Disabling of Service
iThenticate will be removed from the PharmCAS application for the 2025-2026 (upcoming) admission cycle. The iThenticate service will continue through June 24, 2025 for the 2024-2025 (current) PharmCAS cycle.
Factors for Decision
• PharmCAS is the only CAS that uses any software to detect plagiarism in the application essay.
• iThenticate costs will increase significantly for the 2025-2026 cycle due to system updates and the future addition of AI detection software.
• AACP currently pays the entire cost of iThenticate. There is no cost sharing with Liaison, schools, applicants, or other entities.
• Data shows that even when applicants have >25% plagiarism, a third of applicants will matriculate to a pharmacy program.
• During a May 2024 discussion with the PharmCAS Advisory Committee, the committee would rather eliminate iThenticate than increase fees to applicants. Committee members shared that iThenticate scores are not a deciding factor but more of a teaching/learning opportunity for the applicant.
Applicant Implications
The process for writing a personal essay and completing the PharmCAS application will remain unchanged for applicants. Instructional text will continue to state that admission essays may undergo a textual similarity review for the detection of plagiarism, generative artificial intelligence (AI), and/or other potential violations of the applicant code of conduct. (Keeping this text supports schools who may wish to use their own plagiarism or generative AI-detection software.)
The only applicant-facing changes include:
• Revised instructional text for the Personal Essay section of the application to remove any mentions of iThenticate/Turnitin for Admissions.
• Updated PharmCAS Release Statement to remove any mentions of iThenticate/Turnitin for Admissions.
Guidance for Schools
• In our current conduct review process, it is each school's responsibility to take any action or make any recommendations regarding the applicant's personal statement. This will remain unchanged.
• Schools are permitted to use their own plagiarism-detection software.
• Schools are permitted to use their own generative AI-detection software.
• If using these types of software, please be mindful that results may not always be accurate and may provide false positives. Schools should review and investigate results, as they see fit.
• Many educational institutions have access to licensed plagiarism detection tools that compare submissions against academic and web databases. Check with your institution to see what resources and guidance are in place related to plagiarism and generative AI-checking platforms.
• A submitted personal essay should be a true reflection of an applicant's own work and represent their experiences. Schools are encouraged to ask students a question about their personal essay in the interview process. You may be able to better infer from their response if their essay came from their heart and experiences versus artificial intelligence.
Other CAS
No other centralized application services (CAS) provide software integration to detect plagiarism in the application personal essay or elsewhere.
About iThenticate
iThenticate, a product of Turnitin, is the online tool used by PharmCAS to detect plagiarism in the personal statement within the application. iThenticate scours the web to match content submitted by applicants to content found on web pages, archived student papers, and published articles. When applicants apply through PharmCAS, a similarity report is automatically provided to every college/school to which they apply via WebAdMIT.
Current AACP Conduct Review Process
AACP serves as a clearinghouse for reports of possible applicant misconduct and partners with iThenticate to identify potential plagiarism in the PharmCAS personal statement. AACP does not place PharmCAS applicants on hold for potential violations of the Applicant Code of Conduct, nor impose any sanctions at the national level on those applicants who have violated it. If an applicant is suspected of not abiding by the Code, AACP staff will email the applicant's designated colleges and schools of pharmacy with a report and evidence related to the case. Additionally, PharmCAS staff will enter a related note in the applicant's record in WebAdMIT visible to the applicant's designated colleges and schools of pharmacy. Each school must determine independently whether it will take any action on the application based on these materials. AACP cannot be involved in the institutional decision-making process, nor take any further action or make any recommendations regarding the applicant's case beyond sharing any additional information received about the case with the applicant's designated schools.
Questions
Sincerely,
susan
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Susan Vos, PharmD, FAPhA
Senior Director of Student Affairs
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
ssvos@aacp.org------------------------------