July 2, 2024
Ferris State College of Pharmacy receives eight-year accreditation renewal, ensuring students are receiving a quality, relevant education
Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy earned a maximum eight-year accreditation extension, ensuring students they are following a quality program that is preparing them for careers in rapidly changing field.
“The accreditation provides students with the certainty that they will be prepared to practice at the highest level, address the population’s growing needs and expertly deliver guidance, ensuring proper use and monitoring of complex medication regimens,” College of Pharmacy Dean Stephen Durst said.
Accreditation is recognition from an authorized agency that an institution maintains a level of excellence across the entire curriculum and college. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education is a national agency that assures and advances the quality of education and prepare students to deliver pharmacist-provided patient care.
Pharmacy graduates in the United State must complete an ACPE-accredited program to be eligible for the North American Pharmacy Licensure Exam, making accreditation vital.
The College of Pharmacy is one of just three in the state and is known as Ferris State’s first accredited program. It dates back to 1893 when Woodbridge N. Ferris saw an opportunity to help prepare local residents for pharmacy licensure examinations. The college’s accreditation has continued uninterrupted since the 1930s.
Ferris State’s College of Pharmacy provides students with a scientific foundation and significant hands-on experience. The PharmD program puts students together with faculty experts who are breaking new ground in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical research.
Durst said the College of Pharmacy learned of its compliance with all accreditation standards in late June.
“I am especially proud of the 2024 results as it was a completely transparent process taken very seriously by the college, with everyone involved,” Durst said. “The accreditation process is designed to ensure continuous improvement in the institution, and that was confirmed in the report of the visiting team and the ACPE Board of Directors.”
Durst said all of the college’s faculty members participated in preparations of the self-study and ensured that Ferris State met all standards. ACPE site visit team members were complimentary of the process and the college’s operations.
“Through the efforts of faculty and staff, the accreditation team was provided an in-depth program examination, which is the foundation for this excellent result,” Durst said.
Dr. Lisa Meny, who chaired the College’s self-study effort, said the full accreditation award confirms the college’s focus on its mission to prepare pharmacists as leaders in health care through an integrative approach to learning, interprofessional collaboration and scholarship to advance practice and science.
“All faculty members engaged in an intentional process to highlight the exceptional quality of our program,” she said. “The ACPE site visit team members highlighted the college’s commitment to interprofessional education, and the value gained from student participation in the co-curriculum to support professional identity formation.”
Ferris State’s College of Pharmacy students complete more than 1,700 hours pharmacy practice experience integrated into the curriculum which is built upon the principles of active learning. First-year and second-year students complete their coursework on the Big Rapids campus. Students move to the Ferris State campus on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile during the third year with fourth year students in practice sites throughout the State’s upper and lower peninsulas.
The College of Pharmacy also has dual degree opportunities with a Master of Business Administration through the College of Business or a Master of Public Health from the College of Health Professions.