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History, Mission, & Values

MUSC College of Pharmacy Historical Highlights

MUSC Pharmacy has been around since the Chester Arthur administration, just three years after Thomas Edison was credited with inventing the first light bulb.

The MUSC pharmacy program was first established in 1881 and, for more than 140 years, it has been an innovator in pharmacy education. It was the first college in the country to require a clinical experience for its undergraduates and the first to require that its clinical instructors be practitioners. It was the first college in the Southeast to have an American Society of Health-system Pharmacists accredited residency program.

An early advocate for interprofessional education and technology adoption, it has remained a leader in expanding boundaries and ideas. MUSC’s first female professor, Mary Maxine Larisey, Ph.D., was in the College of Pharmacy. One of MUSC’s first two African-American graduates, James Hodges, earned his degree in the College of Pharmacy.

The program leading to a bachelor’s degree began in 1936, the doctor of pharmacy program began in 1973, and the Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences began in 1982.

  • Today, U.S. News & World Report ranks the MUSC pharmacy program among the top 25 percent for pharmacy education.
  • The College of Pharmacy enrolls around 280 students in the Pharm.D. program. It also offers the Ph.D. program (with the College of Graduate Studies), and concurrent degree programs Pharm.D/Ph.D., Pharm.D./MSHI, and Pharm.D./MBA (with The Citadel).
  • In addition, the College of Pharmacy remains closely affiliated with one of the largest and most respected pharmacy residency programs in the country.
  • In 2023, after 80 years in the historic Michael P. Araneo Building on Calhoun Street, the College of Pharmacy moved into a brand new facility in the heart of the MUSC campus

Read more about the history of the MUSC College of Pharmacy.

Our Mission

The mission of the MUSC College of Pharmacy is to lead pharmacy education, scientific discovery, and patient care in South Carolina and globally.

Our Core Values

  • Compassion
  • Collaboration
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Innovation

Our Vision

Improving lives through innovative education, research, and patient care.

Our Goals

  • To deliver a PharmD program that sets the standard for quality education, innovation, and student success.
  • To cultivate a student-centered environment at the MUSC College of Pharmacy that empowers, supports, and enhances the success of every student throughout their academic journey and beyond.
  • To position the MUSC College of Pharmacy as a hub of innovative research and scholarship that advances the field of pharmacy and healthcare, drives scientific discovery, enhances teaching, and improves patient outcomes.
  • To leverage the expertise and resources of the College of Pharmacy to significantly increase the College of Pharmacy’s role in delivering clinical services within MUSC Health while advancing healthcare outcomes and education.
  • To enhance the College's influence and visibility through increased advocacy efforts and improved branding and public awareness.