(332) Use of Contract Grading for an Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience

Objective : Assessing introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) poses challenges for preceptors and students. Contract grading fosters learning through mutually agreed upon student-preceptor goals providing transparent assessment. We hypothesize employing contract grading to assess a 3-week Institutional IPPE experience enhances grading clarity, ensures equity, integrates student experiences, facilitates learning and empowers students. Aims were to gather student feedback on the strengths and limitations of contract grading and compare perceptions between students that utilized it during IPPE (Group 1) and those that did not (Group 2).

Methods: An anonymous Microsoft survey containing 5 multiple-choice, 2 Likert scale and 3 open-ended questions, derived from the literature, was emailed to students (Group 1: n=20; Group 2: n=15). Group 1 rated overall satisfaction with contract grading. Descriptive statistics were used with qualitative analysis of open-ended responses.

Results: Survey completion rates were 95% (19/20) Group 1 and 30% (5/15) Group 2. 95% of students in Group 1 and 80% in Group 2 expressed strongly agree/agree that contract grading is clear, equitable, incorporates student experiences, and facilitates learning. All Group 1 students felt empowered in their learning. 60% of Group 2 students would feel empowered using contract grading. In Group 1, 15 student satisfaction scores were > 8/10. Group 1 highlighted strengths were the ability to “choose the goal” and “fully visualize the responsibilities” with “no surprises”. Limitations included “extra stuff could dissuade” students who might “underestimate themselves” and lack of clinical performance assessment.

Conclusions: Students perceived that IPPE contract grading resulted in clear, equitable grading enabling them to define and pursue their learning goals. In the future, grading contracts should be designed in collaboration with students to prevent self-underestimation and integrate assessment of clinical performance.