Creating an Arms Race? Examining School Costs and Motivations for Providing NAPLEX and PCOA Preparation
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Lebovitz, Lisa Shuford, Veronica DiVall, Margarita Daugherty, Kimberly Rudolph, Michael Dalby, Richard N.
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Abstract
Creating an Arms Race? Examining School Costs and Motivations for Providing NAPLEX and PCOA Preparation. Lisa Lebovitz, University of Maryland, Veronica P. Shuford, Virginia Commonwealth University, Margarita V. DiVall, Northeastern University, Kimberly K. Daugherty, Sullivan University, Michael Rudolph, Marshall University. Objectives: To examine the resources that Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy (C/SOPs) invest in for NAPLEX and PCOA preparation. Method: A web-based survey was conducted to determine types of resources and associated costs for NAPLEX and PCOA preparation. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 85 responses were received from 82 of 132 C/SOPs (62%); three respondents represented branch campuses. Three quarters (76%) of C/SOPs offer NAPLEX review including access to an external vendor’s question bank (63%), live review by an external vendor (49%), live review by faculty (38%), and a mock NAPLEX test (38%); many employed multiple resources. While 19% reported spending nothing for NAPLEX review, 26% spend less than $10K, 20% spend $10K-$25K, and 20% spend $25K-60K. Reasons for not offering NAPLEX review include excellent historical performance on NAPLEX and belief that the curriculum provides sufficient preparation. The primary motivating factor for NAPLEX review is service to the students (62%), followed by recent drop in NAPLEX performance (20%), or historically poor NAPLEX performance (13%). Only 20% of C/SOPs provide PCOA preparation, including live review by faculty (27%) and question banks developed internally (18%) or by an external vendor (18%). Schools that do not provide PCOA preparation cited a desire to obtain unbiased estimates of student content knowledge, use of the exam as a low-stakes assessment, and lack of experience with the exam. Implications: Most C/SOPs provide NAPLEX review but resource type and expenditure vary considerably. Investment in PCOA preparation may increase depending how the data are used by C/SOPs and ACPE.