Pharmacy's 2018 State of the College address

Tuesday, Nov. 13th marked the fifth annual State of the College Address for Neil MacKinnon, PhD, dean of the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.

Since MacKinnon’s arrival in 2013, the college has been on an upward trajectory, which is outlined in detail in the 2017-2018 Dean’s Annual Report, distributed at the event.

“We’re in a very strong state, and I think we are doing things to help the university in relation to academic excellence, urban impact and innovation,” MacKinnon said to faculty, staff and students in attendance at the presentation held in the Kowalewski Hall.

Of note during the presentation were accomplishments that align with the university’s Next Lives Here strategic direction:

Academic Excellence

• Student pass rates for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) were 93 percent, above the national average of 91.6 percent.

• PGY-1 residency match rate was 87.12 percent, above the national average of 65.4 percent.

• Ranked No. 12 Best Pharmacy School in nation (SR Education Group).

Urban Impact

• Minority enrollment increased 24.8 percent in 2017.

• Continued collaboration with St. Vincent DePaul Charitable Pharmacy, which fills 50,000 prescriptions for the underserved annually.

Innovation

• Established a BS/MS dual degree program in cosmetic science in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences, the first co-op program at the college.

• Only pharmacy college to be awarded a 2018 INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.

• Research funding held by the college’s faculty increased 225% from $4.3 million in 2013 to $9.7 million in 2018.

Future plans, MacKinnon said, include the launch of an online graduate certificate and MS degree in pharmacogenomics and personalized healthcare, in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and launching a pediatric certificate program for PharmD students.