Ability Based Outcome or “ABO” at the St Louis College of Pharmacy

Shelly Humbach • September 7, 2017

I bet you think you know about pharmacy and what pharmacists do; I know you’re picturing the woman in a dingy white coat, standing behind the counter at King Soopers. I bet you’re wrong. I know I was. I recently had the good fortune to visit the St Louis College of Pharmacy and I have two words for you. Mind. Blown . No doubt I definitely missed my calling (not really) and should have been a pharmacist. Why? ‘Cause these folks are doing incredible work with patients and other health care professionals, all across the vast health care spectrum. Not only that but they get to mix chemicals and other cool stuff and that’s just plain fun!

So what is ABO, “Ability Based Outcome”? ABO refers to simultaneously training students as both a pre professional and professional and this strongly differentiates students in the marketplace. STLCOP is the 1st college to adopt this approach, and is truly the last institution of this type in the country. Students are involved in both a didactic and practical way; all courses are taught with a spin toward pharmacy and in the spirit of “teaching in the round”. STLCOP integrates the undergraduate/pre professional program, essentially eliminating a full year to degree. Other schools require a Bachelor of Science first in order to progress into the doctorate program.

The St Louis College of Pharmacy is located in the Washington University Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading biomedical complexes and just blocks from the famed Forest Park, ranked No. 1 in the “Best City Park” category of USA Today’s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards. This is fertile ground for the exploration and advancement of all things medicine. Because St Louis is an economic constellation of health care programs, the location is ideal for students to learn, practice and research together.

Established in 1864, St Louis College of Pharmacy is the oldest pharmacy college west of the Mississippi, and is known for “its rich history, unparalleled location, commitment to innovation and engagement in the community.” And this is not your mother’s college of pharmacy. In spite of the laser like focus on education and employment, this school has NAIA Division I Athletics (read: athletic scholarships) and Greek life!

Whether you’re interested in being an entrepreneur, curing HIV or Ebola or want to contribute to the health and welfare of animals, you can do this in pharmacy. STLCOP educates “ entrepreneurs, infectious disease and oncology pharmacists, clinical practitioners, hospital administrators, biomedical researchers, corporate executives, national pharmacy association leaders , and many more experts in leading-edge areas.”

Fun Facts:

250 faculty/staff

1400 students

Degrees Awarded:

Doctor of Pharmacy

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Health Humanities

Robust Alumni Network - more than 7000 living alumni practicing in 48 states and 14 countries

All students issued a laptop

International learning in 4th prof year

Starting Median Salary - $122,000

1.6% Unemployment Rate

3% Projected Growth In Demand For Pharmacists by 2024

U.S. News and World Report ranked pharmacist among the “Best Jobs” of 2016.

#18 in “Best Paying Jobs”

#21 in “Best Health care Jobs”

#36 in “100 Best Jobs”

This college is simply thriving. They have recently completed their largest campus expansion project. Fall of 2016 brought the unveiling of a 213,000-square-foot Academic Research Building with state-of-the-art technology for learning and research. And I had the chance to feast my eyes on the grand opening of a 193,000-square-foot Recreation and Student Center and Residence Hall. Wow.

Not only is Cost of Attendance (COA) reasonable at $42,000 per year (honestly I can’t believe I just wrote that) but students are completely immersed in the profession, right out of the gate. STLCOP offers Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs ), which introduce students to the profession . This includes assisting with dispensing prescriptions and creating a medication management plan for patients.

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs ) immerse students in their role as a pharmacist through eight five-week rotations during their final professional year. Students work along side pharmacists, across the country, in hospitals, clinics and community pharmacies.

On top of all this fabulous-ness you have to love STLCOP’s mascot. Meet

Mortarmer McPestle, a Eutectic. “Eutectic” describes the scientific process of two solids being combined to form a liquid. Can’t say you didn’t learn something here.

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No Phone, Ditch the Shoes, Let’s Connect

By Shelly Humbach • September 11, 2025

In June, I hosted my annual Senior Essay Writing Workshop. This was the first in-person workshop since 2019. I bet you can guess why. I was elated to meet my students face-to-face after months, even years, of connecting through the screen. Imagine my surprise at their height, super-smiles, and warm laughter. Dang, it was wonderful. So, essentially, all my in-state seniors gather at my house for a three-hour intensive workshop on crafting a killer college essay. As I was preparing for the event, it occurred to me that I might be in competition with their PHONE. Classic directness (this is probably a character flaw) led me to inform my students and their parents, in advance, that this would be a no-phone gathering. My messaging went something like this, Important: Phones are placed in a basket at the door and retrieved at noon. No exceptions. Parents: If you need to reach your student during the workshop, text me directly at **********. Now, I am fully on board with the phone-free movement. I support it, advocate for it, and live it (I brilliantly quit all personal media last November). And I thought: my event, my rules. I was a little concerned about how this announcement would land. Turns out my concern was mainly about the parents. The kids? Not so much. In fact, research indicates that students crave phone-free learning environments. Suffice to say, the workshop was a smashing success. Not a single student pushed back against the policy. One poor soul forgot to retrieve her phone and left it sitting all alone in the basket. Not to worry, though. She didn’t get far before turning back to grab it. Here’s the truth: We don’t have to bow down to every technological whim or societal pressure. As adults, we know the phone is a problem, and it’s our job to foster healthy, happy individuals. So let's keep this momentum going. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “When you know better, do better.”

Big J Educational Consulting College Admissions Charts

By Shelly Humbach • August 11, 2025

I work with incredible colleagues; collaborative, smart and supportive. They make me better and I am deeply grateful. Every year, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy of Big J Educational Consulting share invaluable information regarding college admissions. Their research is impeccable and accurate and provides crucial data to help students and families make informed college decisions. Read on, share broadly and give a shout out to these generous professionals! Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid Class of 2028 In-State and Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Financial Aid for International Noncitizens Class of 2028 International Noncitizens Acceptance Rate and Yield Class of 2028 Percentage of Students Submitting SAT and ACT Scores Class of 2028 Athletic Divisions and Conferences (partial list) Class of 2028 - NEW! These charts are visual, interactive, and easy to use. They make it possible to instantly sort using any column's metrics and to easily compare subsets of colleges. They are free and can be accessed at www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources . From Jennie and Jeff: We hope you find these resources helpful in your work guiding students. Please feel free to share them broadly as long as they remain in their original unedited form. Permission is not granted to those charging a fee for their distribution. If you find an error after cross-referencing with an institution's Common Data Set, please contact us at info@bigjconsult.com . Thank you!

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