(27) Improving Pharmacy Calculations NAPLEX Performance Through Structured Training and Curricular Repetition

Objective : In 2019, the University of Findlay College of Pharmacy began a formalized effort to revise and expand the current calculations curriculum. The primary objective determined if structured changes to the calculations curriculum resulted in improved performance on Domain 4 (Perform Calculations) of the licensure exam (NAPLEX). The secondary objective evaluated the association of these curricular changes with overall NAPLEX pass rates.

Methods: Changes began with adding new calculations content to pre-pharmacy courses, restructuring calculations content in the first professional year (P1), and implementing mandatory relearning sessions. Modifications continued into the P2 and P3 years with new competency exams in sequential skills lab courses. These changes are reinforced through a series of assigned practice quizzes and in-person exams throughout the P4 year. The researchers collected: 1) overall NAPLEX pass rates from 2017-2022, and 2) average Domain 4 scores when available (2021-2022) using Enflux. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics.

Results: Findlay’s ranking for pass rates on the NAPLEX improved over time from #101 (2017) to #8 (2022). Notably, students scored considerably higher on Domain 4 (Perform Calculations) compared to national averages. Specifically, 0% of Findlay’s students scored at level 1 [far below meeting the minimum performance], and 51-62% scored at the highest level 4 [exceeds the minimal performance]. These results were markedly better than the national averages [9-10% for level 1 and 38-40% for level 4].

Conclusions: These preliminary associations suggest that the changes to the calculations and NAPLEX preparation curriculum improved competency in calculations and potentially overall NAPLEX performance. Future analyses will attempt to correlate individual student NAPLEX results with PCOA (Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment) results, pre-NAPLEX exams, and other indicators of calculations proficiency.