First in Texas, 3rd in U.S.

UH Pharmacy Graduates' 2017 Pass Rates Rank Best in Texas, Third in Nation

UH College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. graduates taking the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) — the comprehensive examination of pharmacy knowledge required for professional licensure in the U.S. — in 2017 scored the highest pass rate in Texas and the third highest pass rate in the nation.

Developed and administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the NAPLEX is a 250-question exam designed to assess a candidate's knowledge and competency in pharmacy practice and a part of the evaluation process by state boards of pharmacy when considering an individual's licensure application to practice within a state. The exam is administered three times per year.

As reported on the NABP website, 105 UHCOP 2017 Pharm.D. graduates achieved a pass rate of 99.05 percent. The national pass rate for 2017 was 86.28 percent, as reported by the NABP. 

"Although we always aim for perfection in achieving a 100 percent first-time pass rate, the 2017 results are nonetheless an outstanding and impressive achievement by our Pharm.D. graduates and the work of faculty, staff, preceptors and alumni mentors in creating and maintaining an environment where our students are educated and trained to provide the highest level of care for their patients," said UHCOP Dean F. Lamar Pritchard, Ph.D., R.Ph.

"Part of our mission at the college is to create lifelong learners, and by these results — along with the many awards and other recognition frequently bestowed upon our students, faculty and alumni — is a testament to the absolute seriousness with which we collectively take our mission and our responsiblity to our patients and communities."

In addition to the graduates' stellar performance on the NAPLEX, UHCOP graduates also excelled on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) in 2017. The 103 UHCOP graduates taking the exam in 2017 achieved a pass rate of 97.09 percent vs. the national pass rate of 83.98, according to the NABP website.