Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) of our Doctor of Pharmacy program is an indicator of quality and academic integrity in an education program—the gold standard. It signifies that the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy maintains the high standards required for ACPE accreditation. The standards also reflect the expectations that the U.S. Department of Education and state boards of pharmacy have of the colleges and schools, and of ACPE, regarding the quality of professional degree programs.
While the next accreditation review for our Pharm.D. program will occur during 2019-2020, the accrediting body continuously revises and updates the standards needed for quality-assured professional education based on evidence and experience. “Standards 2016,” a comprehensive 39-page document, released in February of this year encompasses the critical areas of “Educational Outcomes,” “Structure and Process to Promote Achievement of Educational Outcomes,” and “Assessment of Standards and Key Elements.” A significant part of the “Educational Outcomes” section is based on curriculum.
Whether Standard 10: Curriculum Design, Delivery, and Oversight; Standard 11: Interprofessional Education (IPE); Standard 12: Pre-Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience
(Pre-APPE) Curriculum; or Standard 13: Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Curriculum, didactic and experiential programs are a metric of success for our Pharm.D. graduates. To that end, and to assure compliance with “Standards 2016” our faculty and staff have spent the past nine months reviewing current coursework, identifying gaps, and exploring new opportunities to meet and exceed the stringent guidelines.
Given the multitude of requirements, finding ways to balance the classroom with the community experiences takes diligence and dedication. In the months ahead I will share new initiatives that continue the forward thinking of Wisconsin. The thinking that has always positioned us to be introspective about our 132 year history, but audacious for what is yet to be the measure of excellence in pharmacy.
As leader of this fine School I join my faculty and staff colleagues in embracing the serious expectation that our curriculum is unparalleled and the pharmacy education are students receive unmatched.
On, Wisconsin!
Steven M. Swanson, Dean