Categorized | Education

Positive accreditation review for UH-Hilo

MEDIA RELEASE

The national agency responsible for providing full accreditation in 2011 to the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s College of Pharmacy affirmed the candidate accreditation status of the college during its June board of directors meeting.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) reviewed the College of Pharmacy’s interim report, which was submitted March 25. Issues that the board considered in the review included admission criteria, policies and procedures, faculty and staff continuing professional development and performance review, physical facilities, and practice facilities.

“When we started the College of Pharmacy in 2006, we prepared ourselves for years of meeting a series of steps to achieve full accreditation, which cannot be awarded until the first class graduates in 2011,” said Dean John M. Pezzuto. “The positive outcome of this review is an important milestone, but it’s not the final one. There is still much work to be done in areas such as securing permanent housing and identifying pharmaceutical locations for our students to gain training, and we still depend on universal support.”

In its approval report, the board cited:

* revision of the admissions interview process and the mix of resident and non-resident students currently enrolled;

* the offering of biannual events for preceptor (professional mentor) support and development and the training to be offered in-person and via podcast;

* that the construction of the modular facility to be used by the College is currently underway and that the State Legislature has approved funds for the planning and design for a permanent structure for the College; and

* the introductory pharmacy practice experience rotations are currently in place and that work continues to secure sufficient sites for the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences.

The college is scheduled for an on-site evaluation March 23-24, 2010. The purpose of the evaluation is to consider the college for its final year with candidate accreditation status before becoming fully accredited the following year.

“In this beleaguered economy, it’s nice to have good news about the direction we started so many years ago, especially because we know the College of Pharmacy has had a positive economic impact on our state,” said UH Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng. “Our citizens still need quality patient care services, still need medications. By educating healthcare professionals and addressing a shortage of pharmacists, UH Hilo has the ability to help shape the face of healthcare in our country as healthcare policies undergo a major transformation.”

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