Applying for Pharmacy Admission

Jefferson School of Pharmacy of Thomas Jefferson University has partnered with PharmCAS, The Pharmacy College Application Service, to collect and manage applications to the PharmD program.   To apply, please follow the instructions outlined below.

1. PharmCAS Application

Complete an online application for admission through PharmCAS at www.pharmcas.org . Deadline – March 2, 2009
As part of the PharmCAS application, you must send the following to PharmCAS:

• Official Transcripts
  Submit an official transcript for each undergraduate and graduate institution you have attended directly to PharmCAS carefully following their instructions.
   
  Transcripts originating from academic institutions outside of the U.S. must be translated and a course-by-course evaluation performed by the World Education Services (WES) or comparable credential evaluation service.  The evaluated transcripts must be sent directly to PharmCAS.Please contact WES at:
• World Education services
  P.O. Box 745
  Old Chelsea Station
  New York, NY 10113-0745
  www.wes.org
  
  
• Two Letters of Recommendation. You must submit two letters of recommendation. 
  Follow the Letters of Reference instructions on the PharmCAS website to submit your recommendation letters. Please contact PharmCAS if you have any questions.
• Essay. Complete the essay found the PharmCAS application.
• Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) scores. Official, original PCAT scores should be sent directly to PharmCAS. PharmCAS will match your PCAT scores according to your Social Security number, therefore you must include your SSN on your PCAT registration form.   Use PCAT school code 104.

You must apply through PharmCAS before you can proceed to step 2 and submit the Jefferson Supplemental Application.

2. Jefferson Supplemental Online Application and Fee

After you have completed the PharmCAS application, Jefferson will email you a link to the supplemental application along with a login ID to access the application. You will receive a separate email with your PIN.

You must include your PharmCAS ID number and the date you completed the PharmCAS application on the Jefferson application.

The $25 supplemental application fee must be paid with a credit card.   

Demonstration of English Language Proficiency

All international students and U.S. permanent residents must demonstrate English language proficiency as one of the conditions for admission to Jefferson’s Pharmacy program. JSP will accept any one of the following items to satisfy the proficiency requirement:

• Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with an overall score of at least 87 and individual section scores as follows: Writing – 21, Speaking – 23, Reading – 21 and Listening – 22.  Request official scores to be sent directly to PharmCAS.
• Baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited U.S. college or university.
• U.S. national or state licensure or certification in a nursing or allied health field.*
• Score of 508 or higher on the Critical Reading (formerly Verbal) section for the SAT for applicants entering JSP directly from high school.
• Native English speaker from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa or United Kingdom.

*Certain certification may not be sufficient to demonstrate proficiency. 

Admissions Decision Dates

Admission to JSP is on a rolling basis.

• To be reviewed for admission, all application materials must be received by PharmCAS prior to the March 2, 2009 deadline.

• Preference is given to complete applications that meet the postmark dates; however, we will accept applications as long as space is available.

JSP will begin notifying applicants of admission decisions after December 15, 2008.

Criminal Background Check/Child Abuse Clearance

Students who are offered admission to Jefferson are required to have a criminal background check and child abuse clearance. Complete instructions on obtaining and forwarding these documents will be provided to students who are offered admission.

Clinical rotation and fieldwork sites that require a criminal background check and/or child abuse clearance may deny a student’s participation in the clinical experience, rotation or fieldwork because of a felony or misdemeanor conviction or a record of child abuse. Clinical sites may also   deny participation in clinical experience for other reasons, such as failure of a required drug test, or inability to produce an appropriate health clearance. As participation in clinical experiences, rotations or fieldwork is a required part of the curriculum and a requirement for graduation, denial of participation by a clinical site may result in delay of graduation or the inability to graduate from the program.

Regardless of whether or not a student graduates from Jefferson, individuals who have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be denied certification or licensure as a health professional. Information regarding individual eligibility may be obtained from the appropriate credentialing bodies.

Accreditation Disclosure Statement

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE - http://www.acpe-accredit.org) accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites.  For a Doctor of Pharmacy program offered by a new College or School of Pharmacy, ACPE accreditation involves three steps: Precandidate status, Candidate status, and Full accreditation.  Precandidate accreditation status denotes a developmental program, which is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period.  Precandidate status is awarded to a new program of a College or School of Pharmacy that has not yet enrolled students in the professional program, and authorizes the college or school to admit its first class.  Candidate accreditation status is awarded to a Doctor of Pharmacy program that has students enrolled, but has not yet had a graduating class.  Full accreditation is awarded to a program that has met all ACPE standards for accreditation and has graduated its first class.  Graduates of a class designated as having Candidate status have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program.  ACPE conveys its decision to the various boards of pharmacy and makes recommendations in accord with its decisions.  It should be noted, however, that decisions concerning eligibility for licensure, by examination or reciprocity, reside with the respective boards of pharmacy in accordance with the statues and administrative rules.

The Doctor of Pharmacy Program of the Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson School of Pharmacy was awarded Precandidate accreditation status during the January 9-13, 2008 meeting of the ACPE Board of Directors, based upon an on-site evaluation conducted November 6-8, 2007, and discussion with institution and school officials.  Following the enrollment of the inaugural class of students in Fall 2008, an on-site evaluation will be scheduled during the academic year 2008-2009 for purposes of gathering additional information to be considered in the Board’s consideration of advancement to Candidate accreditation status. Based upon this evaluation, should the Board feel that Candidate status cannot be conferred, the School could respond to the Board’s concerns and reapply prior to the graduation of the first class. If Candidate status is not granted, even after reapplication, graduates may not be eligible for licensure as pharmacists. If Candidate status is granted and the program continues to develop as planned, full accreditation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program would be considered by the Board following the graduation of students from the program.

Go back to Admissions