INTRODUCTION
This report presents data that describe the 2012-13 pharmacy application pool, degrees conferred in 2012-13, and fall 2013 pharmacy program enrollments. Data for this report were requested from the 130 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) using five separate survey instruments.
There were previously two professional education programs at U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy: one leading to a baccalaureate in pharmacy, and the other leading to the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. However, June 30, 2005 marked the official expiration of the ACPE standards to the baccalaureate in pharmacy (B.S. Pharmacy) degree programs in accordance with the transition to the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree as the sole professional degree program in the U.S. Some colleges and schools of pharmacy conferred degrees in the B.S. Pharmacy program until 2004-05.
For the purpose of this report, students in doctor of pharmacy programs are categorized under Pharm.D.1 when the program leads to a doctor of pharmacy degree conferred as the first professional degree. Students who have already received a baccalaureate in pharmacy and are enrolled in a doctor of pharmacy degree program are categorized under Pharm.D.2.
The following definitions refer to the race/ethnicity groups as used in this report. White refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. Black or African American refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Hispanic or Latino refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. Asian refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. Prior to 2011, these students were included in the Asian category. American Indian or Alaska Native refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment. Two or More Races refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are not Hispanic/Latino and identify themselves by more than one race. Unknown refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents whose race and ethnicity are not known. Prior to 2011, this category was labeled Other/Unknown and students that were of two or more races were included in this category. Finally, International/Foreign refers to citizens of a foreign country/permanent residents of a country other than the U.S.
2012-13 APPLICATION POOL
The 2012-13 Application Pool Survey was conducted online in October 2013, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at each of the 130 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. After follow-up correspondence, 127 colleges and schools (97.7 percent) submitted the requested information. Included in the application pool are students who applied for admission and submitted all required application materials between September 2012 and August 2013 for the entering class of fall 2013. Numbers reported represent the number of applications, not applicants, and may represent multiple applications submitted by individual applicants.
During the period September 2012 through August 2013, the reporting institutions received 87,956 applications for admission. When compared with entering class enrollment data for fall 2013 at these institutions, the resultant ratio was 5.6 applications received for every one entering student enrolled.
In 2012-13, females submitted 60.7 percent of the applications to pharmacy colleges and schools; males submitted 38.1 percent; gender unknown/not reported submitted 1.2 percent. White Americans submitted 37.8 percent of the applications, Asian Americans submitted 33.7 percent of the applications, and underrepresented minorities submitted 15.9 percent of the applications (black, 10.2 percent; Hispanic, 5.3 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.2 percent; American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.2 percent). 2.3 percent of the applications to the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs were from applicants of two or more races and 3.9 percent of the applications were submitted by foreign, nonpermanent residents [Table 1]. For the ninth consecutive year, colleges and schools of pharmacy received more applications from out-of-state residents (56.6 percent) compared to 43.4 percent from in-state residents. This increase in out-of-state applicants can be attributed to the ease of applying to colleges and schools of pharmacy in different states through PharmCAS.
Distribution of 2012-2013 Applications by Gender and Race/Ethnicity of Applicanta
Over 65 percent (65.2 percent) of the applications to the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs were submitted by individuals who had previously obtained a baccalaureate degree or higher (baccalaureate, 61.5 percent; master's, 3.0 percent; doctorate, 0.7 percent), up from 44.4 percent the previous year [Table 2]. Over 76 percent (76.4 percent) of the applications to colleges and schools of pharmacy were submitted by individuals who had 3 or more years of postsecondary experience.
Distribution of 2012-2013 Applications to First Professional Degree Programs by Gender and Previous Postsecondary Experience of Applicanta
2012-13 DEGREES CONFERRED
The 2012-13 Professional Degrees Conferred and Graduate Degrees Conferred surveys were conducted online in October 2013, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at each of the 130 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. Submission of the data was requested by December 2013. After follow-up correspondence, 127 colleges and schools (97.7 percent) submitted the requested information.
Professional Degrees Conferred
Numbers of degrees conferred by U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy from 1965 to 2013 are presented in Table 3.
Number of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1965-2013 by Degree and Gender
First Professional Degrees Conferred. In 2012-13, 114 colleges and schools conferred the doctor of pharmacy as a first professional degree (Pharm.D.1). Graduating Pharm.D.1 class sizes ranged from 27 students to 288 students (median, 102 students). Twelve of the 127 colleges and schools of pharmacy did not confer degrees in 2012-13. These schools were new programs whose students had not yet progressed through the entire curriculum (Saint Joseph, South Florida, PCOM-Georgia, Rosalind Franklin, Manchester, Western New England, Fairleigh Dickinson, D’Youville, Cedarville, Presbyterian, North Texas, and Concordia).
In 2012-13 there were 13,207 first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools of pharmacy compared to 12,719 in 2011-12. [Table 4]. The total number of first professional degrees conferred in 2012-13 represented a 3.8 percent increase from the total number of first professional degrees conferred in 2011-12 [Table 5].
Baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) Degrees as Percentages of Total First Professional Degrees Conferred 1981-2013
Annual Percentage Change in Number of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1981-2013 Over Previous Year
In 1979-80, men received 59.5 percent of the first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools of pharmacy and women received 40.5 percent. Over the past 30 years, these percentages have shifted dramatically and, in 2012-13, men received 38.3 percent of the first professional degrees conferred and 61.7 percent of these degrees were received by women. Women received their highest percentage of degrees conferred (68.2 percent) in 2004-05 and 2005-06 [Table 6].
Percentage of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1980-2013 by Gender
White Americans received 56.6 percent of first professional degrees conferred in 2012-13. Underrepresented minorities received 11.9 percent of the first professional degrees conferred in 2012-13 (black, 6.9 percent; Hispanic, 4.3 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.3 percent; American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.4 percent). Asian Americans received 22.9 percent of the first professional degrees. The percentage of first professional degree recipients who were of two or more races was 0.7 percent and the percentage of recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 2.2 percent [Table 7].
Percentage of First Professional Degree (B.S. Pharmacy, B.Pharm., and Pharm.D.1) Recipients 1980-2013 by Race/Ethnicity
Doctor of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred to Postbaccalaureate Students. Thirteen colleges and schools conferred the Pharm.D. degree to postbaccalaureate students in 2012-13. The number of graduates per institution ranged from 1 to 140 students (median, 11 students). The number of doctor of pharmacy degrees conferred as postbaccalaureate degrees (Pharm.D.2) decreased by 22.5 percent to 344 in 2012-13 from 444 in 2011-12 [Table 5]. More women than men received Pharm.D.2 degrees in 2012-13 (women, 61.6 percent; men, 38.4 percent) [Table 6].
White Americans received 40.4 percent of Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred in 2012-13. Underrepresented minorities received 14.5 percent of the Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred (black, 10.5 percent; Hispanic, 4.1 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.0 percent; American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.0 percent). Asian Americans received 19.2 percent of the Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred in 2012-13. Students of two or more races did not receive any Pharm.D.2 degrees in 2012-13. The percentage of Pharm.D.2 degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 19.8 percent, up from 11.7 percent in 2011-12 [Table 8].
Percentage of Postbaccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.2) Recipients 1980-2013 by Race/Ethnicity
Graduate Degrees Conferred
The number of master of science (M.S.) degrees conferred has shown annual fluctuations over the 48 years data have been consistently gathered and reported [Table 3]. The number of M.S. degrees conferred decreased from 681 in 2011-12 to 655 in 2012-13, a 3.8 percent decrease. The number of Ph.D. degrees conferred increased in 2012-13 to 589 from 497 in 2011-12 (18.5 percent increase) [Table 5].
The highest percentage of M.S. degrees awarded in 2012-13 (44.1 percent) was in pharmaceutics. The second highest percentage of M.S. degrees was in other discipline (15.4 percent); followed by pharmacology (13.0 percent); social and administrative sciences (12.2 percent); pharmacy practice (10.1 percent); and medicinal chemistry (5.2 percent). The highest number of Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2012-13 was in the discipline of pharmaceutics (38.5 percent). The second highest number was in medicinal chemistry (22.1 percent); followed by pharmacology (20.7 percent); social and administrative sciences (8.8 percent); other discipline (6.6 percent); and pharmacy practice (3.2 percent) [Table 9].
Summary of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees Conferred 2012-13 by Gender and Discipline
More women than men earned M.S. degrees (women, 59.5 percent; men, 40.5 percent) and Ph.D. degrees (women, 50.3 percent; men, 49.7 percent) in 2012-13. 2012-13 was only the second academic year since AACP began collecting data that women received more Ph.D. degrees than men. The percentage of women receiving Ph.D. degrees in 2012-13 increased from 44.7 percent in 2011-12. The share of Ph.D. degrees received by women has grown substantially from 18.0 percent in 1979-80 [Table 6]. This increase can be partially attributed to an increase in the number of foreign females receiving Ph.D. degrees [Table 10].
Number of Doctor of Philosophy Degrees (Ph.D.) Conferred 1980-2013 by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Underrepresented minorities received 6.6 percent of the M.S. degrees conferred in 2012-13 (black, 3.7 percent; Hispanic, 2.3 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.2 percent; American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.5 percent), a slight increase from 6.5 percent in 2011-12. Asian Americans received 11.0 percent of the M.S. degrees conferred, down from 11.9 percent in 2011-12. The percentage of M.S. degree recipients who were of two or more races was 1.1 percent and the percent of degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 48.7 percent, up from 45.4 percent in 2011-12 [Table 11].
Percentage of Master of Science (M.S.) Degree Recipients 1990-2013 by Race/Ethnicity
Underrepresented minorities earned 7.3 percent of the Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2012-13 (black, 3.7 percent; Hispanic, 3.4 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.0 percent; American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.2 percent), a decrease from 9.3 percent in 2011-12. Asian Americans earned 11.5 percent of the Ph.D. degrees awarded. The percentage of Ph.D. degree recipients who were of two or more races was 1.5 percent and the percentage of degree recipients that were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 49.6 percent, up from 42.3 percent in 2011-12 [Table 12].
Percentage of Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) Recipients 1980-2013 by Race/Ethnicity
FALL 2013 ENROLLMENTS
The 2013 Professional Degree Enrollment and Graduate Degree Enrollment Surveys were conducted online in October 2013, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at each of the 130 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. Submission of the data was requested by December 2013. After follow-up correspondence, 127 colleges and schools (97.7 percent) submitted the requested information.
Professional Degree Programs
Fall 2013 enrollments in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs (n=62,743) represented a 2.4 percent increase from enrollments in fall 2012 (n=61,275) [Table 13]. In fall 2013, 61.2 percent of the students enrolled in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs were females and 38.8 percent were males [Table 14].
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs 1980-2013
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs by Gender 1980-2013
White Americans comprised the majority (53.2 percent) of students enrolled in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs. Asian Americans accounted for 24.6 percent; black Americans, 7.0 percent; Hispanic Americans, 4.3 percent; Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders, 0.3 percent; American Indians/Alaska Natives, 0.4 percent; and international/foreign students, 3.2 percent. Students that identified as two or more races accounted for 1.9 percent of all first professional degree enrollments. Over five percent (5.3 percent) of enrollees were listed as race/ethnicity unknown. Enrollments of underrepresented minorities (black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native) as a percentage of total enrollments in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs decreased from fall 2012 to fall 2013 (12.4 percent in fall 2012 compared to 11.9 percent in fall 2013) [Table 15].
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs by Race/Ethnicity 1980-2013
Fourteen colleges and schools reported 1,118 students who already held a baccalaureate in pharmacy enrolled in doctor of pharmacy degree programs (Pharm.D.2). This was a decrease of 11.3 percent from fall 2012. Underrepresented minorities accounted for 18.8 percent of these students (black, 14.6 percent; Hispanic, 3.8 percent; Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islander, 0.1 percent; American Indians/Alaska Native, 0.4 percent). White Americans comprised 33.1 percent; Asian Americans, 18.5 percent; students of two or more races, 0.1 percent; unknown, 15.3 percent; and foreign students, 14.2 percent.
Graduate Degree Programs
In fall 2013, the discipline of pharmaceutics had the highest percentage of full-time enrollees at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels (41.5 percent and 34.9 percent, respectively). At the master's level, 20.5 percent of the students were in enrolled in pharmacology programs; 15.8 percent in social and administrative sciences programs; 8.6 percent in medicinal chemistry programs; 7.2 percent in pharmacy practice programs; and 6.4 percent in other discipline. At the doctoral level, 24.1 percent of the students were enrolled in medicinal chemistry programs; 19.4 percent in pharmacology programs; 10.7 percent in social and administrative science programs; 7.4 percent in other discipline; and 3.5 percent in pharmacy practice [Table 16].
Summary of Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Fall 2013 Full-Time Enrollments by Gender and Discipline
In fall 2013, more females than males were enrolled full-time in M.S. degree programs (females, 54.3 percent; males, 45.7 percent). Women accounted for 46.7 percent of the students enrolled full-time in Ph.D. programs in 2013, down from 47.8 percent in 2012.
Of the 1,070 students enrolled full-time in M.S. degree programs in fall 2013, the majority (62.4 percent) were foreign students. White Americans comprised 22.1 percent of enrollees and Asian Americans accounted for 7.6 percent. Underrepresented minorities accounted for 5.0 percent of M.S. enrollees (black, 2.7 percent; Hispanic, 1.7 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 0.3 percent American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.4 percent;). Americans of two or more races made up 0.6 percent of enrollees and 2.2 percent of all full-time M.S. degree enrollees were reported as race/ethnicity unknown.
Of the 3,094 students enrolled full-time in Ph.D. degree programs in fall 2013, foreign students were also the largest group, accounting for 51.2 percent of the enrollees. Underrepresented minorities accounted for 7.7 percent of Ph.D. enrollees (black, 4.2 percent; Hispanic Americans, 2.2 percent; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander Americans, 0.5 percent; American Indian/Alaska Natives, 0.8 percent). Nearly 30 percent (29.6 percent) of Ph.D. enrollees were white Americans; Asian Americans accounted for 8.5 percent of the enrollees, and Americans of two or more races account for 0.6 percent. 2.4 percent of all full-time Ph.D. degree enrollees were reported as unknown. Nearly 40 percent (39.7 percent) of full-time and part-time students in Ph.D. programs held a professional pharmacy degree, 10.8 percent of Ph.D. students held a professional pharmacy degree from a U.S. college or school of pharmacy and 28.9 percent held a pharmacy degree conferred by a non-U.S. institution [Table 17].
Fall 2013 Enrollments in Ph.D. Programs by Type of Enrollment (Full-Time, Part-Time), Discipline, and Source of Previous Degree Earneda
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy wishes to express its appreciation to the deans of its member institutions and members of their faculty and staff who devoted their valuable time to complete the surveys that led to this report.
This report is an excerpt from the Profile of Pharmacy Students—Fall 2013, published by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (2014).
- © 2014 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
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