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Dean Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D., speaks to the Class of 2029 at last year's white coat ceremony.
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UAMS College of Pharmacy Ranked 31st Nationwide Among U.S. News’ Top Pharmacy Schools for 2026
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) College of Pharmacy was ranked 31st among the nation’s pharmacy programs in U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Pharmacy Programs for 2026.
The rankings, released April 7, place the College of Pharmacy squarely in the top quarter of pharmacy schools nationwide, out of 140 programs.
The college also improved regionally, ranking third among a group of Southern states including Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi, meeting one of its goals for UAMS’ strategic plan. It ranked third in its recruitment region for Pharm.D. students as well.
“The UAMS College of Pharmacy has much to be proud of as one of the top quartile pharmacy programs in the country,” said Dean Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. “This survey shows the impact that our graduates have within the profession nationwide as leaders and strong advocates for pharmacists and patient care. Additionally, this marks the visibility and impact that our student-pharmacists and faculty have within the profession through our research, advocacy and leadership.”
Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., UAMS provost and chief strategy officer who served as dean of the College of Pharmacy from 2003 to 2015, praised the college for its efforts in several areas that contributed to its high ranking.
“Although the College of Pharmacy has a strong, consistent research record, better markers of a successful pharmacy school might be based on the quality of its student experience and the outcomes related to their education,” Gardner said. “In this, the college excels. Over the last two decades, its students consistently impress with their licensure rates and earn national awards for leadership and business plans. We also see those same graduates in many of the top national leadership positions year after year.”
“I think any ranking that takes into account this variety of measures, which make up how a school performs and is viewed by those who understand it best, is of value,” Gardner added. “Being ranked in the top quartile nationally is one of many indicators that UAMS provides an exceptional pharmacy education for our students.”
Approximately 70% of practicing pharmacists in Arkansas are graduates of the UAMS College of Pharmacy.
The college’s commitment to discovery and innovation has propelled its name recognition beyond the state and region. College of Pharmacy researchers are funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, along with other national and international agencies and foundations.
It is one of only 10 universities nationwide offering nuclear pharmacy education, which ensures proper handling of radioactive materials widely used in imaging and treatment. It also houses the Arkansas Poison and Drug Information Center.
As the college excels, it also continues to innovate. Last year it began implementing a new curriculum as a response to the rapidly evolving needs of the profession. The new curriculum front-loads didactic learning for new students, allows for more hands-on lab time, and streamlines their fourth year.
Stowe said that the collective work of many people made the ranking possible.
“Being ranked in the top quarter of colleges and schools of pharmacy is a tremendous testament to the impact of our graduates, students, and faculty,” Stowe said. “The College of Pharmacy has a rich history of excellence that makes for a robust professional practice environment in Arkansas.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,015 medical residents and fellows. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###