The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy’s doctor of pharmacy program has been granted accredited status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603-4810; Telephone 312-664-3575; Fax 866-228-2631; website www.acpe-accredit.org.
In addition to the ACPE accreditation, the college has received accreditations from
the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) and the American Association
of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
has also approved the Pharm.D. program.
North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) Performance
As part of the licensure process, all pharmacy candidates must take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) exam. The following table represents NAPLEX data from 2014 through 2018 (the most current data available) for College of Pharmacy students.
| Year | SCCP Pass Rate | National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 93.30% | 89.46% |
| 2017 | 90.56% | 87.95% |
| 2016 | 86.78% | 85.86% |
| 2015* | 94.97% | 92.64% |
| 2014 | 95.98% | 94.88% |
*Beginning on Nov. 1, 2015, a new blueprint and passing standard was introduced.
Four-Year Graduation Rate
Students at the College of Pharmacy are well positioned to graduate in four years, with strong support from faculty members, advisers and administrators.
| Year | 4-Year Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 90.9% |
| 2018 | 90.0% |
| 2017 | 87.4% |
| 2016 | 89.1% |
| 2015 | 89.1% |
Student Satisfaction
In addition to competitive testing and graduation rates, College of Pharmacy student satisfaction is consistently above the national average, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Graduating Student Perception Survey.
If I were starting my pharmacy program over again, I would choose the same college/school of pharmacy.
| Year | College of Pharmacy Students Who Strongly Agree/Agree |
National Percentage Who Strongly Agree/Agree |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 90.0% | 82.2% |
| 2017 | 97.4% | 82.2% |
| 2016 | 98.1% | 83.8% |
| 2015 | 93.5% | 84.0% |
| 2014 | 93.4% | 82.6% |
Residency Match
College of Pharmacy students seeking residencies have matched at a rate of nearly 80 percent for five straight years, compared to a national average of 65 percent. The college’s success in placing residents reflects its emphasis on preparation through the pre-residency track, which has created a roadmap for students to achieve a successful match.
| Year | Match Rate for PGY-1 Residencies | ASHP National Match Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 84% | 65% |
| 2017 | 67% | 67% |
| 2016 | 77% | 68% |
| 2015 | 84% | 65% |
| 2014 | 80% | 64% |
Graduating Student Employment
College of Pharmacy graduates are competitive in the workforce and obtain employment in multiple practice settings. More than 80 percent of the college's 2016 graduates secured pharmacist positions prior to graduation. Within six months of graduation, 95 percent of 2016 graduates attained pharmacist positions. Job placement data for the Class of 2016 is featured in the table below.
| Post-Graduation Practice Setting | Percentage of Students Placed in Setting |
|---|---|
| Community (chain) | 44.55% |
| Residency | 29.7% |
| Hospital | 10.89% |
| Community (independent) | 3.96% |
| Long term care/consulting | 1.98% |
| Community (physician office) | 0.99% |
| Home infusion | 0.99% |
| Indian Health Services | 0.99% |
| Poison center | 0.99% |
| Still seeking employment | 4.95% |
Professional Licensure Information
Each state has its own pharmacy licensing board with its own state specific licensing requirements. Consequently, although the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy professional degree program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), making its graduates eligible to sit for the NAPLEX and MPJE exams and for licensure in the state of South Carolina, we cannot confirm that the program meets all the requirements for professional licensure in another state. For students not living in South Carolina, the following link provides National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) information regarding individual state boards of pharmacy and licensure specific to individual states throughout the U.S. where a non-resident student lives: https://nabp.pharmacy/boards-of-pharmacy/. Additional information may be found at the Academic Programs Professional Licensure website: www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/provost/planning/academicprograms/state-authorization/professional-licensure-info.php