Progress examinations in pharmacy education

Interest in the use of the progress examination has grown in the current culture of accountability in higher education. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE's) Standards 2007 calls for comprehensive, knowledge- and performance-based examinations as part of a school or college of pharmacy's evaluation and assessment of student learning. Progress examinations have been used primarily in medical education. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the literature on progress examinations and considerations for their potential use within an effective assessment plan.