Accreditation Status
The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) informed the Belmont University School of Pharmacy (BUSOP) on June 24, 2008, that the new program has reached another significant benchmark toward full accreditation. The announcement confirms that BUSOP be able to seat its first class of 75 students in August 2008. ACPE is the official regulatory body that accredits all colleges of pharmacy in the United
States. BUSOP continues on track for full accreditation, which is awarded to a new program once it has graduated its first class and met all ACPE standards for accreditation.Belmont’s School of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Phil Johnston said, “ACPE’s
standards for accreditation are extremely high, as they should be, given
that pharmacists are charged with the responsibility of public safety.
I’m obviously thrilled that we have gained the trust of the Council, and
that we are now empowered to help our students fulfill the dream of
entering the pharmacy profession.
Belmont Provost Dr. Dan McAlexander added, “The ACPE approval to seat
our first pharmacy class is the culmination of the efforts of many
individuals at Belmont and throughout the community. We believe that the
School of Pharmacy, an integral part of Belmont’s strategic growth plan,
will provide students with the skills to contribute to the growing
health care needs of our community.”
By opening a School of Pharmacy, Belmont will help alleviate the significant shortfall of qualified pharmacists needed both in the state and country at large. The Belmont University School of Pharmacy seeks to become a nationally-recognized practice and leadership center with a four-pillared approach that will allow students to focus on management, informatics, pharmacotherapy or missions. BUSOP intends to be a prominent resource for training and supporting competent, compassionate practitioners with a passion for life-long professional improvement and service to the profession and patients.
Accreditation Process
It is important to understand the accreditation process as governed by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Complete information is available at the ACPE website (http://www.acpe-accredit.org). A short explanation of this process is as follows:
The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites. For a Doctor of Pharmacy program offered by a new college or school of pharmacy, ACPE accreditation involves three steps: precandidate status, candidate status, and full accreditation.
Precandidate accreditation status denotes a developmental program, which is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period. Precandidate status is awarded to a new program of a college or school of pharmacy that has not yet enrolled students in the professional program, and authorizes the school to admit its first class.
Candidate accreditation status is awarded to a Doctor of Pharmacy program that has students enrolled, but has not yet had a graduating class.
Full accreditation is awarded to a program that has met all ACPE standards for accreditation and has graduated its first class. Graduates of a class designated as having candidate status have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program. ACPE conveys its decisions to the various boards of pharmacy and makes recommendations in accord with its decisions. It should be noted, however, that decisions concerning eligibility for licensure, by examination or reciprocity, reside with the respective state boards of pharmacy in accordance with their state statutes and administrative rules.
