(113) Predictors of Performance in a Pharmacy Calculations Course

Objective : To determine predictors of success in a first-year pharmacy calculations course by correlating pre-test and exam scores to final performance.

Methods: During the 2023 fall semester, first-year pharmacy students took a calculations pre-test on the first day of class. This test included basic math skills such as rounding, unit conversions, and proportions. The pre-test did not count towards their final grade, however their performance allowed faculty to understand the students’ baseline calculations knowledge prior to starting the course. Their grade on this assessment as well as their exam grades throughout the semester was used to determine correlation.

Results: Student pre-test grades correlated with all tests, including the final comprehensive exam with p<.001. Pre-test correlation with overall final score was 0.308, p=.003. Additionally, scores on the first exam were a great predictor of how students would perform in the course.

Conclusions: Implementing a calculations pre-test on the first day of class served as a predictor of overall student performance and final grades in the course. This pre-test as long as scores on the first exam can serve as a tool for early-intervention to provide additional resources to students and allow them to succeed in pharmaceutical calculations.