Best Pharmacy Schools in Pennsylvania

To become a professional and highly qualified pharmacist, you must graduate from pharmacy school.

As a student in Pennsylvania completing their bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, picking a good pharmacy school can be a tough choice.

Although there are quite a lot of good pharmacy schools, a few of them stand out. And we will look at some of the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania to help you make a more brilliant choice.

According to NCBI, first-time mean passing rates for NAPLEX have decreased since 2014, with the most significant drop occurring between 2015 and 2016 (92.64% vs 85.86%).

There was wide variability within the 2016 institution scores. While approximately 36% of schools had over 90% passing scores, first-time pass rates dropped as low as 59% for two programs.

This drop in the exam’s pass rate can be attributed to many factors, especially the quality of education students receive at their respective pharmacy schools.

While this article focuses on the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania, it will also highlight key areas in the practice of pharmacy in Pennsylvania and the U.S. at large.

Why Attend a Pharmacy School in Pennsylvania?

Taking the wrong medications has increased the risk of illnesses for a long time. More so, the lack of professional counsel on health issues can be pointed to as one of the factors responsible for this damage.

In Pennsylvania and some other states in the U.S., there is a strong demand for quality patient services in different health centers. Also, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores posited that the number of prescriptions filled increased from 1.9 million in 1992 to 3.9 billion in 2013. In 2015, 4.1 billion prescriptions were filled (projected to be 4.7 billion).

As much as many states have good pharmacy schools, the schools in Pennsylvania have a solid distinguishing factor – they have one of the highest NAPLEX pass rates in the country. Essentially, we can agree that you have to be good to perform at this level consistently.

When you consider these projections, you will see that if you’re a pharmacist in Pennsylvania, you’re in an excellent position to serve your community and earn a lot of money at the same time.

Read more: Easiest Pharmacy Schools to Get Into In 2024 | Expert Guide

What is the Cost of Studying in a Pharmacy School in Pennsylvania?

Before you choose a pharmacy school to pursue a pharmacy degree, you must consider certain factors. As much as the quality of the school is essential, the tuition fee carries a similar level of relevance, especially when you’re not on a pharmacy scholarship.

Generally, the tuition fee for pharmacy school is about $35,284 (in-state) and $39,908 (out-of-state) students. When you add accommodation and living expenses, the price will increase significantly.

So, we can generally agree that it costs about $70,000 to complete pharmacy school in Pennsylvania.

What are the Requirements to Enrol in a Pharmacy School?

Before you can gain admission into a pharmacy school, you must fulfill a set of requirements. Although these requirements differ depending on the school, some apply to every school.

Hence, the general requirements include the following:

• Transcripts
• TOEFL(For international students)
• Letter of Recommendation
• Minimum of 3.0 CGPA
• A credit score in Biology, Anatomy & Chemistry

In summary, Pharmcas offers a deep insight into different university requirements for pharmacy school.

Best Pharmacy Schools in Pennsylvania | 2024

There are great pharmacy schools in the country, especially in Pennsylvania. However, before we could list these schools in order, we used certain ranking factors to place them.

Ranking Factors

To properly rank the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania, we used a set of ranking factors which include;

Accreditation: All the schools listed in this content have been accredited by reputable bodies. Hence, it means they have passed the stated standard of a pharmacy school.

NAPLEX Pass Rate: NAPLEX is an exam generally accepted as the qualification yardstick for a pharmacist. The exam success rate of all the pharmacy schools was put into consideration.

Quality of Program: To be a top pharmacy school in Pennsylvania, your program must be exceptional. Of course, requirements such as lab facilities and many others will make it so.

After using our ranking factors, we have listed the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania, which are:

• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
• Duquesne University
• Wilkes University
• Temple University
• University of Pittsburgh
• Thomas Jefferson University

#7. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine(LECOM) is a distinguished institution that trains students to become achievers and pioneers of positive societal change.

This school remains committed to a system that equally pushes a nurturing and supportive environment, collaborative practices, community service, and core dedication to the profession of pharmacy.

At LECOM School of Pharmacy, you can get your PharmD degree using the three years accelerated pathway, four-year Florida pathway, or four-year distance education pathway.

This school created the Center for Drug Information and Research (CDIR). The agency seeks to provide quality healthcare professionals with independent research and core analysis.

Because of their in-depth commitment to progress and growth, they remain one of the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania.

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Read more: Top 6-year Pharmacy Programs in the World

#6. Philadelphia College of Pharmacy

Founded in 1821, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, also known as the University of Sciences, remained a top college pharmacy as some of the prominent pharmaceutical company leaders are members of their alumni.

Apart from the PharmD degree, they also offer undergraduate degrees in pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology and toxicology, and pharmaceutical & healthcare business.

Their state-of-the-art research facilities and quality trainers make them a top pharmacy school nationwide.

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#5. Duquesne University

The Duquesne University School of Pharmacy continues to improve its reputation as a top pharmacy school in the U.S. Their exceptional leadership, incredible drive for research, and hands-on training makes them a top university.

This university boasts that 99% of its pharmacy graduates gain immediate employment after university. Additionally, most of them earn salaries above $110,000.

To Duquesne University School of Pharmacy, integrity and honor remain as important as skill. Hence, they train their students to be kind, honorable, and respectful to people.

Having been ranked among Catholic pharmacy schools by the U.S. News and World Report, you can see why they’re one of the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania.

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#4. Wilkes University

Wilkes University’s pharmacy school is known as the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. They have a mission to “develop pharmacists who will provide high-quality health care and to make meaningful contributions to the science and practice of pharmacy.”

A quarter of their graduate students pursue post-graduate training. We can attribute it to the very high pass rates they have experienced in the NAPLEX exam.

Their researchers are gradually tackling the Opioid crisis, which has rocked the world. Their collaboration and partnership have helped them build skills to expand their knowledge.

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#3. Temple University

The Pharm. D. program offers a robust curriculum preparing students for practice in clinical, academic, industrial, and government settings. Every student has a lot of opportunities to transform their professional degree with elective offerings.

To ensure they produce the best students, this university has a range of course requirements every student must fulfill. For example, you must complete your biology, chemistry, and anatomy credit hours.

Temple University School of Pharmacy believes that every student must demonstrate intense observation, and social and intellectual abilities to thrive in the profession.

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#2. University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, continues to produce innovations and discoveries that solve complex medication-based problems of today and tomorrow.

To be precise, they keep developing new drug delivery systems and new drug entities and identifying more effective ways to deliver patient care.

Their desire to help students find their niche in the healthcare environment keeps them focused. Furthermore, their willingness to innovate, lead, and improve healthcare causes them to personalize learning.

As one of the top pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania, they continue to serve local communities by attending to their healthcare needs.

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#1. Thomas Jefferson University

The U.S. News Best Graduate Schools Rankings has ranked several schools in Jefferson as top schools in different professions.

At this university, students have opportunities to fully participate in innovative clinical, educational, and research experiences to become leaders in occupational therapy and health care.

For many years, JCP has continued to prepare students to tackle challenges in drug discovery and development, disparities in healthcare access and quality, and other complex societal issues, including the opioid crisis.

The program’s core values are deeply rooted in developing pharmacists with a sense of social, personal, and professional responsibility. Indeed, they remain one of the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania for students.

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Read more: 13 Best Pharmacy Schools in the World

Are there Online Pharmacy Schools in Pennsylvania?

Due to the global pandemic, a lot of programs went online. Considering the pharmacy’s complexity, making it an online program was challenging. However, a good number of schools made it possible.

A school like Duquesne University has a four-year online pharmacy program. Additionally, students in the program enjoy amazing access to the same faculty and research centers.

Before you join the online pharmacy program, you must meet the requirements for the program, which are similar to the ones for the campus students. For example, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in the U.S.

Studying pharmacy online might not be as thrilling and fun, but you can expect that the program’s quality will not change.

FAQ On Best Pharmacy Schools in Pennsylvania Pa | 2024

Conclusion

Pharmacy will always remain a relevant field in the health industry. The job outlook projects a 5% increase in pharmacy positions in the next five years.

So, you can easily enroll in any of the best pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania to start a pharmacy program. You’ll be glad you made the right decision.

References

• NCBI – Impact of Pharmacy School Characteristics on NAPLEX First-time Pass Rates
• AACP – Top Ten Reasons to Become a Pharmacist
• AACP – Pharmacy School Requirements
• DUQ – Online Pharmacy Program

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