WNE PharmD Class of 2021 Exceeds State, National Averages on NAPLEX, MPJE Exams

SPRINGFIELD — The Western New England University (WNE) College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences announced that the graduates of the PharmD class of 2021 have achieved a pass rate of 91.5% on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and an 86.6% pass rate on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

“The NAPLEX first-time pass rate of 91.5% significantly exceeds that of the state and national rate, 78% and 83.6%, respectively. This is the fourth consecutive year our pass rates have topped both state and national results,” said Dr. John Pezzuto, professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “Our in-state MPJE pass rate of 86.6% also exceeds other Massachusetts programs’ in-state pass rate of 73.5%, and national in-state pass rates of 80.3%.”

The NAPLEX was developed by the National Assoc. of Boards of Pharmacy for use by the state boards of pharmacy as part of their criteria for assessing candidates’ competence to practice pharmacy. The exam is taken by recent college of pharmacy graduates shortly after they receive their degree and is designed to evaluate general practice knowledge.

Required as a prerequisite for a pharmacy license in Massachusetts, the MPJE is a pharmacy-law examination created by the National Assoc. of Boards of Pharmacy to help individual state boards of pharmacy assess the competency and knowledge of pharmacy law.

“The graduates of the PharmD class of 2021 have demonstrated superior performance in their passage of the NAPLEX and MPJE examinations,” Pezzuto said. “This clearly reflects the caliber of student attracted to WNE, the notable curriculum, and the excellent instruction and preparation offered by our faculty and staff.”

Pending approval from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences also announced the launch of a new full-time, online distance pathway for first-year professional students to allow them to pursue a career in pharmacy remotely with a minimal on-campus commitment. Offered as a high-quality online alternative to the campus-based Doctor of Pharmacy program, the PharmD Distance Pathway will allow students to pursue a career in pharmacy from anywhere and with more flexibility to meet life’s demands.