(179) Supporting Newly Admitted Students’ Transition to Pharmacy School

Objective : To provide assistance to newly admitted students to the Doctor of Pharmacy program with their transition to pharmacy school in the areas of housing, commute, management of non-school responsibilities and commitments, working, finances, and study plans.

Methods: A pre-enrollment survey was developed and administered to 24 newly accepted first-year students enrolling in January 2024. Based on survey responses, the College’s transition team contacted students to intervene when plans had not been made or may need revision. A post-enrollment survey was administered at the conclusion of New Student Orientation to identify changes students made based on the interventions.

Results: Twenty-four students (100%) completed the pre- and post-surveys. Based on pre-survey data, 11 interventions were made (7 zoom meetings and 4 email exchanges). Concerns addressed included housing 1(9%), study habits/plans 3(27%), and work hours 7(64%). Based on post-survey data, Ten (91%) of students who received intervention made changes. Of these, 3 (30%) changed their single specific area of concern (housing, study habits/plans, work), 1 (10%) changed only one of two areas of concern (study habits/plans, but not work), 5 (50%) changed their area of concern and others, and 1(10%) changed various areas that were not of original concern.

Conclusions: Early intervention on life issues is one way to assist in the transition to pharmacy school and proactively address concerns that can potentially compete with academic success.