title: Modification of a pharmacokinetics course design to improve student performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if the addition of weekly quizzes or reducing the number of faculty members teaching improved third-year (P3) pharmacy students' final grades in a clinical pharmacokinetics course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four sections of a pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics course were divided according to the number of faculty members teaching the course and the administration of weekly quizzes. Two sections were taught by 6 faculty members and 2 were taught by 3 faculty members. Also, 1 section in each group received weekly quizzes, creating a 2-by-2 design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The performance of the 201 P3 students enrolled in the course was assessed by comparing the average of 3 examination grades while excluding quiz grades. The mean final grade of classes in which quizzes were not administered was lower than that for classes in which quizzes were administered (p=0.019). The mean final grade in classes taught by 3 faculty members vs 6 faculty members was higher, but not significantly. A positive significant correlation existed between performance in a prerequisite biopharmaceutics class and this advanced class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Making minor modifications to the delivery of a course, such as number of quizzes administered and number of faculty members teaching the course, had a positive impact on student performance. Grades in a prerequisite course may enable earlier identification of students at risk of poor performance in advanced courses.
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Gregory J
authors: GJ
authors: Hughes
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Manouchkathe
authors: M
authors: Cassagnol
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Wenchen
authors: W
authors: Wu
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Mary Ann
authors: MA
authors: Howland
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Donna
authors: D
authors: Sym
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Gladys M
authors: GM
authors: El-Chaar
authors: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York.
authors: Candace J
authors: CJ
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods
keywords: assessment; pedagogy; pharmacokinetics