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Where Pharmacy Meets Law: Exploring UB’s PharmD/JD Collaborative Pathway
Published February 6, 2026
The University at Buffalo is home to both a School of Law and a School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, creating opportunities for students interested in the evolving relationship between health care, regulation, and policy. UB’s PharmD/JD pathway reflects this interdisciplinary environment, enabling students to pursue both degrees through a coordinated and sequential course of study.
I recently spoke with Professor Karl Williams, JD, MBA, BS ’80, a UB pharmacy alumnus, veteran educator, and advisor to PharmD/JD pathway students, about how legal training shaped his career and why the intersection of pharmacy and law continues to grow in importance.
In this Q&A, Professor Williams discusses how combining pharmacy and law expanded his professional impact and what interdisciplinary training like this can offer students.
What inspired you to pursue both pharmacy and law, and how have these two disciplines shaped your career?
Owing to my degree in pharmacy (BS ’80) and a highly regulated profession, I was always interested in the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of government process and policy as well as the impact. Following graduate work in toxicology (at the University of Rochester) I began work as a fellow at the University of Kentucky which also had a law school. My toxicology mentors encouraged me to follow this passion culminating in a JD. This confluence of training informs my teaching, scholarship, service, and advocacy.
You have taught pharmacy law and ethics for over three decades. What drew you to academia, and what keeps you passionate about teaching today?
I was encouraged by an influential mentor who had similar training and a significant leadership role at the University of Kentucky. An amazing role model who students genuinely looked up to seemed to me a great basis for a career. I believe that by creating highly competent pharmacists, society is better off. My contribution is small but necessary for our graduates as they enter practice.
Your professional experience spans hospitals, corporate practice, and higher education. How have these diverse roles influenced your approach to legislative advocacy?
My clinical and administrative roles all had at least some tangential relationship to law and regulations. Seeing opportunities to improve it always called me to think about ‘how do we get there?’. Now as I consider legislative proposals my analysis necessarily takes the experiences into consideration.
How can students and practicing pharmacists get involved in shaping pharmacy law and policy?
It is as simple as having the will to get involved. Commit to learning about the issues and always questioning how to optimize. Students should engage with expert faculty about issues. Work with professional organizations which are seeking positive change. Adopt the perspective of a constituent and a voter. Relentless action is required and can be brought to bear with grace, poise, and kindness. As pharmacists we occupy a unique time in that the things we advocate for are good for our patients as well as the profession.
How can a legal background enhance a pharmacist’s ability to advocate for patients and the profession?
In addition to having a robust ability to research and understand the law, inherent in legal training is an important personal skill of assertiveness. Not to be confused with being aggressive, being assertive will compel you to state your positions in an earnest, complete, and persuasive manner.
Looking back on your career, what advice would you give to students who want to combine clinical practice with legal or policy work?
If you have the opportunity, take it! In my life, I have been blessed with unique and fulfilling educational opportunities. It is my wish that you all will have that same experience.
Pharmacy, Law, and Interdisciplinary Study at UB
Students who pursue both pharmacy and law often do so with interests that extend beyond traditional practice settings. Career paths may include:
- Shape state and national health care policy
- Advocate for patients and communities
- Lead in regulatory, administrative, corporate, or legislative roles
UB’s PharmD/JD pathway reflects the university’s broader commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. By learning alongside faculty across both schools, students can deepen their understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that shape health care while preparing for careers that draw on both areas of expertise.
Visit the PharmD/JD program page to learn more about the pathway.
