Continuing a pattern of excellence established over the past eight years, the graduates from the 2019 College of Pharmacy class at Northeast Ohio Medical University exhibited their preparedness as pharmacists as final results were released for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX*) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE*) tests.
The 67 College of Pharmacy graduates had a first-time NAPLEX pass rate of 93.75%, surpassing both Ohio’s pass rate of 92%, and the national pass rate of 88% ― from nearly 14,000 graduates of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited programs.
Results are used by the boards of pharmacy to assess a candidate’s competence to practice as a pharmacist.
Since 2016, NEOMED pharmacy graduates have exceeded the NAPLEX national average first-time pass rates every year ― two years of which they ranked in the top 10 nationally (fourth in 2016, and sixth in 2018). NEOMED graduates also have the highest four-year average rate (95.3%) in Ohio.
NEOMED’s graduates who completed the MPJE in Ohio also performed well with a first-time pass rate of 88.3%, above the national rate of 83.6% of which nearly 9,000 students from ACPE accredited schools had first time attempts.
The MPJE tests a candidate’s mastery of pharmacy law.
“Our graduates continue to outperform national and state peers and we couldn’t be prouder,” said Richard Kasmer, Pharm.D., J.D., vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College of Pharmacy. “It’s a testament to our curriculum, faculty and students that lead to the positive outcomes and their team and practice-readiness. I look forward to the great works they will accomplish.”
The College of Pharmacy’s four-year Experiential Education Program is a practice-based component of its curriculum that’s designed to focus on the key aspects of pharmacy practice.
Ninety-seven percent of NEOMED’s 2019 pharmacy graduates are currently practicing as a pharmacist or working in a pharmacy-related field. The majority of the graduates are practicing in community or health-system pharmacies. Of the graduates, 30% are currently completing post-graduate training residency programs. The 2019 class is serving the Northeast Ohio community predominantly, with 90% of the graduates living and working in Cuyahoga, Summit and Stark counties.
“These accomplishments reflect the cumulative years of hard work, sacrifice and perseverance of these graduates. Their test results and ability to secure full-time employment in a very competitive environment is born out of their commitment to excellence. Kudos to the pharmacists from the Class of 2019!” said Seth Brownlee, Pharm.D., BCCCP, senior associate dean of program quality and student success.
The median salary for a pharmacist is approximately $124,000.
For more than 40 years, Northeast Ohio Medical University has worked in collaboration with its educational, clinical and research partners to successfully train health professionals and medical researchers who serve and impact the region and beyond. The University trains students in a team-based, interprofessional environment and offers Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degrees, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees and research opportunities in other medical areas. In addition to research conducted within its colleges, NEOMED advances innovation and research in health care through six research focus areas. Visit neomed.edu.