SIUE SOP Graduates Board Pass Rate Ranks in Top 25 in U.S.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Pharmacy (SOP) Class of 2020 have exceeded both state and national averages, boasting a first-attempt board pass rate of 94.87% on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam® (NAPLEX). These results place SIUE in the Top 25 of the 139 pharmacy programs in the country, and first among all programs in Illinois and Missouri.

The NAPLEX is a requisite component of the licensing process for pharmacists in the United States.

SIUE SOP graduates have the highest board pass rates of any program in Illinois or Missouri, and exceeded both the 2020 NAPLEX state and national averages of 81.83% and 88.43%, respectively. Considering all 12 graduating classes from SIUE (2009-20), the SIUE graduates rank No. 1 among the eight pharmacy programs in Illinois and Missouri with a 95.76 percent first-attempt pass rate on the NAPLEX. When the blueprint for the NAPLEX was updated in 2016, there was a dramatic decrease in pass rates among most of the pharmacy schools. However, SIUE continues to rank in the top 20 nationally, since the implementation of the new NAPLEX blueprint.

"We are extremely proud of our program's graduates," said SOP Dean Mark Luer, PharmD. "Our academic program is geared to prepare practice-ready pharmacists upon graduation, and the continued success on the NAPLEX reflects that effort.

"These pass rates are indicative of the exceptional educational experience offered by our faculty and staff. Having earned their Doctor of Pharmacy degrees, our graduates are quite deserving of the title, registered pharmacist."

Today's pharmacists improve patients' lives through the medication and education they provide. Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum is a model that offers students a unique combination of classroom education, research, community service and patient care. The School of Pharmacy's areas of excellence include a drug design and discovery core; pediatric practice; chronic pain research and practice; and diabetes research and practice. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is providing highly trained pharmacists prepared for the rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Media Contact

Doug McIlhagga, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 618-650-5600, [email protected]

SOURCE Southern Illinois University Edwardsville