Predictors of student performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment at a new school of pharmacy using admissions and demographic data

Objectives: To characterize student performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) and to determine the significance of specific admissions criteria and pharmacy school performance to predict student performance on the PCOA during the first through third professional years.

Methods: Multivariate linear regression models were developed to study the relationships between various independent variables and students' PCOA total scores during the first through third professional years.

Results: To date, four cohorts have successfully taken the PCOA examination. Results indicate that the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT), the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT), and cumulative pharmacy grade point average were the only consistent significant predictors of higher PCOA total scores across all students who have taken the exam at our school of pharmacy.

Conclusion: The school should examine and clarify the role of PCOA within its curricular assessment program. Results suggest that certain admissions criteria and performance in pharmacy school are associated with higher PCOA scores.