New Partnership Places MC Pre-pharm Students on Right Path for UM School of Pharmacy Admission
A recent partnership between Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy creates more learning opportunities for future health care leaders while strengthening pharmacy education in the state.
The Preferred Admission Program allows qualified students and service leaders at MC to finish their pre-pharmacy coursework at the Christian University while ensuring they remain on track with all requirements for admission to the UM School of Pharmacy. The partnership will offer admission to MC students who have excelled in their pre-pharmacy classes and have demonstrated a passion for service activities.
Students in the program may be admitted to the School of Pharmacy’s standard graduation track after the first semester of their freshman year at MC. They will be held to the school’s academic and service expectations while they work toward a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
According to the memorandum of understanding signed by officials from each institution, to qualify for inclusion in the program, students taking all required pre-pharmacy courses at MC must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and earn at least a grade of C in each required course. Students unable to meet the program requirements may still apply for regular admission to the UM School of Pharmacy following their completion of pre-pharmacy courses.
Dr. Blake Thompson, MC president, is a three-time graduate of the School of Pharmacy and was named its 2021 Alumnus of the Year. He said he is thankful to work with his alma mater to advance pharmacy education.
“This agreement brings excellent value to students in the pre-pharmacy program at Mississippi College,” Thompson said. “It ensures the courses they are taking at MC keep them on track with the admissions requirements for the School of Pharmacy. It also helps to confirm their calling to a world-class education in health services.
“I look forward to seeing a generation of MC-UM pharmacy graduates.”
Dr. Keith Elder, provost and executive vice president at MC, said the Preferred Admissions Program “speaks to the quality of MC’s students in the sciences and the faculty.”
“The agreement will strengthen the relationship with the University of Mississippi and grant our students a clear path to pharmacy school,” he said.
Dr. Donna Strum, interim dean of the School of Pharmacy, said the partnership with MC will continue to enhance pharmacy education in the state.
“Adding these exceptional Mississippi College students will have a tremendous impact on our school, as well as the pharmacy profession,” Strum said. “We are committed to strengthening public health in Mississippi, and with the Preferred Admission Program, our schools provide those educational opportunities for future health care innovators.”
Dr. Stan Baldwin, dean of the School of Science and Mathematics at MC, said the agreement “will prioritize admission of MC students who wish to pursue pharmacy as a career.”
“The fact that Ole Miss Pharmacy School will prioritize MC students who meet the conditions of this agreement is a tribute to the strength of curriculum and quality of students we have at Mississippi College,” Baldwin said. “None of this is possible without the outstanding faculty dedicated to student success.”
MC joins five other colleges and universities in the state who have partnered with the UM School of Pharmacy in its Preferred Admission Program, including Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Millsaps College, Mississippi State University, and Tougaloo College.
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