Members of East Tennessee State University’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Class of 2011 who took two professional examinations to become licensed, practicing pharmacists were right in line with the national pass rate on one exam and perfect on another.
Results from the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) show that almost 96 percent of Class of 2011 members had passing scores, a figure that is consistent with the national average pass rate. Graduates had to take and pass not only the NAPLEX but also the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). ETSU graduates who took the Tennessee MPJE could not have fared any better, said Dr. Michael Crouch, associate dean for professional education and academic affairs, as well as a professor of pharmacy practice.
“Our graduates had a 100 percent pass rate on the Tennessee MPJE, which is fantastic,” Crouch said. “When you combine that with our NAPLEX pass rates, it’s a great marker to show that we’re meeting the expectations of the profession, the accreditation body and the region we serve. Our students take pride in knowing the bar is set high here, and they want to reach that mark.”
The NAPLEX rate measures candidates who graduated from pharmacy programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. That exam grades a pharmacist’s ability to measure pharmacotherapy and therapeutic outcomes, as well as prepare and dispense medications. It also tests a candidate’s readiness to implement and evaluate information for optimal health care.
The MPJE serves as the pharmacy law examination. It tests candidates on such facets as legal aspects of pharmacy practice; licensure, registration, certification and operational requirements; and regulatory structure and terms of the laws and rules that regulate or affect pharmacists, pharmacies, manufacturers and distributors.
By: Brad Lifford
February 15, 2011
