Predictors of Pharmacy Student Performance on Written and Clinical Examinations in a Flipped Classroom Curriculum

Abstract

To inform this, the authors examined the effects of student demographics, baseline factors (language assessment and situational judgement test scores), prior performance (high school admission rank), course engagement, and student time management of pre-class online activities on student performance in course examinations and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) problem solving and communication scales. Methods. Study participants were one cohort of pharmacy students enrolled in a five-year combined Bachelors and Masters of Pharmacy degree program at Monash University Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Data were collected from course, learning management system, and institutional databases. Data were analyzed for univariate, bivariate, and multivariate associations (four linear regression models) between explanatory factors and outcome variables. Results. The dataset included three years of data on 159 pharmacy students from one institution. Statistically significant positive predictors of OSCE communication performance included domestic (ie, Australian) student designation, higher baseline written English proficiency, and pre-class online activity completion. Positive predictors of OSCE problem solving included workshop attendance and low empathy as measured by a baseline situational judgment test (SJT). Positive predictors of year two end-of-course examinations included the Australian Tertiary Academic Rank, completing pre-class online activities prior to lectures, high integrity as measured by a SJT, and the pre-class online activity completion. Conclusion. Several explanatory factors predicted student examination and OSCE performance in the regression models. Future research should continue to study additional contexts, explanatory factors, and outcome variables.

Development of a Vertically Integrated Pharmacy Degree

“…While full-scale evaluation of graduates from the new Monash pharmacy degree is ongoing, we have reported early predictors of student success in OSCEs and end-ofsemester examinations [54]. Later research focused on the clinical pharmacists who have supervised Monash pharmacy students on experiential placements, categorising their perceptions of student knowledge, oral communication, and clinical skills [3].…”

Preceptor Perceptions of Pharmacy Student Performance Before and After a Curriculum Transformation

“…This study was part of a larger, ongoing programmatic evaluation of the curriculum transformation. 6,18 Overall, we employed a pragmatic evaluation paradigm by using mixed methods and focusing on data sources useful to current and future stakeholders. 17 We have matched methods to specific questions, outcomes, and purposes of each study.…”

Pharmacy Student Challenges and Strategies towards Initial COVID-19 Curriculum Changes

“…A summary of changes we made are outlined in a recent commentary [13]. Overall, the curriculum followed a standardized flipped classroom model explained in recent investigations of our program [14,15]. For on-campus learning, each week the students complete the following activities: (1) one day of self-directed online learning, (2) a day of large-class interactive lectures, (3) two days of small group workshops (one facilitator for 30 students in teams of five), and (4) a final day of "close-the-loop" lectures to answer any question and solidify the material.…”