(298) Implementation and Assessment of an Early Intervention Program Targeting First-Year Pharmacy Students

Objective : To evaluate the effectiveness, student utilization, and impact of a multifaceted Early Intervention Program at James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy for PY1 PharmD students.

Methods: Historically, academic intervention for at-risk students at the college has been largely reactive. In the 2022 to 2023 academic year, the College implemented an updated Early Intervention Program designed with a multifactorial, proactive approach to student support. The Academic Success team (Academic Success Coordinator and Assistant Director of Academic Student Advising) strategized, prepared, and refined the Early Intervention Program to incorporate University and College resources while providing faculty training, developing forms, building reports, and integrating a documentation process for the College. An individualized, holistic approach to student academic and personal wellness, coupled with a newly bolstered tutoring plan were highly prioritized in the implementation of this program.

Results: Students who self-identified as needing academic support were more willing to participate in the recommended interventions and performed more successfully than what was projected OR were less likely to have recurrent interventions. Though all students were monitored and could be placed into early intervention protocols, 13 of the 75 first-year students were determined to be “high risk” by the admissions team and would be observed more closely throughout the first year.

Conclusions: Preliminary data suggests the successful implementation of the Early Intervention Program. After participation in the program, students showed improvement in exam scores and grades, as well as staying in-phase with coursework. The data proved to be useful in demonstrating the impact of new resources and provided implications for future enhancements.