Predicting success of pharmacy students in basic science and clinical clerkship courses

C. L. Kimberlin, R. S. Hadsall, D. R. Gourley, L. K. Benedict

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

A number of studies on the ability of admissions variables to predict success in pharmacy schools have examined only success in the first professional year, which typically consists primarily of basic science courses. This study examined not only grades in basic science courses but also performance on clinical clerkships, for two classes of students. It also examined the ability of various personality variables to predict performance in clinical and basic science coursework. Previous grade point average (GPA) was the best single predictor of performance. In one class, the personality variable of Responsibility best predicted clinical clerkship performance. However, it only accounted for 13 percent of the variance in clerkship grades. Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) Biology and PCAT Verbal Ability scores added to the predictive ability of previous GPA in one class, but none of the PCAT scales entered a prediction equation for the other class. The limitations on our ability to predict, with any consistency, academic performance in pharmacy school is discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)297-301
Number of pages5
JournalDrug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy
Volume17
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1983
Externally publishedYes

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