(92) Three-Year Retrospective Theme Analysis on Impact of Co-Curricular Activities in First Year Pharmacy Students

Objective : To evaluate the impact of co-curricular activities among first-year pharmacy (P1) students across three years.

Methods: This is a retrospective, observational theme analysis based on responses from P1 students enrolled between Fall 2019 and Spring 2022. Requirements for co-curricular activities were implemented in Fall 2019. First-year students are required to participate in a minimum of 12 co-curricular activities within five domains: Professionalism, Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Advocacy, and Self-Awareness. The impact of the activities was assessed through theme analysis of written response submission via discussion boards. Students’ responses could reflect more than one domain. A code book was developed focusing on the five co-curricular domains. A fourth-year pharmacy student researcher coded the de-identified student responses. A mixed methods approach is used to report the findings, with codes and sub-codes transformed and reported quantitatively.

Results: Response rate to written submission was 93.8% (303 of 323). Self-Awareness was noted as the most impactful domain at 75.6% (229 of 303), followed by Professionalism at 54.5% (165 of 303), Advocacy at 33.7% (102 of 303), Leadership at 31.7% (96 of 303) and Innovation at 25.7% (78 of 303). Trends were comparable across the three classes.

Conclusions: Initial analysis indicates first-year students identified Self-Awareness, Professionalism, and Advocacy co-curricular activities as the most impactful. In contrast, Leadership and Innovation & Entrepreneurship co-curricular activities were identified as impactful less often. This was an anticipated outcome, while P1 students must complete Leadership and Innovation & Entrepreneurship co-curricular activities, more robust opportunities are afforded during their second and third years.