School chalks up more success in research and education by Dabney Weems The University of Mississippi (UM) School of Pharmacy topped off a stellar year with a No. 5 ranking among pharmacy schools for total extramural funding awarded for research, according to a report compiled by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. During fiscal year 2008, the School of Pharmacy received slightly more than $16 million in total extramural funding, and that amount included $6.09 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). All of these funds are used for specific research projects. “The faculty of the School of Pharmacy continues to be very successful in garnering research funds to support its varied research endeavors,” said Dr. Charles D. Hufford, associate dean for Research and Graduate Programs. The University of California at San Francisco took the top spot with $27.6 million, followed by University of North Carolina, University of Utah, University of Kansas, and Ole Miss. UM is the only Southeastern Conference school listed in the top 15. Included in the $16 million is funding from the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology, and the NIH, among others. Receiving extramural funds from agencies such as NIH is vital to the accomplishment of the School of Pharmacy's research mission and critical to the national reputation of the university and the school. The awards garnered are highly competitive and are used to gauge a pharmacy school’s research program. The success of the research program complements an already solid doctoral educational program for pharmacists. The school reports an average pass rate (on students’ first attempt) exceeding 98 percent, and four of the last seven graduating Doctor of Pharmacy classes had a 100 percent pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination. “These statistics document the impressive success of the School of Pharmacy in accomplishing our educational and research missions,” said pharmacy Dean Barbara G. Wells. “The credit for these achievements goes to dedicated and highly expert faculty and to our competitive students, all of whom are committed to improving the health and quality of life of citizens. These accomplishments attest to the quality and value of pharmacy education at The University of Mississippi.” Back