PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hughes, Gregory J.
AU  - Cassagnol, Manouchkathe
AU  - Wu, Wenchen
AU  - Howland, Mary Ann
AU  - Sym, Donna
AU  - El-Chaar, Gladys M.
AU  - Smith, Candace J.
TI  - Modification of a Pharmacokinetics Course Design to Improve Student Performance
AID  - 10.5688/ajpe78593
DP  - 2014 Jun 17
TA  - American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
PG  - 93
VI  - 78
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.ajpe.org/content/78/5/93.short
4100  - http://www.ajpe.org/content/78/5/93.full
SO  - Am J Pharm Educ2014 Jun 17; 78
AB  - Objective. To determine if the addition of weekly quizzes or reducing the number of faculty members teaching improved third-year (P3) pharmacy students’ final grades in a clinical pharmacokinetics course.Design. Four sections of a pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics course were divided according to the number of faculty members teaching the course and the administration of weekly quizzes. Two sections were taught by 6 faculty members and 2 were taught by 3 faculty members. Also, 1 section in each group received weekly quizzes, creating a 2-by-2 design.Assessment. The performance of the 201 P3 students enrolled in the course was assessed by comparing the average of 3 examination grades while excluding quiz grades. The mean final grade of classes in which quizzes were not administered was lower than that for classes in which quizzes were administered (p=0.019). The mean final grade in classes taught by 3 faculty members vs 6 faculty members was higher, but not significantly. A positive significant correlation existed between performance in a prerequisite biopharmaceutics class and this advanced class.Conclusion. Making minor modifications to the delivery of a course, such as number of quizzes administered and number of faculty members teaching the course, had a positive impact on student performance. Grades in a prerequisite course may enable earlier identification of students at risk of poor performance in advanced courses.