Creating a Comprehensive Exam to Prepare Students for the PCOA

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives were to provide Maryland pharmacy students with the experience of a comprehensive examination similar in length and content to the national PCOA Method: We constructed a 225-question comprehensive exam in ExamSoft using previously tested questions written by Maryland faculty within predetermined ranges of point biserial correlation and p value item difficulty, screened for high level concepts rather than lecture specific details, then tagged and apportioned content according to the PCOA blueprint. Results: The internal assessment was created to mirror the national PCOA, allowing an internal assessment of the curriculum and also to identify areas of strength and weaknesses by individual students as a practice for the national PCOA. Implications: Results on the practice exam will be assessed to student performance on the national PCOA, and performance on the pharmacist licensing examination (NAPLEX) after graduation the following year. These assessments will guide data-led improvements in both PCOA preparation and the curriculum as a whole.

Read More: http://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/ajpe805S2