(290) Evaluating the Impact of Remediation on Pharmacy Student Progression During a Pandemic

Objective : To evaluate the impact of a remediation policy on student progression throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A pilot remediation program was developed, implemented, and assessed prior to the pandemic for P1 students and subsequently refined and expanded to include P2 and P3 students.

Results: A pilot remediation program initiated in January 2020, prior to the March 13, 2020 declaration of a national emergency for COVID-19, resulted in a success rate of 88.9% among nine participating first-year students. Expansion of the pilot remediation program to P2 (n=2) and P3 (n=1) students in early Spring of 2020 resulted in a success rate of 100% and an overall success rate of 92% (n=12 students). The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a large increase in the number of students remediating coursework. As remote instruction efforts continued throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, the overall remediation success rate decreased to 52% (n=25) and continued to further decline to 41% (n=27) in the 2021-2022 academic year. Individual meetings with faculty and remediating students identified several factors contributing to the declining remediation success rates including, excessive student work hours, student engagement in class during COVID-19 remote instruction, physical/mental health issues, and student attendance in class, peer-tutoring sessions, and office hours.

Conclusions: These data indicate that the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic had significant, negative impacts on remediation success; additional student support mechanisms and resources are likely needed to mitigate delays in student progression.