Members of the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy's 2008 graduating class scored high on all areas of the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).
UW pharmacy graduates exceeded the national average in all three domains of the exam. Their average on the exam was 115.48 compared to the national average of 112.08.
In a letter to UW President Tom Buchanan announcing the success of the 2008 graduates, School of Pharmacy Dean John Vandel commented, "The faculty and I are pleased and proud to be able to send you this positive information about our 2008 graduates."
One UW pharmacy graduate, Christopher Perkins of Casper, was among 77 nationally who scored a 100 percent on the exam. Fourteen UW graduates (33 percent) of the 43 completing the exam were in the top 15 percent of the 9,011 national candidates who took the exam for the first time.
"UW School of Pharmacy graduates have consistently scored at or above the national average," Vandel says. "Graduates of UW's pharmacy program are eligible to take licensure exams in all 50 states."
The NAPLEX, developed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), is used by the boards of pharmacy as part of their assessment of competence to practice in this field. Satisfactory performance on the exam is one of the requirements for being a licensed pharmacist.
Throughout the curriculum, faculty members integrate the teaching and application of critical-thinking skills, decision-making skills and professional communication techniques as applied to pharmacy practice, Vandel says.
"Our mission is to be recognized as a leader in pharmacy education by providing and sustaining knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors and values necessary to develop outstanding pharmacists capable of delivering patient-centered care in a rural-frontier environment," he says.
For more information, contact Vandel at (307) 766-6120 or e-mail jvandel@uwyo.edu.
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009
