Ferris State University College of Pharmacy class of 2025 has been ranked in the top 20 nationally with a 94% pass rate for its license exams.
The College of Health Professions has been ranked nationally since 2025. The college prides itself on its commitment and dedication to the students.
Dean and Professor of the College of Pharmacy, Stephen Durst, is grateful for the support that has gotten the program so far.
“Our commitment is graduating, educating and training our graduates. Whether that’s in community pharmacy, hospital or other practice areas, we’ve had that commitment since 1893,” Durst said.
He explains that he works hard every day to maintain the college’s standards, but it wouldn’t be possible without the faculty, students, and alumni.
“We all come together to make it happen,” Durst said.
He mentioned that the commitment to the students is what distinguishes the program from others.
In order to achieve a top ranking, many factors come into play.
“Our passing rate dropped to around average, and that’s not good enough for us,” Durst said. “So students and faculty added extra material and additional studies. We did more assessments of the students to help them retain information and be better prepared.”
Durst mentioned that the success stems not just from exam scores, but also from students wanting to do well, not just on the board exam but throughout their professional careers. Durst described how there are many resources available to help students. Including the office of student success and extensive preparation for the North American Pharmacy Licensure Exam. The exam is similar to the Board Exam and offers early exposure and practice. Allowing students to gain an understanding of where they need to concentrate their studies.
In addition to this, the faculty put together review sessions for students, ensuring readiness for their exam.
But students aren’t just making strides in the classroom, as they are making their mark in the real world as well.
“The college has always been recognized for well-prepared graduates. We hear a lot from employers. The comments I receive are consistently the same,” Durst said. “When a Ferris graduate is assigned to their clinical experience, the level of preparedness is noticeably different from other institutions.”
He said that Alumni are very interactive with students even after graduation. Those connections and partnerships help students with internships and networking.
It isn’t just the faculty that enjoy their time in the program, but students as well.
Dental hygiene freshman Aylssa Mason made her decision after hearing about the program at Ferris.
“It’s pretty cool to know we have a good health care program and reputation,” Mason said. “I feel I have gotten a really good education here.”
Her friend, who is also in the Dental hygiene program, Jillian Schram, attended for similar reasons.
“I live three hours away. I applied because when you look up the best dental hygiene schools in michigan Ferris comes up at the top,” Schram said.
She explains that she has learned a lot at Ferris, especially when she did her job shadowing.
“I felt well prepared and understood a lot of stuff they told me. It was really fun. I job-shadowed before going into the program, and now that I am in it, I actually understand what I am doing,” Schram said. “I wanted to do health care, but I used to be afraid of the dentist. Then I switched to a different hygienist who actually took the time to explain things to me and educate me.”
She explains that she wants to help others who may be afraid of their fears and overcome some of that anxiety. She mentions patient education is very important and is currently lacking in healthcare.
Those interested can look at Ferris360 and Contact Stephen Durst, the head of the program. The pharmacy building also offers twice-a-year cleaning, available to all students.