FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health (CoPPS, IPH) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates in the class of 2021 who took the NAPLEX exam between June 1 and December 31 for the first time earned an 89.9 percent first-time pass rate. This pass rate is an increase of approximately 7 percentage points over the 2020 results. FAMU graduates exceeded the state and national average of 85.3 and 83.7 for first-time test takers.
“I am ecstatic about the performance of the Class of 2021. The College has been diligently working over the past five years on increasing the first-time candidates’ licensure pass rates, and we have met our goal,” said Jocelyn D. Spates, PharmD, CoPPS, IPH Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs.
Spates said CoPPS, IPH has implemented several components to prepare students for success, including a new curriculum and seminar course revision that help our learners stay on a strict study schedule. In addition, RxPrep, Pass NAPLEX Now, and Pre-NAPLEX board preparation materials are provided to professional year 4 (P4) students. The Pre-NAPLEX is the official practice exam for the NAPLEX. It gives student pharmacists a realistic experience to help them prepare for test day, she said.
“It is obvious that these tools are working to prepare our graduates for success,” Spates said.
In 2016 the Colleges’ NAPLEX passage scores were at 59 percent, improved to 74 percent in 2017, 75 percent in 2018, 82.79 percent in 2019, and 83.33 percent in 2020. FAMU decreased enrollment in the College by 340 students between 2017 and 2020 from 873 to 533, and raised admissions standards by increasing the minimum GPA in math from 3.1 to 3.37, science 3.18 to 3.24 and overall GPA from 3.23 to 3.31.
Dean Johnnie L. Early II, Ph.D., RPh., who rejoined the college in 2018, credits the new faculty-driven curriculum and the colleges’ renewed focus on student success for the performance gains.