High Point University

High Point University’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy (FWSOP) (http://www.highpoint.edu/pharmacy/”>www.highpoint.edu/pharmacy/) trains clinicians who are dedicated to patient care in all settings, possess the knowledge and skills to practice pharmacy at the highest level, and conduct cutting-edge research to discover better tools and methods to provide the most advanced care. Our education model is focused on students acquiring basic pharmaceutical knowledge and skills necessary to make quality, critical decisions while experiencing clinical training in various settings. Students who develop the necessary knowledge and skills and are capable communicators will form the core from which the leaders of tomorrow are developed. Our students are the Future of Pharmacy.
FWSOP students have numerous opportunities to gain clinical experience through direct engagement in patient care. Live patient portrayals begin in the first semester and include opportunities for three years of transformational patient relationships. We are committed to personal instruction at the FWSOP; therefore, routine instruction will not be provided via distance education. By design, the FWSOP has the smallest class size in the region providing more patient interactions, more research opportunities, and greater student support.
Early Assurance and PCAT waiver: Applicants with a 3.30 or higher cumulative GPA are eligible for our Early Assurance program and are not required to take the PCAT. Applicants meeting the 3.30 GPA criterion must apply through PharmCAS Early Decision to be considered for Early Assurance. In addition to the PCAT waiver, Early Assurance applicants will receive priority interviews and a reduced deposit if admitted. Applicants not admitted through the Early Assurance program are required to take the PCAT.
Admissions: The FWSOP uses a holistic approach to evaluate applicants. In addition to a PharmCAS application, applicants must submit a supplemental application which can be found at http://www.highpoint.edu/pharmacy/supplemental-application/”>http://www.highpoint.edu/pharmacy/supplemental-application/. Grade Point Averages (GPA) are calculated for all pre-pharmacy courses (Overall GPA) and a Core GPA calculated from required math and science courses (general chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology, anatomy/physiology, and calculus). The preferred minimum Cumulative and Core GPAs are 2.60 on a 4.00 scale. PCAT scores are also required for consideration of non-Early Assurance applicants but there is no minimum PCAT score required to apply. Nonacademic factors considered include written communication skills, interview performance, letters of reference, diversity, pharmacy practice experience, and involvement in extracurricular activities. Candidate interviews occur on campus during scheduled interview days to assess communication and critical thinking skills. Applicants interview with at least two faculty members and interact with other faculty members and FWSOP students during the day.
Mission/Vision: The mission of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy is to provide an extraordinary pharmacy education through the integration of biomedical and clinical sciences that enables future pharmacists to excel in a dynamic health care environment as a member of the health care team. The School’s vision is to be a premier school of pharmacy advancing education and research that prepares compassionate and inspired health care leaders for the local and global communities.
Curriculum: The FWSOP has taken an integrative approach in the design of the professional curriculum. The philosophy of our curriculum is that the blending of basic and clinical sciences with application-based learning experiences consolidates information into patient-oriented actions and create a rich learning environment. The close collaboration of faculty members results in basic pharmaceutical science material (medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceutics) being taught in parallel with corresponding clinical content that is linked by application-based courses. The curricular design and faculty collaboration drive the integration of the basic pharmaceutical sciences and the applied clinical sciences so that students assimilate all aspects of their training into patient care plans. Certificate electives are designed to create an expertise in selected disease states while teaching a process of learning that can be used throughout a student’s professional career.
High Point University: In 2017, HPU opened a state-of-the-art 210,000 square foot Pharmacy and Health Sciences building with more than 65,000 square feet dedicated to pharmacy education and research. The building contains different types of learning space to allow for various learning and teaching styles. It is designed to foster interprofessional education among the health professions programs on campus while facilitating modern biomedical research in all of the pharmacy disciplines.
HPU was founded in 1924 in High Point, NC. Since 2005, HPU has invested more than $2 billion in academics, facilities, student life, technology, and scholarships. This includes a $120 million investment to develop the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and the Congdon School of Health Sciences. The original 92-acre campus has grown to 440 acres with 90 new or recently renovated academic, residential, student life, and athletic facilities. Approximately 5,000 students are enrolled in a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. For a virtual campus tour, visit http://www.highpoint.edu/admissions/%23virtualtour”>http://www.highpoint.edu/admissions/#virtualtour.
Location: High Point, North Carolina, is part of the Piedmont Triad region that includes Greensboro and Winston-Salem. High Point has a population of 104,000 and the Piedmont Triad is home to more than 1.9 million people. Outdoors enthusiasts are about three hours from the Appalachian Trail and four hours from beautiful North Carolina beaches. Interstate highways 40 and 85 are easily accessible from the campus providing easy access to Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. The Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) is 15 miles north of the campus and has direct flights to New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and other major cities.
HPU Innovator in Residence Steve Wozniak with School of Pharmacy students