Impact of Intersession Course Remediation on NAPLEX/PCOA Scores in an Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Objective. To compare Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scaled scores and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rates in students who completed a two-week intersession remediation or repeated a course with the scaled scores and pass rates of students who did not require any form of didactic remediation and did not have to repeat a course. Methods. Data examined for this study included NAPLEX/PCOA scores, NAPLEX pass/fail status, and remediation history for students at one college of pharmacy. Students from the graduating classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018 were organized into four groups: non-remediation, one course remediation and no repeats, more than one course remediation and no repeats, and one or more course repeats. Differences were analyzed using linear regression, logistic regression, and Pearson correlations. Results. The PCOA scores for students in the remediation groups were significantly lower than scores for students in the non-remediation groups, with a reduction of 37.8 to 50.9 points from the expected non-remediators' score. The NAPLEX scores for students who remediated more than one course or repeated one or more courses were 16-20 points lower compared to students who did not remediate. The likelihood of a student failing the NAPLEX was also not significantly lower for students who remediated one course but was significantly lower for other remediation groups. Conclusion. Although single course remediation in this curricular model appears to have minimal impact on NAPLEX outcomes and may be an acceptable intervention for many students, additional support and interventions may be warranted for students who qualify for remediation in multiple courses and/or for repeating a course.