Faculty of Pharmacy

The pharmacy programmes are among the oldest and most prestigious programmes at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU). The Faculty of Pharmacy obtained the status of a separate faculty over six decades ago and currently offers a full range of pharmacy studies at all levels and is positioning itself as the best choice for pursuing higher education in pharmacy. 

Being a pharmacist means representing a multidisciplinary speciality with a huge potential, to become a healthcare professional with broad knowledge, interests and a desire to help patients.

Prof. Dace Bandere, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals who work for pharmaceutical companies, wholesale pharmacies, research institutions, drugstores and hospitals. Fundamental knowledge of pharmaceuticals, their origin, research, impact on human organism, intake, manufacturing and distribution, rooted in human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and pharmacological chemistry, likewise dosage form and pharmacy law studies allow pharmacists to bridge the gap between the patient and the medical practitioner in a professional and efficient manner. Pharmacy is a very dynamic profession: scientific achievements and innovation will motivate you to enhance your competences and skills throughout your professional life. The quality of the professional advice given by a pharmacist depends on his professional erudition. Nevertheless, a professional pharmacist is characterised not only by his professional knowledge but also by his interpersonal qualities, attitude and willingness to help.

To foster professional advancement opportunities, the students of the Faculty of Pharmacy actively participate in students’ professional organizations and develop contacts with other students, for example, the Latvian Pharmaceutical Students Association.

Studies

Pharmacists’ knowledge and effective medication counselling may solve multiple issues faced by patients and practitioners, as the pharmacist is a medication expert. The rapid development and change of medications makes the presence of a pharmacist at every distribution stage a compulsory requirement – at pharmaceutical companies, wholesale pharmacies, drugstores and clinics.

RSU Faculty of Pharmacy offers professional five-year full-time pharmacy studies. Part time studies are available for the graduates of the 1st Riga Medical College holding the qualification of an Assistant Pharmacist. The degree in pharmacy awarded by RSU is equivalent to the master’s degree and the diploma meets the qualification requirements set out in the Directive 2005/36/EC “On the Recognition of Professional Qualifications”. The graduates of the study programme may practice pharmacy and proceed with their competence building by enrolling in the doctoral study programme Pharmacy, the professional study programme Clinical Pharmacy or the 2nd level professional study programme Industrial Pharmacy.

Study programmes

Undergraduate study programmes

• Pharmacy – Pharmacist’s qualification

admission

Research

Research projects

Scientific results

BBCE

Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence Phase II

Fundamental and Applied Research Projects

Tuberculosis treatment: exploring the perspectives for personalised therapy
Hierarchial model approach and experimental validation for typical drug discovery system dissolution profile predictions (ModelDrug)
Elucidation of the mechanism of amorphization and dissolution of bad glass former as a function of drug-polymer interaction and preparation method
Quince biowaste valorization into targeted drug delivery components and innovative health-promoting agents

Co-operation partners

• Industry Grindeks, Olpha, LMP, Genera, Groglass, Darnitsa, Biofarm, Südzucker, BASF SE (Development Pharma Solutions), Physiolution GmbH, Medelpharm S.A.S.
• Universities and research centres Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, University of Latvia, Rīga Technical University, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Institute of Horticulture, Institute for Environmental Solutions, AO Research Institute Davos, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), Vilnius University, University of Ljubljana, University of Pisa, University of Belgrade, University of Tartu, University of Malta, Chungnam National University, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Università degli Studi di Torino, Freie Universitat Berlin, Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University, University of Kent, Medical University of Gdansk, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, University of Life Sciences King Mihai I from Timisoara, National University of Pharmacy, Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Charles University
• State institutionsMinistry of Health, State Agency of Medicines, National Health Service
• Public organizationsPharmacist Society of Latvia, Pharmaceutical Care Association of Latvia, Latvijas Zāļu ražotāju asociācija, Latvian Association of Life Sciences Industry, Patient Organization ParSirdi.lv
• Health care institutionsRīga East Clinical University Hospital, Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, Children's Clinical University Hospital, Vidzeme Hospital, Liepāja Regional Hospital 
• RSU departments and institutes