(126) Student Perception of Exam Structure on Study Habits, Well-being, and Academic Performance During P1 Year

Objective : Our school adopted composite exam structure with P1 class in Fall 2023. When compared to conventional exam structure and focusing on Winter Quarter P1 year, this study sought to determine (1) whether student study habits, class participation, participation in extra-curricular pharmacy activities, and wellbeing, improved with composite exams (2024 cohort) compared to conventional exams (2023 cohort) and (2) whether academic outcomes for exam-based courses between cohorts was similar.

Methods: Following Winter Quarter 2023, P1 students could participate in an anonymous online Qualtrics survey to determine the impact of conventional exam structure on their study habits, class participation, participation in extra-curricular activities, and wellbeing. The same survey was administered to P1 students during the last week of Winter Quarter 2024. To examine the potential impact of the change in structure on academic success, the percentage of A's, B's, C's, and failures for P1 Winter Quarter Exam-based courses will be compared between the two cohorts once grades are finalized.

Results: The composite exam (2024) P1 cohort spend more time in distributed studying (48% vs 13%) and less time cramming (15% vs 27%), missed class to study only once per quarter or less (88% vs 27%), are more likely to participate in extra-curricular activities (70% vs 65%), and fewer students stated exams had significant negative impact on their wellbeing when compared to the conventional exam (2023) cohort (3.7% vs 54%).

Conclusions: Switching to a composite exam format has led to improvements in student studying, class and organizational participation, and improved student wellbeing.