Student Success Initiatives Drive Decrease in Academic Progression Committee Appearances

Objective: In 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic, student appearances before the Gatton College of Pharmacy (GCOP) Academic Progression Committee (APC) were at an all-time high, and a number of recent matriculates in the first professional (P1) year dropped out of the PharmD program before the end of the first semester. The APC sought to evaluate mechanisms to enhance student retention while retaining academic rigor and achievement of programmatic outcomes.
Methods: Multiple interventions were developed, including an expedited reapplication pathway, an early alert monitoring and intervention policy, and updated academic progression policies. The expedited reapplication pathway, which grants a guaranteed reentry evaluation by the admissions committee for program completion, is available to most students dismissed for academic reasons. The program consists of coaching and academic success plan development, additional undergraduate coursework, and meeting minimum academic standards. Early alert monitoring identifies students at risk for non-passing grades and provides academic support, including coaching and academic success plan development. Lastly, updated progression policies streamlined identification of students eligible for remediation or dismissal.
Results: Before implementation of the three initiatives described above, in December 2021, a record number of students appeared before the APC (n=23, 8.4%), and with additional leaves of absences during the fall semester, total attrition for the semester was n=35, 12.8%. After implementation of the academic success initiatives outlined above, in Fall 2024, significantly fewer students appeared before the APC (n=3, 1.4%; p-value< 0.001) and total attrition was significantly less (n=7, 3.3%; p-value< 0.001).
Conclusions: Dedicated staff with expertise in education along with development of intensive student academic success programs can improve persistence and retention in a Doctor of Pharmacy program.