Virginia's only three-year accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy program serving rural and underserved Appalachian communities.
ACP offers a three-year accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program requiring a minimum of 140 credits and over 1,700 hours of experiential coursework. The college also confers Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) and Certified Pharmacy Technician credentials. Didactic coursework is concentrated in the first two years, with the majority of experiential coursework occurring during the third year. ACP does not require the PCAT or other entrance exams; applicants need only 72 hours of prerequisite coursework.
The main campus in Oakwood spans over eight acres and includes Garden Hall (a renovated 1940 Civilian Conservation Corps building with 25,000 sq ft) and McGlothlin Hall (30,000 sq ft academic facility opened 2009). The college operates the Mountain Care Center, a community clinic providing medication therapy management, health screenings, and prescription assistance. Students must complete 150 hours of community service as a graduation requirement through the Pharmacists in Community Service (PICS) program. ACP has eleven student organizations including professional pharmacy associations and honor societies.
Applicants must submit applications through PharmCAS and complete a supplemental application directly to ACP. The college began accepting international applicants in April 2014. For Fall 2024, priority consideration deadline was January 4, 2024, with regular deadline June 3, 2024. Early Assurance Pathways are available for qualified candidates. No bachelor's degree is required; only 72 hours of prerequisite coursework is needed.
NAPLEX pass rates have varied significantly: the Class of 2015 achieved 95.89% first-attempt pass rate (highest in Virginia); Class of 2014 achieved 95.65%; Class of 2019 achieved 79.4%; Class of 2021 achieved 66%. A PGY-1 community-based residency program began in 2011 and received full ASHP accreditation in 2014; nine pharmacists have completed residencies as of 2022. The college estimates its $100K Advantage: students save one year of tuition and begin earning income one year earlier than four-year program graduates.