Creating an Arms Race? Examining School Costs and Motivations for Providing NAPLEX and PCOA Preparation

Objective. Studies have examined possible predictors of success on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). This systematic review investigated the literature on potential predictors of success on the NAPLEX. Findings. Articles were included in the review if they included student characteristics and academic performance as independent variables and NAPLEX scores and/or pass rate as an outcome. Data were extracted from each article for students' demographics or variables, sample size, methods of statistical analyses, and results reporting correlation or predictability. From 40 articles retrieved from the initial search and sorting, a total of 20 studies were included in the final review per inclusion criteria. Three studies included all the pharmacy programs, 15 were single-institution studies, 2 multi-institution studies, and 4 published as posters. Among 30 different variables identified as potential predictors of success on the NAPLEX, the most examined variables were student age at matriculation, having a prior degree, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores, cumulative pharmacy school grade point average (GPA), overall Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores, and PCOA content areas scores. Positively correlated factors included PCAT scores, not having a prior degree, prepharmacy and pharmacy school GPA, institutional characteristics, and PCOA scores. Negatively correlated factors included older age at admission. Summary. Cumulative pharmacy school GPA and PCOA scores were predictors of NAPLEX success consistently in the studies. The effects of preadmission student characteristics on NAPLEX success varied and were not consistently correlated or predictive.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic Review of Predictors of Success for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination

Park

Phillips

Pavuluri

2021

“…The four articles that were excluded from analysis included one conference abstract, one letter to the editor, one meta-analysis, and one review. Four key themes were identified including: administration and use of PCOA, [9][10][11][12][13] resource investment in PCOA, 14 student predictors of performance on PCOA, [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] and PCOA as a predictor of future performance. 18,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Comparing these themes before and after Standards 2016, recent publications have focused primarily on predictors of PCOA performance and PCOA as a predictor of future performance.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only one study explored the financial and faculty resources used to prepare students for PCOA examination. 14 This study also surveyed programs on the investment in NAPLEX preparation and compared how investments to prepare students for both exams compares to the NAPLEX pass rates. A total of 91% of colleges/schools of pharmacy responded to the survey with only 20% (n=18) providing…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Scoping Review of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment Literature

Nelson

Anderson

Zeeman

et al. 2021

Objective. To identify themes, gaps, and sources of evidence from the literature to inform practice and additional areas for research in pharmacy education with respect to the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). Findings. Nineteen articles have been published describing the administration and use of PCOA. Since PCOA was made a curricular requirement by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education in 2016, the focus of PCOA related literature has shifted from administration practices (4 vs 2, respectively) to determining models that may predict student performance on the assessment (2 vs 5, respectively) or how the examination might be used to predict future performance (1 vs 7, respectively), especially on the North American Pharmacist Licensing Examination. While there has been growing literature recently focused on the PCOA's utility for measuring performance, few variables have been consistently used. Summary. This review found no studies whose objectives aligned with the initial intended use of the PCOA defined by National Association of Boards of Pharmacy including tracking individual student performance throughout the curriculum, benchmarking programs against other programs, and evaluating if a program is meeting their desired outcomes. Additionally, there is no consensus across the Academy as to the proper use of the PCOA and a paucity of literature of how the PCOA informs schools/colleges of the effectiveness of their curriculum. There is a need for the Academy to establish a uniform application for PCOA, assess resources required of programs for this required assessment, and its utility to measure curricular effectiveness and/or student performance.

“…In a 2016 survey of 91 C/SOPs, nearly 80% reported that they provide some form of NAPLEX preparation, with the median annual spending on such programs reported to be $5,000 to $9,999. 32 As a result, factors have been evaluated for their potential predictive relationship to NAPLEX scores, including demographics and academics prior to and during the pharmacy program.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-institutional Analysis of Student and Program Variables as Predictors of Performance on the NAPLEX

Maerten-Rivera

Park

Sando

et al. 2022

Self Cite

Objective. Understanding student characteristics and risk factors for North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) performance may help colleges and schools of pharmacy (C/SOPs) target limited resources. This study aimed to evaluate two sets of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student variables for their effect on NAPLEX performance. Methods. Data were collected from five C/SOPs over three years . Relationships between variables were first examined with bivariate correlations, followed by a series of multiple regressions using a structural equation modeling approach. Two sets of analyses were conducted using the outcome variable of NAPLEX scaled score; the first set examined variables at admission to the program while the second set examined performance variables during the PharmD program. Results. Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) area scores had the highest bivariate correlation with NAPLEX score; Area 4 and Area 2 had the strongest correlations. Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) subtest scores were significant but had smaller correlations. Admissions variables of incoming science grade point average (GPA) and PCAT area scores were significant predictors of NAPLEX, but these were entered in separate models as they explained the same variance (each approximately 15%). PharmD performance variables of PCOA area scores and GPA before Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (pre-APPE GPA) were significant predictors and explained about 25% of the variance in NAPLEX scores. Conclusion.PCOA area scores and pre-APPE GPA were significant predictors of NAPLEX scores. Information in this study can be used by C/SOPs to efficiently target support services to students for enhanced NAPLEX performance.