The Reliability of Non-Cognitive Admissions Measures in Predicting Non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy Student Performance Outcomes

Abstract

Objectives. This study evaluated the potential of non-cognitive admissions indicators as predictors of academic success for distance educated, non-traditional doctor of pharmacy students. The objective of this study is to determine whether non-cognitive admission indicators are predictive of academic success. Methods. Preadmission candidate interview scores, essay scores, and total non-cognitive evaluation scores were compared via simple correlation with composite practice portfolio scores and grade point average (GPA) with (overall GPA) and without (didactic GPA) inclusion of portfolio scores. Results. Portfolio scores and GPA scores were significantly correlated with preadmission candidate interview scores, essay scores, and total non-cognitive evaluation scores. In addition, portfolio scores were significantly correlated with didactic GPA. Conclusions. All of the non-cognitive admissions parameters significantly correlated with the outcome measures; composite portfolio score, didactic GPA, and overall GPA. These correlations may assist schools of pharmacy in selecting applicants possessing skills required to succeed in a nontraditional, distance delivered PharmD program. The results of this study also pertain to other disciplines that use distance education.Keywords: admissions, student performance, academic success, non-traditional PharmD study by Zgarrick and MacKinnon in which they surveyed pharmacists to elicit motivations for wanting to pursue a non-traditional PharmD degree and to determine practice area preferences, approximately 32% of pharmacists indicated that they would or probably would enroll in a non-traditional PharmD program.1 The pharmacists surveyed indicated that improving their clinical skills and improving the quality of their work were reasons for wanting to enroll. Half of the pharmacists indicated that their current practice area would be their preferred area after they completed a PharmD degree. Such findings support the need for distance-based, non-traditional PharmD programs. While these findings indicate significant interest in non-traditional program enrollment, the number of institutions offering such programming in pharmacy has decreased since the publication of this article. The reason for this decrease was not investigated as it did not directly impact this study's purpose. INTRODUCTIONThe demand for non-traditional doctor of pharmacy programs was mainly stimulated by the 1989 decision of the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) to accredit only those colleges of pharmacy that offer the PharmD as their entry level degree and the subsequent vote by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) House of Delegates in 1992 to adopt the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) as the entry level degree. Non-traditional doctor of pharmacy programs are aimed at practicing pharmacists who earned pharmacy degrees from traditional Bachelor of Science programs.Distance-based, non-traditional PharmD programs provide many pharmacists with the convenience of being able to remain...

Preprofessional Curriculum in Preparation for Doctor of Pharmacy Educational Programs

“…Scores on admissions essays have correlated with performance in traditional and nontraditional (distance-or Internet-based) PharmD programs. 14,26 There also may be a strong association between writing skills and critical-thinking skills. 13 Reading skills are important in PharmD programs and practice as a pharmacist.…”

A Comparison of Academic Performance of Off-Campus Nontraditional PharmD Students With Campus-Based PharmD Students

“…[20][21][22][23][24] When examined in the context of nontraditional PharmD curricula, there is limited information about specific educational outcomes or implementation of outcome measures useful for assessing student learning (see Appendix 1). [16][17][18][19]25 The measures for assessment should be targeted at the unique characteristics of nontraditional students and the diverse nontraditional (technology-based) course delivery methods used by nontraditional PharmD programs. Variables such as prior work experience, additional credentials such as board certification, and pre-existing skills and competencies could support the argument that developing a valid instrument for determining prior learning would be essential.…”

Addressing the Academic Gap Between 4- and 6-Year Pharmacy Programs in South Korea

“…16 The "new" pharmacists' role of managing patients' pharmaceutical care such as assessing, monitoring, and modifying drug-related problems was also required of already-practicing pharmacists to remain competitive; thus, most colleges and schools of pharmacy developed post-BS PharmD programs for BS-degreed pharmacists who wanted the option of pursuing additional training to earn PharmD credentials. 15,18 Today, these programs are called: nontraditional PharmD (NTPD), postbachelor's PharmD, or working professional PharmD (WPPD). 17,19 Implementation varies; some are campus-based, others web-based, and some include combined campus and online courses.…”