High Point University's Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy Awarded Full Accreditation Status

The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy at High Point University (HPU) was recently awarded full accreditation status by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), a process that began 6 years ago, according to Earle "Buddy" Lingle, PhD, RPh, dean of the pharmacy school.¹

"Being awarded full accreditation is the result of a Herculean effort by the school of pharmacy's faculty and staff," Lingle said in a prepared statement.

ACPE accreditation recognizes that a professional degree program leading to a doctor of pharmacy degree is judged to meet established qualifications and education standards through initial and subsequent periodic evaluations. The purpose is to judge the quality of a program and encourage continued improvement.¹

According to Lingle, ACPE accreditation is the culmination of an effort that began with the end goals of developing a pharmacy program that would produce graduates who practice at the highest professional level and serve their patients and communities with compassion and commitment to their well-being.

"This is a recognition that we are meeting those goals," Lingle added.

The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy graduated its inaugural class of 53 students in the spring of 2020. According to HPU, students who took the pharmacy licensing exam achieved a pass rate of 95%, which is 4 points higher than the national average. The graduates are now practicing in community retail, hospital, and long-term care settings or have been accepted to residencies or other graduate programs.¹

"In my time at HPU's Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, I was provided passionate professors, encouraging administrators, a state-of-the-art facility, and invaluable practice experiences that have prepared me to excel in pharmacy practice," said Chris Powell, a current fourth-year student and president of the School of Pharmacy's Student Council, in a prepared statement.¹

The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy joins 3 other ACPE-accredited pharmacy programs in North Carolina, including the Campbell University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and the Wingate University School of Pharmacy.²

REFERENCE

1. HPU's Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy awarded full accreditation. News release. High Point University. February 1, 2021. Accessed February 4, 2021. http://www.highpoint.edu/blog/2021/02/hpus-fred-wilson-school-of-pharmacy-awarded-full-accreditation/

2. Programs by State. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Accessed February 4, 2021. https://www.acpe-accredit.org/accredited-programs-by-state/