Evaluation of SOAP note performance in a pharmacotherapeutics course after implementation of a peer-review process

Subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) notes are widely utilized within pharmacy curricula. Implementation of a peer-review process for these assignments may improve student competence. Evidence is lacking regarding correlation between student-to-student peer-review and faculty grades for SOAP notes and correlation of SOAP note peer-evaluation to individual performance.

Third year pharmacy students completed two SOAP notes in Pharmacotherapeutics IV. A peer-review process was implemented in spring 2020. After each SOAP note, students were assigned a peer's assignment to evaluate utilizing the same 50-point rubric as the faculty. SOAP note grades were compared between the 2019 and 2020 cohorts.

Analysis included 98 students in spring 2019 and 92 students in 2020. SOAP note faculty grades were different between 2019 and 2020 for the first SOAP note (37.6 vs. 41.1, P < .001) but not for the second (42.3 vs. 42.7, P = .49). Peer-review grades were higher for both SOAP notes compared to faculty grades. Peer-review grades did not differ between the first and second SOAP notes (45.5 vs. 45.6) while faculty grades did (41.2 vs. 42.7). The difference in scores from peer-review compared to faculty grades was -4.4 points for the first SOAP note and - 2.9 points for the second SOAP note (P = .08).

The peer-review process did not appear to improve SOAP note performance. Students tended to score better on the second note and appeared to gain proficiency in the peer evaluation process, suggesting a possible benefit of including additional SOAP notes.