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(263) A Post-Semester Course Remediation Program to Promote On-Time Progression for PharmD Students

    Primary Author(s)

  • KB

    KarenBeth H. Bohan, PharmD, BCPS

    Professor, Pharmacy Practice
    Binghamton University, The State University of New York
    Binghamton, New York, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • AB

    Aaron M. Beedle

    Associate Professor and Chair, Pharmaceutical Sciences
    Binghamton University, The State University of New York
    Binghamton, United States

  • EH

    Elizabeth Hageman

    Assistant Director, Skills Education and Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice
    Binghamton University, The State University of New York
    Binghamton, United States

  • Erin E. Pauling, PharmD, BCACP

    Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice
    Binghamton University, The State University of New York
    Binghamton, New York, United States

  • SS

    Sarah A. Spinler, PharmD, FCCP, FAHA, FSHP, AACC

    Co-Chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice
    Binghamton University, The State University of New York
    Binghamton, NY, United States

Objective : To develop a remediation program to support learning recovery and on-time progression for students that experience academic difficulty in PharmD coursework.

Methods: A plan was implemented at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to allow a two-week post-semester remediation time frame for up to two courses per semester to a maximum of four total course remediations prior to advanced pharmacy practice experiences. Students who fail to meet passing requirements (final course grade of C- or better) for one or more courses in a semester and who meet remediation eligibility requirements are offered a fee-free course remediation. Each course remediation is designed by the course faculty and must include a minimum of two meetings and two assessments. When students pass a cumulative remediation final exam (at least 66.5%), their failing semester grade is converted to C-, allowing for progression to the next semester.

Results: The remediation program was initiated in Fall 2017. Since that time, 81 students have qualified for course remediation with a total of 25 courses having offered remediation at least once in the program history. Across 5 cohorts (2 graduated, 3 in-progress) 40 students have completed one course remediation and 41 students have remediated more than one course. 87.7% of student remediators (71/81) have passed course remediation to progress on-time to the next semester.

Conclusions: The two-week post-semester remediation program has a substantive impact in enabling students to recover course-specific lost learning and progress on-time to the next semester. However, offering remediation to facilitate student progression comes at the cost of extending faculty-mandated instruction and targets faculty who teach in more challenging courses.