News

By Dr. Elizabeth Brito, Assistant Dean, LECOM School of Pharmacy — Bradenton

Key Takeaways

• LECOM pharmacy students are consistently praised by rotation preceptors for professionalism and clinical readiness
• Professionalism at LECOM is not an afterthought; it is practiced from year one through standards, communication training, and patient counseling
• Distance education students perform on the NAPLEX licensure exam at the same level as in-person students, and sometimes better
• The real-world rotation year is where years of classroom learning clicks into practice
• Graduating with a professional mindset is just as important as graduating with pharmaceutical knowledge

Students sometimes push back on the dress code. I get it. You are in school, you are young, and you want to be comfortable. But what I tell them is that the dress code is not arbitrary, it is preparation. When they get to their rotation year and walk into a hospital or a pharmacy, they are already operating like professionals before anyone has asked them to.

The feedback we receive from preceptors is remarkably consistent: our students are professional, they handle situations well, and they know how to counsel a patient. They are not scrambling to figure out how to carry themselves in a clinical environment because they have been practicing those standards for years. That does not happen by accident, and it starts from the very first semester.

A lot of people assume that what pharmacy school does is fill your head with drug knowledge, and yes, you will learn a tremendous amount of pharmacology and clinical science. But our graduates walk into real settings and work with real patients, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists from day one after graduation. The knowledge matters enormously, and how you carry it into those settings matters just as much.

I also want to address something about the distance education pathway specifically, because this question comes up often. There is a persistent myth that learning online means receiving a lesser education. That is simply not true. Our distance education students perform on the NAPLEX licensure exam at the same level as in-person students, and sometimes better. I believe that is directly tied to the self-motivation those students bring to the format. They have to be disciplined and self-directed to succeed, and those same traits serve them extremely well when they enter the workforce.

What makes me most proud is not just seeing students graduate, but knowing that many of them have jobs already lined up before graduation day. They walk across that stage ready, and the preceptors and hiring pharmacists who have worked with them know it. After four years of watching them grow, we know it too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do LECOM pharmacy graduates perform on the NAPLEX licensure exam?

LECOM pharmacy graduates across all pathways, including distance education, perform at strong rates on the NAPLEX. Distance students in particular often perform comparably to or better than in-person students, which faculty attribute to the high level of self-motivation the format requires.

Q: What do pharmacy preceptors say about LECOM students on rotation?

Preceptors consistently note that LECOM students arrive at rotation sites with strong professionalism, effective patient communication skills, and the ability to handle real-world situations confidently. This is attributed to professionalism standards embedded in the curriculum from the start.

Q: Why does LECOM have a dress code for pharmacy students?

The dress code prepares students to operate professionally before they reach clinical settings. By practicing professional standards throughout the program, students arrive at rotations already comfortable with the expectations of healthcare environments.

Q: Are LECOM distance pharmacy students at a disadvantage compared to in-person students?

No. Distance education students complete equivalent coursework, participate in required on-campus labs, and sit for the same licensure exams. Their academic and licensure outcomes reflect a rigorous, high-quality education.

Q: Do LECOM pharmacy students have jobs before they graduate?

Many LECOM pharmacy graduates have employment secured before graduation, a reflection of the professional preparation they receive throughout the program and the relationships built during clinical rotations.