Work

An Examination of Mandatory Class Attendance and Academic Performance in a PharmD Program

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between a mandatory attendance policy (MAP) and grade point average (GPA), grade distribution, and course failures in a PharmD program. Student adherence to the MAP was also analyzed. METHODS: A MAP was implemented in the 2021-2022 academic year. Pre- and post-MAP course grades were collected retrospectively, along with post-MAP attendance records and violations for MAP nonadherence. Due to curricular revisions, grade analyses were restricted to the first and third years. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance revealed significant main and interaction effects of MAP and curriculum on unweighted GPA. Specifically, unweighted third-year GPA increased by 0.21 points post-MAP, while unweighted first-year GPA increased by 0.11 points. The MAP had a greater impact in the third year than in the first, as indicated by the significant interaction effect. For weighted GPA, analysis of covariance revealed a significant main effect for MAP but no significant main effect for curriculum or interaction effect. Specifically, the aggregate first- and third-year weighted GPA increased significantly by 0.14 GPA post-MAP. For final grades in third-year courses, the failure rate decreased significantly from 1.04% pre-MAP to 0.31% post-MAP, and likewise for first-year courses, from 3.14% pre-MAP to 1.73% post-MAP. Grade distributions improved at both the upper and lower ends post-MAP. Student adherence to the MAP in the 2 academic years following its implementation ranged from 93.2% in fall 2021 to 79.6% in spring 2023. CONCLUSION: The implementation of a MAP warrants consideration by schools and colleges of pharmacy seeking to improve students' academic performance.

Source: American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2025.101389

Authors: Carla Lea Bonner Winkles, Candace W. Barnett, Alexander P. Burgoyne

Institutions: Mercer University, Georgia Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Innovations in Educational Methods

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,400