This report presents data that describe the 2004-05 pharmacy application pool, degrees conferred in 2004-05, and fall 2005 pharmacy program enrollments. Data for this report were requested from the 92 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) using five separate survey instruments.

Through June 2005, there were two professional education programs at U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy: one leading to a baccalaureate in pharmacy and the other leading to the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. For the purpose of this report, students in doctor of pharmacy programs are categorized under Pharm.D.1 when the program leads to a doctor of pharmacy degree conferred as the first professional degree. Students who have already received a baccalaureate in pharmacy and are enrolled in a doctor of pharmacy degree program are categorized under Pharm.D.2.

The following definitions refer to the race/ethnicity groups as used in this report. White, black or African American, and Hispanic or Latino refer to students of the respective race/ethnicity who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories. The Asian, native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander group includes students who are Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Asian Indian, Guamanian, Samoan, or Pacific Islanders who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories. The American Indian or Alaska native classification includes Native Americans, Eskimos, and Aleuts who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories. Students listed under Other are those who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories, but for whom race/ethnicity is unknown. Included in Foreign are all students who are foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S., regardless of race/ethnicity.

The 2004-05 Application Pool Survey was conducted online in October 2005, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the dean at each of the 92 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. After follow-up correspondence and telephone calls, 91 colleges and schools (98.9 percent) submitted the requested information. The Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) provided application data for the 28 full-participating colleges and schools of pharmacy. Included in the application pool are students who applied for admission and submitted all required application materials between September 2004 and August 2005 for the entering class of fall 2005. Numbers reported represent the number of applications, not applicants, and may represent multiple applications submitted by individual applicants.

During the period September 2004 through August 2005, the 91 reporting institutions received 79,135 applications for admission. When compared with entering class enrollment data for fall 2005 at these institutions, the resultant ratio was 7.4 applications received for every one entering student enrolled. The corresponding data for the 88 colleges and schools reporting for the same period in 2003-04 were 77,933 applications received; 7.0 applications for every one entering student enrolled in fall 2003. For the 88 colleges and schools reporting application data for both 2003-04 and 2004-05, there was a 7.1 percent increase in the number of applications received. This is the fifth annual increase after six consecutive decreases.

In 2004-05, females submitted 59.3 percent of the applications to pharmacy colleges and schools; males submitted 37.1 percent; gender unknown/not reported submitted 3.5 percent. White Americans submitted 41.4 percent of the applications. Asian Americans submitted 29.1 percent of the applications. Underrepresented minorities submitted 11.2 percent of the applications (black, 6.9 percent; Hispanic, 3.9 percent; American Indian, 0.4 percent). Over 4 percent (4.7 percent) of the applications to the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree pharmacy programs were submitted by foreign, nonpermanent residents [tbl1]. For the second consecutive year, colleges and schools of pharmacy received more applications from out-of-state residents (52.5 percent) compared to 47.5 percent from in-state residents. This increase in out-of-state applicants can be attributed to the ease of applying to colleges and schools of pharmacy in different states through PharmCAS.

Over 45 percent (46.2 percent) of the applications to the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs were submitted by individuals who had previously obtained a baccalaureate degree or higher (baccalaureate, 43.4 percent; master's, 2.2 percent; doctorate, 0.6 percent), up from 38.9 percent the previous year [tbl2]. Over 70 percent (70.2 percent) of the applications to colleges and schools of pharmacy were submitted by individuals who had 3 or more years of postsecondary experience.

The 2004-05 Professional Degrees Conferred and Graduate Degrees Conferred surveys were conducted online in October 2005, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the dean at each of the 92 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. Submission of the data was requested by December 16, 2005. After follow-up correspondence and telephone calls, a 100 percent response for each survey was achieved.

Numbers of degrees conferred by U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy from 1961 to 2005 are presented in tbl3.

In 2004-05, 85 colleges and schools conferred the doctor of pharmacy as a first professional degree (Pharm.D.1). Of those institutions, 7 conferred both the baccalaureate and Pharm.D.1 degrees. Graduating baccalaureate class sizes in 2004-05 ranged from 1 student to 10 students (median, 3 students). Graduating Pharm.D.1 class sizes ranged from 35 students to 231 students (median, 92 students). Seven of the 92 colleges and schools of pharmacy did not confer degrees in 2004-05: all were new programs whose students had not yet progressed through the entire curriculum (Loma Linda, Touro, California-San Diego, South, Southern Illinois, Wingate, and Appalachia).

Of the first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools of pharmacy in 2004-05 (n = 8,242), 99.7 percent were Pharm.D.1 degrees and 0.3 percent were baccalaureates. Pharm.D.1 degrees conferred in 2003-04 accounted for 95.2 percent of the first professional degrees conferred [tbl4]. The total number of first professional degrees conferred in 2004-05 represented an 1.3 percent increase from the total number of first professional degrees conferred in 2003-04 [tbl5]. The number of first professional degrees conferred in 2004-05 is the highest since 1977 when the number peaked at 8,011.

In 1979-80, men received 59.5 percent of the first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools of pharmacy and women received 40.5 percent. Over the past 25 years, these percentages have shifted dramatically, and in 2004-05, men received 31.9 percent of the first professional degrees conferred, and 68.1 percent of these degrees were received by women [tbl6].

White Americans received 60.8 percent of first professional degrees conferred in 2004-05. Underrepresented minorities received 13.7 percent of the first professional degrees conferred in 2004-05 (black, 8.7 percent; Hispanic, 4.4 percent; American Indian, 0.6 percent). Asian Americans received 20.4 percent of the first professional degrees. The percentage of first professional degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 2.4 percent. [tbl7].

To gain a perspective on the attrition of students from classes as they move toward graduation, first professional degree enrollments for the class of 2005 in 2002-03 (when students were in the third to last year of the program) were compared with the number of students awarded a first professional degree in 2005. This attrition estimate shows a loss of 4.3 percent over the three years. The losses for the several previous years were 1.3 percent (2004), 1.5 percent (2003), 2.5 percent (2002), 4.8 percent (2001), 13.3 percent (2000), 8 percent (1999), 11.4 percent (1998), and 12.3 percent (1997). However, as calculated, it may not represent a true measure of attrition as some students may have experienced difficulty (academic, health, etc.) and only delayed progress toward graduation.

Forty (40) colleges and schools conferred the Pharm.D. degree to postbaccalaureate students in 2004-05. The number of graduates per institution ranged from 1 to 171 students. The number of doctor of pharmacy degrees conferred as postbaccalaureate degrees (Pharm.D.2) decreased by 11.6 percent to 668 in 2004-05 from 756 in 2003-04 [tbl5]. More women than men received Pharm.D.2 degrees in 2004-05 (women, 63.9 percent; men, 36.1 percent) [tbl6].

White Americans received 52.5 percent of Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred in 2004-05. Underrepresented minorities received 16.6 percent of the Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred (black, 8.2 percent; Hispanic, 7.9 percent; American Indian, 0.4 percent). Asian Americans received 12.9 percent of the Pharm.D.2 degrees conferred in 2004-05. The percentage of Pharm.D.2 degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 5.4 percent, up from 5.0 percent in 2003-04 [tbl8].

The number of master of science (M.S.) degrees conferred has shown annual fluctuations over the 43 years data have been consistently gathered and reported [tbl3]. The number of M.S. degrees conferred decreased from 651 in 2003-04 to 626 in 2004-05, a 3.8 percent decrease. The number of Ph.D. degrees conferred increased in 2004-05 to 429 from 335 in 2003-04 (28.1 percent increase) [tbl5].

The highest percentage of M.S. degrees awarded in 2004-05 (32.1 percent) was in the other discipline (quality assurance & regulatory affairs, biomedical writing/bioinformatics, public health and pharmaceutical & biomedical science). The next highest percentage of M.S. degrees was in pharmaceutics (21.4 percent), followed by social and administrative sciences (19.8 percent), pharmacology (11.3 percent), pharmacy practice (9.3 percent), and medicinal chemistry (6.1 percent). The highest number of Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2004-05 was in the discipline of pharmaceutics (43.1 percent). The next highest number was in medicinal chemistry (24.5 percent), followed by pharmacology (16.6 percent), social and administrative sciences (11.0 percent), other: biological & medical informatics and pharmaceutical & biomedical science (3.3 percent), and pharmacy practice (1.6 percent) [tbl9].

More women than men earned M.S. degrees (women, 62.8 percent; men, 37.2 percent) in 2004-05, while men earned slightly more Ph.D. degrees than women (men, 50.1 percent; women 49.9 percent). The percentage of women receiving Ph.D. degrees in 2004-05 increased from 47.5 percent in 2003-04. This share of Ph.D. degrees received by women has grown from 18.0 percent in 1979-80 [tbl6]. This increase can be attributed to an increase in the number of foreign females receiving Ph.D. degrees. Black, Hispanic, and American Indian women have tended to be poorly represented as Ph.D. recipients. In 2004-05, nine black women, three Hispanic women and one American Indian woman received Ph.D.s. From 1979-80 to 2004-05, 97 Ph.D. degrees were conferred to black women, 35 to Hispanic women, and two to American Indian women [tbl10].

Underrepresented minorities received 10.1 percent of the M.S. degrees conferred in 2004-05 (black, 6.7 percent; Hispanic, 3.0 percent; American Indian, 0.3 percent), a decrease from 12.0 percent in 2003-04. Asian Americans received 12.8 percent of the M.S. degrees conferred, down from 13.7 percent in 2003-04. The percentage of M.S. degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 23.0 percent, down from 25.3 percent in 2003-04 [tbl11].

Underrepresented minorities earned 6.8 percent of the Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2004-05 (black, 4.4 percent; Hispanic, 1.9 percent; American Indian, 0.5 percent), an increase from 4.8 percent in 2003-04. Asian Americans earned 8.2 percent of the Ph.D. degrees awarded. The percentage of Ph.D. degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 58.3 percent, up from 50.7 percent in 2003-04 [tbl12].

The 2005 Professional Degree Enrollment and Graduate Degree Enrollment Surveys were conducted online in October 2005, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the dean at each of the 92 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. Submission of the data was requested by December 16, 2005. Follow-up telephone calls were made to non-responding colleges and schools and to those submitting incomplete data. A 100 percent response rate for both surveys was achieved.

Fall 2005 enrollments in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs (n = 46,527) represented a 6.0 percent increase from enrollments in fall 2004 (n = 43,908) [tbl13]. In fall 2005, 65.5 percent of the students enrolled in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs were females and 34.5 percent were males [tbl14].

White Americans composed the majority (59.9 percent) of students enrolled in the Pharm.D as the first professional degree programs. Asian Americans accounted for 20.8 percent; black Americans, 8.0 percent; Hispanic Americans, 3.8 percent; American Indians, 0.5 percent; and foreign students, 2.2 percent. Almost five percent (4.9 percent) of enrollees were listed as other/unknown. Enrollments of underrepresented minorities (black, Hispanic, American Indian) as a percentage of total enrollments in the Pharm.D. as the first professional degree programs decreased slightly from fall 2004 to fall 2005 (13.0 percent in fall 2004; 12.3 percent in fall 2005) [tbl15].

Forty-four (44) colleges and schools reported 2,883 students who already held a baccalaureate in pharmacy enrolled in doctor of pharmacy degree programs (Pharm.D.2). This was a decrease of 18.9 percent from fall 2004. White Americans composed 55.2 percent; black Americans accounted for 10.7 percent of these students; Hispanic Americans, 3.0 percent; Asian Americans, 11.1 percent; American Indians, 0.5 percent; other/unknown, 8.8 percent; and foreign students, 10.8 percent.

In fall 2005, the discipline of pharmaceutics had the highest number of enrollees at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels (28.8 percent and 38.6 percent, respectively). At the master's level, 21.9 percent of the students were enrolled in social and administrative sciences programs, 20.7 percent in pharmacology programs, 12.8 percent in pharmacy practice programs, 8.9 percent in medicinal chemistry programs, and 6.9 percent in other: pharmaceutical and biomedical science, public health, biomedical writing/bioinformatics, discipline undecided and interdisciplinary studies. At the doctoral level, 28.3 percent of the students were enrolled in medicinal chemistry programs, 19.1 percent in pharmacology programs, 9.3 percent in social and administrative science programs, 2.7 percent in pharmacy practice, and 2.0 percent in other: pharmaceutical and biomedical science, public health and interdisciplinary studies [tbl16].

In fall 2005, more females than males were enrolled in M.S. degree programs (females, 58.4; males, 41.6 percent). Women accounted for 47.3 percent of the students enrolled in Ph.D. programs in 2005, down from 48.8 percent in 2004.

Of the 796 students enrolled full-time in M.S. degree programs in fall 2005, 25.5 percent were white Americans. Foreign students were the largest group, accounting for 39.4 percent of the enrollees. Black Americans accounted for 12.3 percent of the enrollees; Asian Americans, 10.6 percent; Hispanic Americans, 7.7 percent; and American Indians, 0.1 percent.

Of the 2,643 students enrolled full-time in Ph.D. degree programs in fall 2005, foreign students were the largest group, accounting for 48.3 percent of the enrollees. Over thirty (31.7) percent were white Americans. Asian Americans accounted for 8.1 percent of the enrollees; black Americans, 4.7 percent; Hispanic Americans, 2.4 percent; and American Indians 0.2 percent. Almost 38 percent (37.4 percent) of full-time and part-time students in Ph.D. programs held a professional pharmacy degree: 8.6 percent of Ph.D. students held a professional pharmacy degree from a U.S. college or school of pharmacy and 28.8 percent held a pharmacy degree conferred by a non-U.S. institution [tbl17].