Preadmission predictors of academic performance in a pharmacy program: A longitudinal, multi-cohort study

This study examined the extent to which a preadmission health science program and demographic variables predicted academic performance throughout an undergraduate pharmacy degree (BPharm) program.

A longitudinal, multi-cohort study was undertaken of 557 students admitted to the University of Otago School of Pharmacy BPharm program between 2008 and 2012, from a preceding health science year (HSFY). Preadmission baseline data including health science grade point average (GPA), sex, age, ethnicity, residency status, and high school qualifications were matched against outputs of GPA performances in all three years of the BPharm program using regression analyses.

Five hundred thirty-eight students (96.6%) completed their BPharm degree. The regression models were significantly predictive of performance in the BPharm program with 57%, 43% and 38% of variances explained for GPA performance across years two, three and four, respectively (p < 0.001). Demographic variables including being male, being from certain minority ethnic groups or not having a specific domestic high school qualification were associated with lower GPA performances across the BPharm program compared to reference groups.

Determining admission from performance rankings as the single selection tool holds reasonable predictive value early in progression, however additional measures may be warranted to better predict performances extending beyond the first year of the BPharm program.