KU School of Pharmacy students perfect on NAPLEX
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy Class of 2018 posted a 100 percent pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX), something accomplished by only three other KU School of Pharmacy graduating classes in the past 30 years.
Nationally, the average pass rate is 92 percent. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) released their report earlier this month. The results include all pharmacy graduates who took the exam for the first time from May to August of 2018.
The class also performed well on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) with a 99 percent pass rate. The MPJE, also administered by NABP, helps individual state boards of pharmacy assess graduates’ competency and knowledge of pharmacy law.
“The perfect NAPLEX pass rate reflects the dedication and hard work our students put in each and every day in our Pharm.D. program,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Ken Audus. “Our faculty and administrators also deserve a lot of credit for preparing our students to provide their patients with the best health care possible as an active member of the interprofessional health care team.”
The class of 2018 also exceeded the national average for residency placement, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. KU’s Pharm.D. students matched at a rate of 79 percent, compared with a national rate of 65 percent.
Associate Dean Brian Barnes said the school’s rigorous curriculum is designed to prepare KU School of Pharmacy students to explore the many different pharmacy career paths before they graduate and to be well-rounded in whichever areas they choose.
“Our students have the opportunities to participate in research, earn dual degrees, collaborate with other health profession students and develop themselves professionally in our co-curriculum and student organizations,” said Barnes.
KU School of Pharmacy is currently rankd fourth in National Institutes of Health funding, marking the 23rd consecutive year the school has been in the top 10, and the Pharm.D. program is ranked 19th among all schools of pharmacy by U.S. News & World Report.
Updated on: 10/18/2018