Blending Early Warning and Remediation Processes to Facilitate Student Success

Objective

To describe remediation and early-warning strategies in a PharmD program and to evaluate the impact on student success factors such as attrition rates, on-time graduation rates, and remediation pass rates.

Methods

A multifaceted approach was adopted, including the development of in-course and postcourse remediation procedures to provide timely support, focusing on coherence and integrating student-directed learning activities. In addition, we implemented an early-warning system to identify at-risk students, provide personalized advising, and emphasize improving study habits.

Results

The combination of the early-warning system and remediation procedures contributed to a 10% improvement in both on-time graduation and total attrition rates. Over 60% of PharmD courses reported grades below C on exams and major assignments. In-course remediation had an average passing rate of 89%, with formal postcourse remediation resulting in a 94% success rate. Of students participating in formal postcourse remediation, 87% (n = 27) progressed to graduation on time. Without remediation, the college attrition rate would have been 20.3% rather than the actual rate of 13.5%.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that a multifaceted approach, including an early-warning system with targeted remediation strategies, positively impacted student success factors in our program. Proactive identification through the early-warning system and tailored remediation procedures improved on-time graduation rates and reduced total attrition rates. The effectiveness of in-course and postcourse remediation in supporting student progression and mitigating attrition risk emphasizes the importance of comprehensive support mechanisms in promoting student success and program retention.