Developing a Comprehensive First-year Capstone to Assess and Inform Student Learning and Curriculum Effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Health Professions Education
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Assessing student competency after the first year of a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program is crucial for practice readiness.
• Innovative methods are needed to evaluate both cognitive knowledge and essential interpersonal skills.
• Bridging didactic coursework with experiential learning requires effective assessment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a comprehensive, multi-day capstone module for assessing first-year PharmD students.
• To evaluate cognitive skills (knowledge retention, information application) and interpersonal skills (teamwork, adaptability).
• To provide rapid-cycle feedback to students for future learning and experiential immersion.

Main Methods:

• A multi-day capstone assessment comprising closed-book knowledge tests (multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank), an open-book information application test, and multiple mini-interviews (MMI) for interpersonal skills.
• The assessment included a debriefing session for immediate feedback.
• Student performance and perceptions were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Average scores were 75% on closed-book and 68% on open-book assessments.
• Most students demonstrated satisfactory interpersonal skills via MMI.
• Over 75% of students responded positively to the assessment, with 98% not studying specifically for it.

Conclusions:

• The capstone effectively assesses first-year PharmD students' knowledge and skills.
• It provides targeted feedback to guide students' focus during early experiential learning.
• Further refinement is necessary to ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness.