Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the impact of time spent at work (workload) on the academic performance of pharmacy students. A cross-sectional 12-item survey was administered to pharmacy students at the end of the spring 2011 semester to primarily assess the type of employment and their weekly workload during the 2010–2011 academic year. Academic performance was determined by semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA). Descriptive statistics were performed. Stratified multiple linear regression models were obtained to assess the association between students’ workload and GPA. Analysis of covariance was used to compare academic performance by workload after accounting for work type and potential covariates. Statistical significance was defined a priori as p < 0.05. For both fall and spring semesters, nonpharmacy-related work was significant and positively associated with GPA. Both semester GPAs were fairly similar among three student classifications (P1–P3). However, GPAs across both semesters varied by classification. The negative association of workload on GPA was significant in the fall but not in the spring semester. Although workload matters, future studies using a mixed-method approach might help explain the role of workload on the academic performance of pharmacy during the first three years of their professional training.
Highlights
Several variables have been used to predict the success or failure of pharmacy students throughout the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum; most notable has been the passing of the NorthAmerican Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) test [1,2,3]
The fall and spring semester grade point average (GPA) were fairly similar among the three classifications
The distribution of GPAs across the fall and spring semesters varied by classification (P1–P3)
Summary
American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) test [1,2,3] None of these studies have looked at the impact of workload and the type of work as a predictor of success or failure in the PharmD curriculum. A meta-analysis by Kuncel et al showed that prepharmacy grade point average (GPA) and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) score were predictors of success in the PharmD curriculum and on the national pharmacy board examination but did not consider the impact of nonacademic variables [4]. A study by Sansgiry et al analyzed nonacademic variables that may impact progression in the PharmD program, such as test competence, time management, strategic studying, and test anxiety They concluded that test competency was the only significant determinate of students’ academic progression based on GPA [5].
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