U.S. News & World Report ranks MUSC programs among best graduate schools
March 19, 2020
Several programs at the Medical University of South Carolina are included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 rankings of the Best Graduate Schools, among them Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and the College of Pharmacy.
Lisa Saladin, PT, Ph.D., executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said it shows MUSC is giving students an opportunity to achieve their academic and professional goals in some of the top programs in the nation. “MUSC is honored,” she said, “to be recognized for its outstanding programs and commitment to providing world-class academic education through innovative curriculum and quality clinical training via award-winning faculty dedicated to excellence.”
Best Occupational Therapy Programs
The MUSC College of Health Professions Occupational Therapy program ranks No. 13, moving up four spots from its most recent ranking in 2016. To put that in perspective, with 204 occupational therapy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education in the U.S., this ranking places MUSC’s program firmly in the top 10% of programs in the country.
On average over the past three years, the program has boasted a 94% first-attempt certification pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and a 100% overall pass rate. The program also has an impressive 98% graduation rate.
This innovative three-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy program has been hailed as cutting edge by many colleges and universities throughout the country. OTs are trained to empower their clients to resume old or assume new life roles. An OT skillfully assesses a client’s abilities and limitations and then designs an individualized treatment plan to increase skills and improve the client’s quality of life.
Best Physical Therapy Programs
U.S. News & World Report ranks MUSC’s College of Health Professions Physical Therapy program at No. 20, up eight spots from the most recent 2016 rankings. With 250 accredited PT programs across the country, this places MUSC’s program squarely in the top 10%.
Educating physical therapists since 1973, the College of Health Professions has a sustained record of excellence in education, research, leadership and service. Working in a state-of-the-art teaching facility and in concert with MUSC’s world-class teaching hospital, PT students engage in interprofessional groups that mirror the world beyond the classroom.
The three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program provides foundational learning, and students progress to clinical coursework with community-based service and embedded interprofessional learning. The curriculum culminates in a series of clinical practicums, allowing students to pursue their passions.
Mark Bowden, PT, Ph.D., director of the college’s Division of Physical Therapy, said the program is honored by the ranking. “We are very pleased to continue to improve our ranking and our national presence. This improvement reflects all of the hard work by our faculty and staff, and much of the credit belongs to our outstanding students and graduates who reflect our ideals and objectives on a daily basis.”
Best Colleges of Pharmacy
The MUSC College of Pharmacy ranks 31st out of the 134 schools listed, ranking it in the top 25% of colleges of pharmacy. In total, there are 144 schools in the United States with an accreditation status with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Founded in 1881, the College of Pharmacy is ranked No. 1 in South Carolina and offers innovative interprofessional learning and research opportunities in a comprehensive academic health system, preparing students for impactful careers. The Class of 2018 had the highest Phase I residency match rating in the country and the Class of 2019 had the nation’s 15th highest pass rate on the pharmacy boards.
