Effect of an Individualized Post-Examination Instructor Remediation on Pharmacy Student Performance in a Biochemistry Course

Abstract

Objective. To assess the effectiveness of a post-examination, one-on-one instructor remediation process on student performance in a pharmacy biochemistry course by measuring the degree of score improvement on a subsequent examination. Methods. Students who scored below 70% on any examination were encouraged to meet with the course coordinator. A typical remediation session lasts about 30 minutes, and covers academic preparation, study habits, concept understanding, application, critical thinking, time management, and stress control. Scores in two consecutive examinations were compared between students who underwent remediation and those who did not. All scores were adjusted for level of difficulty. Results. At-risk students with relatively lower scores are more likely to seek remediation. After receiving a score below 70%, students perform better on the next examination regardless of remediation. However, the remediation process results in a statistically significant 43% increase in the degree of improvement in student performance on the next examination. Conclusion. A post-examination, one-on-one remediation is effective in enhancing student performance in the biochemistry course. As this course is one of the two with the highest failure rates in the PharmD program, current intervention might improve student retention.

Improving the Remediation Process for Skills-based Laboratory Courses in the Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum

“…Studies have shown that faculty spend from as little as 11 hours on developing and administering remediation activities for multiple students in a lecture-based course to as many as 100 hours on these activities for one APPE student. 6,7 The time needed to implementskills-based remediation variesbasedontheskill being assessed; however, as skills labs often simulate experiential settings, the number of hours devoted to skills-based remediation is likely closer to that reported for experiential remediation. Because of the significant amount of time and resources required, it is important to estimate the number of hours needed for remediation to determine its feasibility.…”

First-year Academic Performance of Pharmacy Students Based on High School Status and Major

“…The number of assignments and practicums combined with the demands of a comprehensive analysis of various considerations in pharmaceutical services is one of the causes of failure of pharmacy students. A strong foundation in the basic sciences is crucial for students to develop critical thinking skills necessary to deliver patientcentered care (Palmer & Clegg, 2016) and (Wang, Cruthirds, & Kendrach, 2018). Early identification of poor-performing and at-risk students and effective intervention are integral to student academic success and self-directed learning.…”

Getting Rigor Right

“…Together with those in charge of programmed faculty development, faculty members can seek to improve their knowledge and skills in regard to establishing appropriate educational expectations and eliminating instances of contrived rigor, [12][13][14] writing fair test questions and evaluating these questions statistically, 15 evaluating student prior knowledge, 16 and using instructional methods that benefit underprepared learners. [17][18][19] Given the adverse consequences that can arise from either abandonment or accretion of academic rigor, it is important for individual faculty members and their programs to make an effort to identify and minimize gaps in knowledge and skills, maladaptive motivations, and any perverse incentives that may be working against maintaining appropriate levels of academic rigor in their pharmacy classrooms.…”