Summary
To arm itself for the more competitive admissions environment, MUSC enlisted the Lowcountry Graduate Center for aid. Employing a $25,000 Opportunity Fund grant from the LGC, the MUSC College of Pharmacy boosted its digital advertising to drive awareness of the pharmacy profession generally and boost applications to the College of Pharmacy program for the class that entered in the fall of 2023.
Even as Reid Petrus’s higher education journey spanned three colleges, he always knew he wanted to become a pharmacist. Graduating with a degree in chemistry from College of Charleston, Petrus enrolled in the MUSC College of Pharmacy to earn his Pharm. D. and begin his career.
Petrus chose MUSC in part because of its key differentiator: a pharmacy school at a medical center with the ability to do research and specialize in specific disease states. A first-year student, Petrus has an interest in oncology.
“MUSC is set apart by an academic medical center and inter-professional environment in which students immerse themselves from day one,” said Jenny Bagg, College of Pharmacy admissions manager. MUSC is the only academic medical center in the state and one of only a handful in the Southeast.
During the four-year doctoral program, students complete a series of hands-on rotations in community pharmacy, like retail chains; a hospital, health system or infusion center; and a variety of other advanced experiences like acute care or ambulatory care.
Using LGC Funds to Market the College of Pharmacy
Many pharmacy schools are facing an existential challenge as fewer people apply while the number of pharmacy programs increases. That has sharpened competition for qualified students.
To arm itself for the more competitive admissions environment, MUSC enlisted the Lowcountry Graduate Center for aid. Employing a $25,000 Opportunity Fund grant from the LGC, the MUSC College of Pharmacy boosted its digital advertising to drive awareness of the pharmacy profession generally and boost applications to the College of Pharmacy program for the class that entered in the fall of 2023.
Employing online display ads, social media ads and paid search, the school exceeded industry standards by 30% in its response rate, generated 168 more clicks on its Apply Now button and 74 added requests for information. The final result was an 11% increase in applications and 72 enrolled students, exceeding the goal.
Asked where they heard about the MUSC College of Pharmacy, a majority of applicants indicated it was through digital advertising.
Pharmacy: A Varied and Rewarding Career
The campaign was sufficiently successful for the College of Pharmacy to earn a second $25,000 Opportunity Fund grant for this admissions year. Bagg says the new campaign added a focus on students from HBCUs in South Carolina and surrounding states. Early in the process it had already garnered 2,000 visits to the pharmacy schools’ website landing page.
“Without the grant we wouldn’t have been able to continue for a second year,” said Bagg. “We don’t have a large marketing budget for admissions.”
For students, the four-year program pays off in a varied and generally lucrative career. In 2023, MUSC had a 94% graduation rate and a 95% post-graduation residency placement rate. The median salary for pharmacists is $151,426, according to Salary.com, with minimum salaries still in six figures. Pharmacists are most visible to the public working in drugstores, but there are many opportunities in a variety of other settings, including hospitals, clinics, drug companies, industry and more.
For Reid Petrus, deep in the first-year grind, it all sounds like heaven. “It’s still hard to process that I’m another step closer to my profession. What I’m learning now will actually benefit people’s health, and that helped me focus on my studies.”