Multiple Mini-Interview Performance Predicts Academic Difficulty in the PharmD Curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Academic Performance Metrics

Background:

• Admissions decisions for Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs are critical for student success.
• Early identification of students at risk of academic difficulty is essential for targeted support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify prognostic variables within admissions data that predict academic difficulty in the PharmD curriculum.
• To inform admissions determinations and facilitate early identification of at-risk PharmD students.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective multivariate analysis linked admission data (2008-2012) with academic records.
• Logistic regression estimated the influence of pre-pharmacy GPA, PCAT, MMI, age, credit hours, residence, and prior degree on academic difficulty (Ds, Fs, delayed progression).

Main Results:

• Lower pre-pharmacy GPA (<3.25), PCAT score (<60th percentile), and MMI score (<4.5) significantly increased the likelihood of academic difficulty.
• Students with GPA <3.25 were ~12x more likely, PCAT <60th percentile ~7x more likely, and MMI <4.5 ~3x more likely to face academic difficulty.

Conclusions:

• Pre-pharmacy GPA, PCAT, and MMI scores are valuable predictors of academic difficulty in PharmD programs.
• These metrics can be utilized for admissions decisions and the proactive identification of students requiring academic support.