.
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About Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)
At MCPHS, international students are immersed in a unique interdisciplinary, team-based world of professional healthcare. It prepares them to succeed in the healthcare field as a medical professional, educator, or researcher.
Students have access to internships, clinical placements, and research opportunities. These come from the university’s longstanding partnerships with neighboring medical institutions in Boston’s Longwood Medical and Academic Area.
MCPHS’s faculty and staff members offer personalized services for international students, which enhance learning and development. From visa guidance to academic mentoring, the MCPHS Community helps students with their transition to the United States. This provides them with the tools they need to succeed at a university whose rankings demonstrate student career success.
MCPHS ranks first in the United States for university earning power (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2018). Money Magazine ranks it as the most transformative college in the United States for enhancing the lives of students. MCPHS’s network of more than 32,000 alumni work in virtually every sector of healthcare, not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
Graduate Outcomes
Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, MCPHS is a global leader in developing students into successful professionals in the healthcare industry. Founded in 1823, MCPHS is the oldest university in Boston and the second-oldest pharmacy school in the nation, graduating more pharmacists than any other school.
MCPHS was ranked as the top university for earning power by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings in 2018, and as the most transformative college in 2018–19 by Money Magazine. MCPHS’s graduates earn a median annual income of USD 116,000, ten years after enrolling. They join a global alumni network of more than 32,000 members.
After graduating from MCPHS, international students go on to work in the industry, attend medical school, or obtain their master’s degree at MCPHS.
Career development
During their time at MCPHS, students can visit the Center for Professional Career Development for employment resources and tools to help them advance their careers. Services provided include one-to-one coaching sessions, resume writing, and guidance for students’ career search.
Alumni spotlight:
HARDIK GOSWAMI, PHEP ’19 | Hardik is an alumnus of MCPHS who graduated from the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Health Economics and Policy (PHEP) program: “The PHEP program was a stepping stone to enter into the corporate pharmaceutical world and achieve my goal of becoming a researcher.”
Hardik went on to become a successful associate principal scientist at Merck, where he supported and developed health economic models for products for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) submissions and reimbursement processes.
International programs
MCPHS offers five programs designed for students whose academic and professional experiences took place outside the United States. This includes four International Transition Programs.
Early Start Program
The Early Start Program, designed for MCPHS freshmen and transfer students who are coming to study in the U.S. for the first time, strives to help make the transition to life in the United States a bit easier.
Graduate Studies Summer Program
Unlike many international pharmacy degree programs outside of North America, United States pharmacy programs include liberal arts courses. As a result, students who earned an undergraduate degree internationally may be missing the liberal arts courses required for entry into the MCPHS Doctor of Pharmacy program. The Graduate Studies Summer program allows students to satisfy these liberal arts requirements by taking a short 10-week summer session.
Academic Bridge Program
The Academic Bridge Program provides students with a full-time, structured transition to the university’s curriculum by allowing them to start their degree while simultaneously strengthening their English proficiency through a focus on science- and health-related language-learning courses.
Accelerated PharmD Pathway
Students interested in the Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy degree, but who are missing many prerequisites, have the opportunity to come to Boston for one year to fulfill their required coursework. At the same time, they strengthen their scientific and language skills, meet faculty from the doctoral program, receive assistance in the application process, and participate in communication coaching for their admission interview.
Medicine Pathway with St. George’s University
Academically motivated international students have the opportunity to earn a combined Bachelor of Science in Premedical Health Studies at MCPHS and a Doctor of Medicine at St. George’s University, located in Grenada. More information on this pathway can be found on the MCPHS website.
