A controlled intervention to improve freshman retention in a STEM-based physiology major

Area of Science:

• Physiology Education
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• STEM Student Retention

Background:

• At-risk students in STEM programs often face challenges impacting retention.
• Understanding factors influencing student perceptions and persistence is crucial for program improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a targeted intervention on at-risk students in a STEM-based physiology program.
• To evaluate if the intervention positively influences student perceptions and increases second-year retention rates.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design compared at-risk students (retention group, n=82) with a control group (non-retention group, n=165).
• Outcomes were assessed using an End-of-Semester Survey and university enrollment data.
• Student perceptions of a first-year seminar and academic advising were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Students in the intervention group reported more favorable perceptions of the first-year seminar and academic advising.
• Program transfer rates showed minimal difference between groups (retention 22% vs. non-retention 19%).
• Overall retention in the physiology major was 55% for the 2018 freshman class, with lower retention in the intervention group (39%) compared to the control group (66%).

Conclusions:

• The intervention successfully enhanced positive student perceptions of the physiology major.
• The targeted intervention did not improve the retention of at-risk students within the physiology program.
• Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for improving STEM student retention.