ETSU’s student pharmacists from the Class of 2025 have achieved some of the highest passing rates for their licensure exams. This placed the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy as one of the top five accredited pharmacy schools in the nation according to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
The top exam pass rates included both the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).
The NAPLEX is the main pharmacy board exam and is required in every state for someone seeking to become a pharmacist. Gatton’s Class of 2025 achieved a pass rate of 97.7%, surpassing their Class of 2023’s 95.4%, which ranked second in the nation. The 2025 national average for the NAPLEX pass rate was at 85.7%.
The MPJE is focused on knowledge of pharmacy laws and regulations and is required in most states, including Tennessee, for licensure. The Class of 2025 received a 96% pass rate and ranked fourth in the nation.
Gatton College was founded in 2005, with its 20th anniversary earlier this academic year.
“One of the things early on that we did when we were strategic planning was we said we wanted to be a national leader in pharmacy education. And 20 years later, I think the record speaks for itself,” said David Stewart, professor and associate dean for assessment and academic affairs at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.
In 2019, Gatton began working towards making revisions to the curriculum and implementing more ways to increase student support, setting students up for long-term success. These changes have been reflected in both the 2023 and 2025 pass rates.
In 2023, Gatton received their first state funding allocation and was able to decrease tuition costs for in-state students by over $10,000 per year, helping to lessen the financial burden for current and future students. While this has been a recent change, they have already seen an increase in students choosing ETSU for its pharmacy program.
Beyond their high licensure exam rates, the pharmacy students have continued to demonstrate the quality of their education in many other ways. The student chapter of the American Pharmacists Association (APA) has been recognized for 12 consecutive years at either national or regional levels for the work they’ve done with Operation Substance Use Disorder. They have also been recognized by the APA as the top chapter in the country five times. Gatton is one of only a few colleges to have won the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Clinical Skills Challenge twice.
“I think what sets our college apart from any other college of pharmacy in the country is the faculty and staff. They care about their education and about what’s going on in their lives. They want to see you be successful,” Stewart said. “Those relationships lead to a sense of belonging and a better educational experience. I think it helps make you a better professional and learn how to care for people in the future.”
