Intersession Remediation to Minimize Attrition in a Three-Year Pharmacy Program

Abstract

Objective. To describe an intersession remediation process in an accelerated three-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program and to determine if the remediation process reduced attrition rates, including program withdrawals, progression to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs), and on-time graduation rates. Methods. Attrition was defined as dismissal, withdrawal, leave of absence, and/or change in graduation date. Progression data from students who matriculated between 2008 to 2016, with data available through spring 2017, were analyzed for number of course failures and successful intersession remediation. Other factors such as pharmacy year (first or second year), course subject, and course repeats were evaluated to characterize successful remediation attempts and identify elements that foster student success. Results. Of the 812 matriculated students across the time period analyzed, 18% (n5146) failed at least one didactic course (defined as course average ,69.5%). Overall, 74.7% (n5109) of the students who failed a course remediated, with 75.2% (n582) of those able to remediate being successful, remaining on-time for graduation. If students who remediated were instead required to repeat coursework, the college attrition rate would have averaged over 10 percentage points higher for the time period analyzed than the actual rate of 13.4%. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that the majority of students who qualified for remediation were successful and graduated on time. Further studies in this area are needed to fully elucidate the effect of remediation processes on learning and retention of knowledge and skills.

Addressing academic challenges: A quasi-experimental study on the effect of remedial exam strategy for nursing students with low academic performance

“…Their findings revealed that students who enrolled in remedial courses demonstrated better academic performance than those who did not participate. Esposito et al ( 2019 ) conducted a study investigating the effects of a rigorous 2-week remediation program for students who had failed a final exam with a score that fell 10% or less below the cutoff grade. The program required eligible students to sign a written contract outlining a concentrated study plan that thoroughly assessed their strengths and weaknesses.…”

Impact of Intersession Course Remediation on NAPLEX/PCOA Scores in an Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy Program

“…An analysis of the intersession remediation strategy and rates of attrition at SU COPHS has been previously published. 4 The impact of intersession remediation as compared with course repeat or any other progression strategy on academic outcomes of interest, including professional licensure examinations, is not well-described in the literature. This may result from lack of standardization of remediation policies.…”

“…Available data appear to be in favor of a remediation model that offers individualized or focused support to students who are struggling, and this is included as a component of our intersession remediation strategy. 4 In a 2019 study by Coelho and colleagues, struggling dental students who accepted optional academic remediation based on poor performance on a progress examination had improved academic profiles compared to students who declined remediation. 6 A 2013 systematic review by Cleland and colleagues, which included 31 studies on remediation interventions for mostly medical students, noted the rarity of control/comparison groups, long-term followup measures, conceptual frameworks, and adequate sample sizes in the studies examined.…”