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Doctor of Pharmacy

Incoming Student Characteristics

The Pharm.D. is a professional degree for pharmacists similar to the M.D. for physicians or D.D.S. for dentists. Typical applicants have solid grades in their science and math prerequisite courses (letter grade of C minus or better). Applicants typically have a bachelor’s degree, but it is not required to enter the PharmD program. Students are subject to the prerequisite requirements in place when they are admitted to the program.

as of Mar. 10, 2023

The following table outlines a select set of student characteristics for each incoming class.

Incoming Year# of Enrolled Students (1)Average Incoming GPA (2)Average PCAT (3)Average Age of Applicant (4)
20221373.5787.4421.8
20211473.5487.78*21.9
20201233.5788.1021.6
20191603.5789.6121.7
20181453.5187.1121.8
2017154N/A86.8421.5
2016140N/A87.9422.0
2015152N/A88.0121.6

(1) # of Enrolled Students = Count of unique student IDs that were enrolled at the completion of the Fall academic term and reported in the Incoming Student Headcount Report.  Snapshot data for 2015 to 2018 is not available for validation at this time.

(2) Average Incoming GPA = Average GPA of all applicants in PharmCAS that were in a status of Matriculated at the time of cycle close and as reported in the PharmD Admission Cycle Report.

(3) Average PCAT Composite = The composite score is calculated from the Biology, Chemistry and Reading sections as reported in the PharmCAS application. This is averaged for all students in the Matriculated status at the time of cycle close and is reported in the PharmD Admissions Cycle Report. PCAT transitioned to an optional admissions requirement in 2021.

(4) Average Age of Applicant = The age at the time of PharmCAS application is self-reported. This is averaged for all students in the Matriculated status at the time of cycle close and is reported in the PharmD Admissions Cycle Report.

*  2021 was the first year that the PCAT score submission was optional for admissions.

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as of Mar. 10, 2023

The following table outlines the gender and residency mix for each incoming class.

Incoming YearFemale (%)Male (%)North Carolina Residents (%)Non-NC Residents (%)
202274264555
202173273961
202071295248
201978224258
201867334357
201768325941
201670305149
201568326040
201465356238
201361396436
201267337228
201168317822
201062357723
200970307228
200865358614
200770308416

(1) Female (%) = Count of unique student IDs that self-identified as Female during their incoming class year Fall Term snapshot as reported in the Incoming Student Headcount Report.

(2) Male (%) = Count of unique student IDs that self-identified as Male during their incoming class year Fall Term snapshot as reported in the Incoming Student Headcount Report.

(3) North Carolina Residents (%) = Count of unique student IDs that self-identified as having a permanent residence of North Carolina during their incoming Fall Term class year snapshot as reported in the Incoming Student Headcount Report.

(4) Non-North Carolina Residents (%) = Count of unique student IDs that self-identified as having a permanent residence outside of North Carolina during their incoming Fall Term class year snapshot as reported in the Incoming Student Headcount Report.

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as of Mar. 10, 2023

The following table outlines the race and ethnicity mix for each incoming class.

Incoming YearWhite (%)Asian (%)African American or Black (%)Hispanic* (%)Native American or Alaska Native (%)Two or more races* (%)Unknown/ Other (%)
20225118119074
2021502476166
2020552247075
2019601988<1<15

Race / Ethnicity (%) = The count of unique student IDs that self-identified as that specific race/ethnicity during their incoming Fall Term class year snapshot. The non-resident alien designation in Connect Carolina is categorized in the Unknown/Other category.

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as of Mar. 10, 2023

The following table outlines the total student enrollment (4-year program), campus of the student and dual degree designation as of the end of each academic year.

YearTotal # of Enrolled Students (1)Chapel Hill CampusAsheville Campus*Dual Degree - MBA (2)Dual Degree - MPH (2)
202256851760205
2021578511782110
2020606518881113
20195804918986

(1) Total # of Enrolled Students = Total count of unique student IDs (PY1, PY2, PY3 or PY4) that were enrolled as either full-time or part-time students by campus designation in the PharmD program in the Fall, Spring or Summer I or II academic terms.

(2) Dual Degree = Total count of unique student IDs (PY1, PY2, PY3 or PY4) that were enrolled as either full-time or part-time students in the dual PharmD / MBA (Kenan-Flagler Business School) and PharmD / MPH (Gillings School of Global Public Health) program in the Fall, Spring or Summer I or II academic terms.  Note – The dual-degree program counts by year are provided by the Office of Student Affairs annually (OSA) and are not available for reporting out of Connect Carolina.

*The Asheville campus opened in 2011.

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Student Outcomes

last updated on Mar. 10, 2023

On time graduation is an important success factor of the PharmD program and is a measure that is closely monitored.

Graduating YearFour-Year Graduation Rate (%)Delayed (%)*Dismissed (%)Withdrew (%)
202397<70<2
202293<80<1
20219730<1
202094<4<1<1
201990802
201896202
2017973<10
201696202
201593402
201492531
2013953<1<1
2012923<14
20119054<1
201095203
200994312
2008972<1<1
2023: 11 students were delayed: 4 to meet the requirements for the PharmD/MBA dual degree program, 3 to meet the requirements for the PharmD/MPH dual degree program, 2 for leave of absence, 1 for medical leave, and 1 other
2022: 11 students were delayed: 5 to meet the requirements for the PharmD/MBA dual degree program, 2 to meet the requirements for the PharmD/MPH dual degree program, 2 for leave of absence, 1 for medical leave, and 1 other
2021: 5 students were delayed: 2 to meet the requirements for the PharmD/MBA dual degree program, 2 for academic reasons, and 1 medical leave
2020: 6 students were delayed: 4 to meet the requirements for the PharrmD/MPH dual degree program, 1 to meet the requirements for the PharrmD/MBA dual degree program, 1 for medical reasons
2019: 13 students were delayed: 3 to meet the requirements for the PharrmD/MPH dual degree program, 1 to meet the requirements for the PharrmD/MBA dual degree program, 2 for academic reasons, 3 for medical reasons, 3 for leave of absence, and 1 other
2018: 4 students were delayed: 3 for medical reasons and 1 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MPH dual degree program
2017: 8 students were delayed: 3 for academic reasons, 1 for medical reasons, 3 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MPH dual degree program, and 1 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MBA dual degree program
2016: 4 students were delayed: 1 for academic reasons, 2 for medical reasons, and 1 for other reason
2015: 7 students were delayed: 4 for academic reasons, 1 for medical reasons, and 2 for other reasons
2014: 7 students were delayed: 2 for academic reasons, 4 for medical reasons, and 1 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MBA dual degree program
2013: 5 students were delayed: 3 for academic reasons, 1 for medical reasons, and 1 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MBA dual degree program
2012: 5 students were delayed: 1 for academic reasons, 3 for medical reasons, and 1 to meet the requirements of the PharmD/MBA dual degree program
2011: 7 students were delayed: 5 for medical reasons, 2 for other reasons
2010: 4 students were delayed: 1 for academic reasons, 2 for medical reasons, and 1 for other reasons
2009: 4 students were delayed: 3 for academic reasons, 1 for other reason
2008: 2 students were delayed: 1 for academic reasons, 1 for medical reasons

as of Mar. 10, 2023

The NAPLEX and the MPJE exams are critical outcome measures that help School leadership assess relative competency performance against benchmarks.

Graduating YearNAPLEX First-Time (%)National BenchmarkPerformance vs. NationalMPJE In-state First-Time (%)National BenchmarkPerformance vs. National
2022948017% Higher947722% Higher
2021*978217% Higher897913% Higher
2020988614% Higher958315% Higher
2019928712% Higher92839% Higher
201895897% Higher93849% Higher
201792885% Higher90N/AN/A
2016958610% Higher95N/AN/A

* Revised NAPLEX blueprint occurred in 2021 – click here for details of the change.

as of Oct. 16, 2023

Students’ acceptance of a position at or around graduation is a critical success factor of the PharmD program that is closely monitored.

Graduating Class YearTotal Graduates (1)Position Acceptance Rate (2)Residency (3)Fellowship (4)Employment (5)Other (6)Lost to Follow-Up (7)North Carolina Position (8)
2023155148 (96%)80 (52%)23 (15%)41 (27%)10 (6%)1 (<1%)52 (34%)
2022135124 (92%)80 (60%)14 (10%)29 (22%)1 (<1%)11 (8%)46 (34%)

(1) Total number of students that graduated in May of the same graduating class year.

(2) The Position Acceptance Rate is the total amount of students that have accepted a position by November 1st divided by the total amount of students that graduated in May of the same graduating class year.

(3) Residency is defined as accepting a post graduate residency training position in any of the following specialties.  Acute Care, Ambulatory Care, Community, Hospital/Health System Admin, Managed Care or Other.

(4) Fellowship is defined as accepting a post graduate fellowship training position in any of the following specialties.  Medical Affairs/Medical Information/Medical Communications, Clinical Research/Drug Development, Regulatory Affairs, Managed Care, Health Economics & Outcomes Research/Market Access, Drug Information, Commercial, Clinical Pharmacology/Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics/Pharmacometrics.

(5) Employment is defined as accepting a position in Community Pharmacy (chain), Community Pharmacy (independent), Nuclear, Life Sciences Consulting, Long Term Care, Consulting or Other.

(6) Other is defined as any position accepted that is not categorized as employment, residency or fellowship.  In some cases, this might be enrollment in postgraduate education.

(7) A student is considered lost to follow-up if our Career Service offices has not documented the position choice of the student by November 1st of the graduating year.

(8) A student is reported as in North Carolina if we have data that indicates their physical work location city and state.  Note – If the employer is in another state and the student is working remotely in North Carolina, then we consider this a North Carolina placement.

2022 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2022. This was supplemented with student follow-up through November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2021 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2021. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2020 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2020. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2019 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2019. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

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as of Oct. 16, 2023

The student’s choice of a position by preference at or around graduation is an important student success outcome factor that is closely monitored.

Class YearResidency secured with First Choice or Second Choice opportunityFellowship secured with First Choice or Second Choice opportunityEmployment secured with First Choice or Second Choice opportunity
202369 /80 = 86%21 / 23 = 91%25 / 41 = 61%
202269 /80 = 86%13 / 14 = 93%21 / 29 = 72%

 

2022 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/04/2022.  This was supplemented with student follow-up through November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2021 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2021. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2020 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2020. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

2019 data collected via the Graduating Student Survey that closed on 5/2019. This was supplemented with student follow-up that ended in November. Please click HERE to view the summary results.

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