Assessment of factors that impact performance in a year-long Top 200 Drug course

Knowledge of commonly used medications ("Top 200") is a common component of pharmacy curricula. This study assessed the impact of pre-pharmacy grade point average (GPA), timing of students' community introductory pharmacy practice experience (C-IPPE), C-IPPE practice location, completion of practice quizzes (PQs), and campus attended on Top 200 performance.

Top 200 Drugs is a two-part series offered during the first professional (P1) year of the program. Students concurrently complete their C-IPPE during either the fall or spring semester. A retrospective review was completed to assess factors associated with student performance during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Higher fall course grades were associated with higher pre-pharmacy GPA, active C-IPPE enrollment, and completion of >80% of PQs. Higher spring course grades were associated with higher pre-pharmacy GPAs, completion of >80% of PQs, satellite campus attendance, C-IPPE completion at a grocery store/mass merchant, and higher fall semester performance.

A retrospective review of factors associated with student performance allowed the course coordinator to create further learning opportunities based on the findings. Since practice quizzes were associated with higher performance, these self-directed learning opportunities were expanded in the subsequent course offering. Student completion of the C-IPPE in the fall improved performance in the fall, and C-IPPE location may have impacted performance as well. Further investigations are warranted to better understand the impact of C-IPPE semester and C-IPPE location on Top 200 performance so these can be maximized to support student performance.