REGENTS REPORT 

Professional licensure and certification exams are those that must be passed before a person may be fully licensed or certified to engage in the occupation or profession. South Dakota graduates who have taken mandatory professional licensure and certification examinations have shown and continue to show high passing percentages. On exams required nationally South Dakota graduates have surpassed the national scores, proving that the professional programs offered at South Dakota public universities are every bit as rigorous as would be found anywhere in the country. The national exam results also show that South Dakota university programs are meeting the standards of their professions. Outstanding performance by South Dakota graduates on these exams reflects well on their institution of study and their preparedness to enter into their profession.

South Dakota Students Exceed National Average

The chart to the right compares the licensure and certification exam passage rates for South Dakota public university graduates and the national average. Forty-six students out of the 47 enrolled in the University of South Dakota Medical School Class of 1998 passed step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination on the first attempt. Forty-nine out of 50 passed Step 2 of the exam. At the associate of arts degree level, 120 of 136 nursing students in the USD program passed the National Council Licensure Examination of Registered Nurses. At SDSU in the bachelor’s of nursing program 116 out of 130 graduates passed the exam. All 42 of the Bachelor’s of Pharmacy graduates from South Dakota State University passed the National Association of Board of Pharmacy Licensure Examination. In 1997 (1998 results are not yet available) all 10 of the Dakota State University Respiratory Care program graduates passed the National Board for Respiratory Care Entry Level Examination. In all six areas in which national tests were administered, South Dakota graduates exceeded the national average.

South Dakota graduates have continued to receive higher passage rates than the national average. The chart to the right compares the percentage of South Dakota graduates who passed nationally administered exams to the national rate over the past five years. {Note: Medicine averages are not available. Respiratory care includes years 1993-97, Pharmacy 1992-98, Nursing - USD 1992-1998, Nursing – SDSU 1993-98. }

Three other nationally administered exams taken by South Dakota graduates are in the areas of audiology, speech pathology, and dental hygiene. Nine of the 10 USD master’s degree graduates in audiology passed the National Teachers Exam, Audiology Section, while 31 of the 34 speech pathology majors passed the National Examination in Speech Language

Pathology. Both exams are administered by the American Speech and Hearing Association. In addition, 29 of the 31 dental hygiene graduates from USD passed the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination offered by the American Dental Association. National comparisons for these tests are not available.

Among licensing examinations administered at the state level, all 20 of the bachelor’s degree graduates in social work from USD successfully completed the South Dakota Social Work Licensing Examination. This continues a twelve year trend of all USD graduates in social work passing the South Dakota licensing exam. Eight of the nine first-time takers of the South Dakota Bar Examination passed the exam in July while 39 of the 46 passed it in February.

Historically South Dakota students have met or exceeded national averages in most licensing tests. In areas that were in need of improvement the Board of Regents and the universities strengthened the programs to ensure that graduates would meet standards. South Dakota universities will continue to offer solid programs that prepare students for their chosen professions.