(169) Impact of a Modular Bridge Course for First-Year Pharmacy Students

Objective : To determine the short-term impact of a first-year pharmacy school (P1) curricular redesign on student performance in their first semester.

Methods: A single-institution, retrospective analysis comparing outcomes for the P1 fall semester between the classes of 2026 (n=99) and 2027 (n=104) after a curriculum redesign for the latter. An initial modular bridge course (Pharm-Ready) was introduced in the fall semester, followed by a five-course schedule (maintaining the same content as before). Fall grade point average (GPA), course performance, pre-matriculation math performance, remediation attempts, students with one or more courses receiving below a C-, and non-academic factors were collected from both cohorts. Risk estimates and regression analysis were used for variables that may predict student success at the end of the P1 fall term. A p-value of 0.05 was determined to be significant.

Results: No difference in academic performance was found between the cohorts. Students with lower undergraduate GPAs were more likely to receive a grade < C- in the fall term (p <.001). For the class of 2027, students who remediated a component of the bridging course were 32-times more likely to get at least one grade < C- (p=.001). Students with a pre-matriculation math score of < 70% were more likely to remediate at least once (OR 22.3;p <.001) or receive a grade < C- (OR 3.3;p=.043) in the fall term.

Conclusions: No difference occurred with a curricular redesign; however, predictors of success were discovered. Lower undergraduate GPA, pre-matriculation math score of < 70%, or remediating one component in Pharm-Ready are strong indicators a student will receive at least one grade of < C-. The data can help with early identification of students at risk and early intervention.