KU News Release

KU pharmacy graduates score highly on licensing exams

LAWRENCE — National rankings by pharmacy licensing boards show that University of Kansas School of Pharmacy graduates are among the best in the nation.

KU pharmacy graduates rank fifth in the nation in passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination, the portion of the national pharmacy board exam that tests knowledge of federal and state laws. KU students had a first-time pass rate of 96.25 percent between 2002 and 2006, compared to the national average of 87.8 percent.

For the same five-year period, KU graduates rank 21st among 89 pharmacy schools across the nation in passing the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination. Administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, NAPLEX assesses competence to practice pharmacy. KU students’ pass rate between 2002 and 2006 for NAPLEX was 97.8 percent, compared to a national average of 94 percent.

From 2002 to 2006, 436 of 446 KU pharmacy graduates passed NAPLEX on their first try. In 2001 and 2002, all KU pharmacy graduates passed NAPLEX on their first try.

“We receive a great deal of attention for our preeminent research faculty and research programs in the School of Pharmacy,” said Kenneth L. Audus, dean of the school. “However, these performance rankings help emphasize that our school also is exceptional on the academic side. In fact, we have great teachers in the school and the rigorous curriculum they have developed fully prepares the pharmacy students for the licensing requirements of the profession.”

Ronald Ragan, associate dean of pharmacy, added that test scores reflect the high quality of KU pharmacy students. KU students enter the pharmacy school after completing core curriculum requirements and, on average, have a grade-point average of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale.

KU’s doctor of pharmacy degree, or PharmD, is a six-year professional-level degree similar to a law or medical degree. U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools 2007” ranked KU’s PharmD program 16th in the nation.

KU enrolls about 420 students in the traditional PharmD program. About 150 practicing pharmacists with bachelor’s degrees in pharmacy are enrolled in KU’s nontraditional Web-based PharmD program.

In addition, the school conducts a vigorous research and a graduate-training program with about 125 doctoral students in medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, and pharmacy practice. KU’s School of Pharmacy ranks third among all pharmacy schools in the nation for securing funding from the prestigious National Institutes of Health.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.