DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONLINE NAPLEX PREPARATION COURSE FOR PHARMACY STUDENTS

Abstract

Preparing for a licensure examination can be an overwhelming task for pharmacy students. The Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum provides students with the necessary knowledge, judgment, and skills expected of entry-level, career-ready, licensed pharmacists, but additional preparation is usually required due to the vast amount of material. In January 2017, faculty at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) developed a new online course within the curriculum for fourth-year students, focusing on license examination preparation. The course prepared the students with the background knowledge, skills, and judgment necessary to understand how to utilize the resources and review content before taking the examination. It started with a pre-assessment, followed by weekly modules comprised of three assessments, and concluded with a post-assessment. When students did not perform well on the weekly modules, they took a retake assessment. If students did not pass the retake assessments, they were assigned a remediation project with a faculty member, which entailed a presentation and oral quiz. The course was an effective instructional method to significantly improve student knowledge between pre- and post-assessment scores (60.62% vs 90.52%, p<0.0001). Students provided positive feedback on the course, particularly the amount of calculation-type questions in the assessments. In upcoming semesters, the course will continue and be more adaptable for different student schedules.