(337) Student Led Academic Success Seminars for First-Year Pharmacy Students

Objective : To implement a student-led, preventative academic success program to P1 students.

Methods: Current interventions to assist students in academic troubles have historically been reactive, being initiated after the student shows signs of academic difficulties. The Student Academic Success Program (SASS) program was designed by student pharmacists as a proactive, preventative approach, to address this concern. The SASS program consisted of 4 lectures in weeks 1-3 and 2 reflections, completed in week 6 and week 8 during the Fall semester. The program Seminar topics taught in the first three weeks of the semester included time management, principles of effective study methods, self-management, and system sustainability. Interactive activities were incorporated into each lesson with the use of Nearpod were made interactive by using the Nearpod® interactive presentation and learning system. Two P3 students and 6 student facilitators ran each session. For continuity, the facilitators were trained and by the lead P3 students to run the program in subsequent years.

Results: The SASS program was offered during the 2022 academic year to forty P1 students. Participant feedback was obtained using a pre/post survey, and 80.7% stated SASS improved their study habits and 74.2% stated SASS has positive impact on class performance.

Conclusions: A preventative, student-led approach is a unique way to address academic struggles in the pharmacy program. The program can be sustained by training student facilitators to continue leading the program in future years.