South College School of Pharmacy graduates excel on national exams
By Scott Bird

South College School of Pharmacy graduates have either surpassed or are on par with the 2019 national averages in first-time pass rates for the licensure and jurisprudence exams. South College is the only accelerated, three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in Tennessee.

South College School of Pharmacy graduates have either surpassed or are on par with the national averages in first-time pass rates for the licensure and jurisprudence exams.

The School of Pharmacy also fared at the top for first-time pass rates in 2019 among accelerated doctoral programs in the United States on both the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), according to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

South College’s MPJE rate of 91.89 percent outperformed the national average of 83.58 percent; its NAPLEX rate of 87.84 percent was on par with the national average of 88.34 percent.

“The high performance of our pharmacy graduates in their national examinations highlights the high-quality education students receive at South College,” South College Chancellor Steve South said. “We will continue to provide our students with excellent education and training to start their careers.”

South College is the only accelerated, three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in Tennessee and is accredited by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

“Our graduates are passing both the MPJE and NAPLEX exams at high rates, allowing them to be able to secure positions and practice in this most noble profession,” said Dr. Bill Gentry, dean of South College School of Pharmacy. “This confirms that our didactic courses, clinical training, faculty, and external preceptors are preparing our graduates to succeed.”

MPJE combines federal- and state-specific questions to test the pharmacy jurisprudence knowledge of prospective pharmacists. It serves as the pharmacy law examination in participating jurisdictions and tests a candidate’s mastery of pharmacy law.

NAPLEX measures a candidate’s knowledge of the practice of pharmacy. It is just one component of the licensure process and is used by the boards of pharmacy as part of their assessment of a candidate’s competence to practice as a pharmacist.

South College currently has 259 students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program and is accepting applications for the next cohort that starts June 29.

To learn more about South College’s academic programs and financial assistance, visit www.south.edu.

Published March 23, 2020