Qualitative analysis of preparation and planning habits of students with low-performance on high-stakes practice examinations (pre-NAPLEX®)

Objective

The purpose of this analysis was to identify, analyze, and report patterns (or themes) of planning and preparation considerations of students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam.

Methods

This qualitative study was a retrospective, inductive thematic analysis of de-identified semi-structured interview field notes collected from student interviews for those students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam.

Results

Ninety-one students were initially contacted based on their score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam to participate in one-on-one virtual discussions (i.e., interviews) with faculty members. Fifty-two responded and participated with their responses analyzed and included in thematic categorization. Four major themes were identified during the analysis. These include 1) Organization and Messaging of NAPLEX® Preparation Efforts, 2) Time Management during Competing Obligations, 3) Test Taking Experience, and 4) Curricular Disconnect.

Conclusion

Student performance on the NAPLEX licensing exam is of great concern to many colleges of pharmacy. As a result, many institutions are looking at root-causes for poor performance and working to implement structural changes at their institution to address these concerns. This investigation identified four major themes surrounding the preparation and planning for the Pre-NAPLEX® for students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX®. These include 1) Organization and Messaging of NAPLEX® Preparation Efforts, 2) Time Management during Competing Obligations, 3) Test Taking Experience, and 4) Curricular Disconnect. Each of these themes provides potentially actionable items to improve how students prepare and plan for the Pre-NAPLEX®, which may be translatable to informing actions to improve results on the actual NAPLEX exam itself.