Pharmacy
Union's small class size ensures individualized focus for each student to optimize the learning experience. Our curriculum exposes students to more real-world practice experiences by starting introductory experiential education at clinical sites in the first year. Students begin full-time advanced rotations after only 2.5 years in the classroom. Our innovative approach to pharmacy education also incorporates high-fidelity simulation in our Center for Excellence in Healthcare Practice as well as integration of actual patient care into didactic coursework.
Accreditation
Union University's Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Examinations/Licensure Requirements
The NAPLEX®, or North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination®, measures a candidate's knowledge of the practice of pharmacy. It is just one component of the licensure process and is used by the boards of pharmacy as part of their assessment of a candidate's competence to practice as a pharmacist. The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) combines federal- and state-specific questions to test the pharmacy jurisprudence knowledge of prospective pharmacists. It serves as the pharmacy law examination in participating jurisdictions and tests a candidate's mastery of pharmacy law. The MPJE is specific to each state. The number of internship hours required by each state may also differ. Each state board of pharmacy has a set of requirements for a pharmacist seeking licensure. Once you take the NAPLEX, if you achieve a passing score and meet all the licensure requirements of the primary state or jurisdiction where you are seeking licensure, then you will be licensed in that state. Meeting licensure requirements in the additional states for which you may request a score transfer is up to you — if you then decide to pursue licensure, the board of pharmacy will have your score on record.
License Transfer
Each state board of pharmacy has a set of requirements that a pharmacist seeking licensure transfer must meet before the board will issue a license to practice pharmacy. Before submitting an application for licensure transfer, review the requirements for all states where you wish to transfer your license. Some states require an appearance before the board, a criminal background check, and/or a state transfer application. A few jurisdictions require a state law examination other than NABP's Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination. In addition, some states require that you pass the MPJE before submitting your licensure transfer application. Many states require you to apply for licensure within 1 to 2 years of receiving your score. The Doctor of Pharmacy program meets educational requirements to sit for the NAPLEX and the MPJE in Tennessee, but we strongly recommend you inquire with your program director and with the applicable state board to confirm your eligibility for licensure in another state.