Impact of previous pharmacy work experience on pharmacy school academic performance.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether students' previous pharmacy-related work experience was associated with their pharmacy school performance (academic and clinical).


METHODS
The following measures of student academic performance were examined: pharmacy grade point average (GPA), scores on cumulative high-stakes examinations, and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) grades. The quantity and type of pharmacy-related work experience each student performed prior to matriculation was solicited through a student survey instrument. Survey responses were correlated with academic measures, and demographic-based stratified analyses were conducted.


RESULTS
No significant difference in academic or clinical performance between those students with prior pharmacy experience and those without was identified. Subanalyses by work setting, position type, and substantial pharmacy work experience did not reveal any association with student performance. A relationship was found, however, between age and work experience, ie, older students tended to have more work experience than younger students.


CONCLUSIONS
Prior pharmacy work experience did not affect students' overall academic or clinical performance in pharmacy school. The lack of significant findings may have been due to the inherent practice limitations of nonpharmacist positions, changes in pharmacy education, and the limitations of survey responses.
Mar
Ellena
E
Touro University College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA.
Barnett
Mitchell J
MJ
T-L Tang
Terrill
T
Sasaki-Hill
Debra
D
Kuperberg
James R
JR
Knapp
Katherine
K
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014937:Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult