(287) Enhancing Retention and Academic Resilience in First-Year Doctor of Pharmacy Students Using Cognitive Congruence

Objective : To bridge the social and cognitive gap between faculty and first year Doctor of Pharmacy students through creation of a student-led program focused on academic tutoring and supplemental course materials.

Methods: The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy utilizes high-performing third-year students to coordinate a student-led program that encompasses weekly synchronous tutoring sessions and asynchronous, continuously available supplemental materials. Student near-peer tutors attend training sessions focused on classroom technology utilization, presentation preparation, and practice question development. Elected near-peer tutor coordinators work closely with teaching faculty to identify historically challenging content and relevant highlights. First-year students engage with near-peer tutors upon matriculation to establish social congruence, or the development of rapport, and cognitive congruence, or the explanation of material at a relatable level. Tutoring sessions are held weekly for several challenging first-year courses, followed by the posting of utilized slides, practice problems, and supplemental study guides.

Results: An orientation survey assessing academic skills and tutoring experiences conducted in 427 first-year students over four years identifies differences in baseline measures. Attendance at tutoring sessions for the recent fall semester totaled 382 among 12 sessions compared to 262 in fall 2019. Furthermore, utilization of online content persisted in some instances of low live session attendance; for example, one session with 35 attendees had 85 students interact with the content.

Conclusions: Retention of first-year students is dependent upon multiple factors, including academic success, resiliency, and sense of belonging. The challenging transition period for first-year pharmacy students, in terms of curricular content detail and instructional material quantity, may be improved through utilization of a near-peer, student-led supplemental academic program, allowing for better understanding of curricular content in a non-intimidating setting.