Innovative Models to Increase Student Retention and Progression Support in the Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To design and implement innovative student support measures to improve academic progression and course completion across the first professional year 3 years. METHODS: A Dean's Progression Advisory program, based on midsemester academic warning data, connected academically at-risk students with School of Pharmacy administrators. A Competency Reassessment Initiative was designed to provide a postsemester assessment opportunity for students earning a final numerical average ranging from 65% to 69.4%, in a maximum of 2 courses per semester. Successful completion of the reassessment (score of ≥70%) yielded a passing course grade of C-. RESULTS: A high level of participation has been observed in the Dean's Progression Advisory program. Qualitative information gathered through this process (eg, personal/family health concerns, financial insecurity, traumatic experience, etc.) has supported program continuation decisions for 20 students, avoiding dismissal. The program has yielded a potential benefit for persistence. The Competency Reassessment Initiative has yielded a 40% success rate based on the number of assessments administered (136 exams with a score of ≥70% out of 339 exams administered). Across 3 iterations, a total of 16, 9, and 6 students, respectively, were able to achieve Good Academic Standing without repeating any courses. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the Dean's Progression Advisory program and the Competency Reassessment Initiative has demonstrated benefits in connecting at-risk students with administrators, providing deeper insight into confounding factors for academic difficulty, and offering an additional opportunity to demonstrate course mastery through a supplemental assessment.
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,400
OpenAlex ID: W4413298326