The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) informed Belmont University leadership today that its application package, which was presented to the council at last week’s Board of Directors meeting in Tampa, satisfies all established criteria, paving the way for ACPE to schedule a site visit on campus between mid-March and early April. ACPE is the official regulatory body that accredits all colleges of pharmacy in the United States, and the early spring site visit will be the last hurdle Belmont’s School of Pharmacy (BUSOP) must clear before seating its first class in August 2008.
Belmont’s School of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Phil Johnston, who was one of the key university leaders to present the BUSOP application to the accreditation council, said, “Our meeting with the accreditation council went very well, and we are gratified to have reached this milestone. Our faculty is now hard at work preparing our academic program and our facilities. We are all very excited about the opportunity we have to serve the people of Tennessee by training professional pharmacists to serve in their communities.”
Belmont Provost Dr. Dan McAlexander, who also attended the council meeting in Tampa, noted, “It was clear from the accreditation council’s comments on Friday that Belmont’s School of Pharmacy made a strong impression with its submission. This process only increases our confidence that we will welcome our first pharmacy students to campus this fall.”
BUSOP’s reviewed application consisted of information regarding the anticipated structure of the School of Pharmacy, a history of Belmont University and the academic credentials of the program’s faculty and administrators. In addition, the ACPE was able to view a complete course outline for the planned doctoral curriculum as well as see the extensive internship and experiential program opportunities the university has already lined up for its first pharmacy cohort. The Pharmacy program has received a large number of high quality applications and inquiries for admission. BUSOP’s staff noted that the program is on track to fill its planned first class of 75 students.
The Belmont University School of Pharmacy seeks to become a nationally-recognized practice and leadership center in pharmacy education, scholarship, patient-centric care and service. 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. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu/pharmacy.
