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An annotated bibliography answering the question: “Do students’ entry grades and qualifications correlate with academic performance on the pharmacy (MPharm Hons) course?”
Performance of students at the Higher Education level has often been attributed to the university systems in place. Such considerations include the quality of teaching, available facilities or structures and other resources required for implementing academic programmes. The focus for this annotated bibliography is to investigate how the quality of students, in terms of their academic record before admission influences their performance as they progress through the pharmacy (MPharm Horns) course in the UK. In particular, the review shall address entry grades’ requirements for the course and whether they correlate with the academic performance of students on the pharmacy course. In the UK, Higher Education institutions apply the A-Level achievement as the basic requirement for admission. Most institutions in the country with Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) programme employ a very competitive process to admit students as they are required to have at least a grade B for 3 A-Level subjects, which usually include Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics or Physics. While entry grades continue to play a big a part in the admission process, questions linger as to whether there is a correlation between the entry grades and academic performance on the pharmacy (MPharm Hons) course. I believe this to be a particularly important topic to research as most schools of pharmacy in the UK have become heavily reliant on clearing to fill their courses and satisfy university top management, despite the stringent requirements imposed by the national regulator: the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). In doing so, schools have increasingly admitted students with weaker qualifications and lower entry grades than those advertised. Literature concerning this subject is very broad and addresses many other factors that may influence student performance in the programme. These factors include socioeconomic status of the students, the type of secondary school they attended, their age, and whether they are British or from other countries. While my review is interested in the impact of entry grades on the programme, considerations will be made on the dynamics created when the other factors come into play. It follows that results of this study can inform policy considerations after assessing the significance of the entry grades; in terms of their effectiveness in admitting students into the MPharm course and providing assurance that the students will succeed.
1) Sie, D., Bates, I., Aggarwal, R., and Borja-Lopetegi, A., 2003. An analysis of the new UK Master of Pharmacy degree programme: Rhetoric and reality. Pharmacy Education, 3.
This article seeks to explain the reality as of 2003, in terms of the performance of the MPharm programme, following a change from Bachelors to Masters appellation. It
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investigates whether the new 4-year programme from the previous 3-year Bachelor’s degree helped meet the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) descriptors. Ten interviews were administered to Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS) before transcribing and coding the results. Consequently, results indicated that the change from Bachelors to MPharm was necessitated by insecurity and contention rather than debate on the true facts on the ground. Further, the research notes that the MPharm programme in 2003 did not merit the title Masters when compared with other postgraduate Masters level programmes. The article supports my research as it collects information on the views of MPharm programme leaders in the UK. However, the findings may not be dependable since only about half of the targeted programme leaders were interviewed. Besides, time constraints did not allow the researchers to use a triangulation method of analysis to interview other members of staff in the various schools of pharmacy. Therefore, it will be important to compare other research relating to this article’s findings in order to incorporate credible data in my study.
2) Hall, M., Hanna, L.A., Hanna, A. and Hall, K., 2015. Associations between achievement goal orientations and academic performance among students at a UK pharmacy school. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 79(5), p.64.
In this article, there is an explanation that motivation helps learners to develop into independent learners; which in turn fulfills the statutory development requirements in the field of pharmacy. Changes in motivation along the training process are thus shown to be responsible for students’ performance. A validated questionnaire categorised students at a UK pharmacy school as either high or low performers, based on university grades. Further, associations and statistical significance were revealed through linear regression as well as parametric and non-parametric tests. It was noted that females perform better than males as the latter gender was noted to be more work avoidant. Additionally, both male and female students performed better at the lower levels of study, especially in the first year. Although this article is not directly relevant to my research, the results on parameters of gender and the level of study show that regardless of university entry grades, achievement goal orientations in terms of mastery-avoidance and work-avoidance play a role in determining student performance. It follows that students may have great A-Level grades and still fail to perform well as they pursue the course due to the factors of achievement goal orientations.
3) Bush, J., 2012. Entry characteristics and academic performance of students in a Master of Pharmacy degree program in the United Kingdom. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 76(7), p.126.
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Entry characteristics were evaluated for a cohort of MPharm students (2005-2006 through to 2009-2010). This analysis was done at the time of admission and throughout their study at Aston University in the UK. The study thus assessed the association between entry qualifications, the socioeconomic status of the students, the type of secondary school they attended, their age and academic performance in their MPharm studies. Results following a retrospective analysis of the cohort indicated that prior A-Level achievement best predicted the performance of students in the MPharm programme, notwithstanding age or socioeconomic status of the students. As for the type of secondary school attended, there were interesting results as students from independent schools did not replicate their superior A-Level performance at the point of graduation. They tended to take longer to complete the MPharm course as compared to students from state schools who recorded lesser A-Level grades prior to admission. Before policy changes can be made nationally, longitudinal data is needed to ascertain the findings of the research so that similar studies are carried out in other institutions of higher learning. It is also important to explain the impact of the addition of the “interview component” in the admission process for MPharm students at Aston University as well as other institutions across the UK. This article raises pertinent information for consideration in my study as it ascertains that entry grades do not necessarily indicate good performance in MPharm, especially for students coming from independent schools.
4) Thiele, T., Singleton, A., Pope, D., and Stanistreet, D., 2016. Predicting students’ academic performance based on school and socio-demographic characteristics. Studies in Higher Education, 41(8), pp.1424-1446.
In this article, it is expressly indicated that students’ entry into university by means of school qualifications, if applied alone, results in a limited capacity to predict students’ academic potential. Therefore, the research looks into other factors that may impact on student success after admission. Studied are associations between school type, student grades, school performance, socio-economic attributes, participation of neighborhoods, gender, race and academic achievement at a UK institution of higher learning. Findings in the article are to the effect that students from poor socio-economic backgrounds tend to perform less well when compared to those from affluent backgrounds. In matters pertaining to race, the study shows that Asian and black students did not perform as well as white students. Moreover, female students performed better than their male counterparts. Further, there was a positive correlation between entry grades recorded by low performing schools and a positive degree performance. On the other hand, students from independent schools ended up performing lesser than those from comprehensive schools. These variations may not be similar at the national level as well as at individual university scenarios. These findings stimulate my research as I will be able to explain other factors besides entry grades
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which determine students’ performance in MPharm schools; therefore it seems wrong to make generalisations without in-depth research that includes all the important factors.
5) Sharif, S., Bansal, N., Gifford, L., Morris, G.A. and Barber, J., 2002. What makes a student succeed? Pharmacy Education, 2(3).
This is a short paper that explains that student success in pharmacy is not only achieved through academic ability, whether at the pre-entry point or towards completion of an MPharm course. It is expressly stated in the paper that A-Level grades poorly predict final degree success. Using data available in the UCAS forms since 1997 to the time of completion of the paper in 2002, student information was correlated between the start of their university education to the point of completion. Results showed that there was a weak correlation between A-Level results with the final success. However, A-Level scores for Biology were important determinants for the final university success. An increase in one grade for A-Level Biology Corresponded to an increase in the final marks by 5%. The other factors identified in the research as correlating with student success in pharmacy included gender, geographical background (postcode of the family home), personal statements of the students, skills tests and results, attendance data as well as examination results for first, second and third-year examinations. This study is relevant to my research as it shows the practicability of the study at Manchester School of Pharmacy; which greatly benefited from the programme as retention rates of students increased markedly throughout the period of the research; reaching above 97% at the transition of first-year to second year as of 2002.
6) Wilson, K., Jesson, J., Langley, C., Hatfield, K. and Clarke, L., 2006. Pharmacy undergraduate students: career choices and expectations across a four-year degree programme. London: Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, pp.74-93.
A baseline understanding was needed to explain the career aspirations, expectations, and motivations for undergraduate pharmacy students in the UK. UCAS statistics between 1998 and 2003 were reviewed while a survey for students in their first and final years at pharmacy institutions was conducted using a self-completion questionnaire. An aptitude for science as exhibited and personal career aspirations were the two major categories of intrinsic influencers for joining school of pharmacy. The study focused more on consolidating knowledge on what factors motivate students to choose pharmacy as a career. This study is not directly relevant to my research as it does not expressly mention, entry grades and their correlation to performance in MPharm course. However, it is clear that the students’ ability to meet the entry requirements to study MPharm played a role in solidifying their resolve to succeed in their studies and thereafter in their jobs upon employment.
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7) Adam, J., Bore, M., Childs, R., Dunn, J., Mckendree, J., Munro, D. and Powis, D., 2015. Predictors of professional behavior and academic outcomes in a UK medical school: a longitudinal cohort study. Medical Teacher, 37(9), pp.868-880
Researchers in this article are cognisant of the fact that there have been recurring debates on the efficiency of the selection criteria applied in the admission of students to medical schools in the UK. The researchers thus investigated the parameters that would best predict student success in medical schools using a sample student group of 147 students from Hull York Medical School. Results from their study showed that students of British descent were likely to succeed more in medical schools compared to EU and international students. Additionally, UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) scores and the Hull York Medical Score (HYMS) score developed from previous students’ academic performance were valid as they offered good predictions for the level of success expected for students joining medical programmes. The strength of this study hinges on the fact that the researchers used a considerably large sample size and it supports my research as it adds to other factors that influence students’ performance in the MPharm course besides the entry grades. Therefore, I will make conclusions on the correlation of entry grades to MPharm course and the subsequent academic performance, having considered the other important factors such as country of descent.
8) Tiffin, P.A., Mwandigha, L.M., Paton, L.W., Hesselgreaves, H., McLachlan, J.C., Finn, G.M. and Kasim, A.S., 2016. Predictive validity of the UKCAT for medical school undergraduate performance: a national prospective cohort study. BMC Medicine, 14(1), p.140.
UKCAT scores for a sample of 6812 students joining medical schools in the UK between 2007 and 2008 were analysed. The research aimed at conducting a perspective observatory study to find the link between previous academic performances, the UKCAT scores and the socio-demographic variables in medical degree programmes. Findings suggest that the UKCAT scores modestly predicted the outcomes for students undertaking undergraduate medical curricula. The study also came up with a hypothesis that other selection measures are needed to complement the UKCAT scores as the means for admission of students. A large sample size is required to validate the results of the study in relation to the ability of pre-requisite grades to correctly predict student performance in the MPharm programme. This article is really engaging and will enrich my study as it incorporates multiple data-sets including previous academic performance, UKCAT scores and the socio-demographic variables associated with medical degree programmes. It follows that credible results can be arrived at due to wide analysis using a large sample size.
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9) Hassell, K., Seston, E., Eden, M. and Willis, S., 2007. The UK pharmacy degree: Attrition rates and demographics of non-completers. Pharmacy Education, 7.
Not all students in the British Higher Education system graduate as expected. This research thus seeks to investigate the attrition rates in MPharm in a bid to enable policy makers and workforce planners to make informed decisions in the practice of pharmacy. Consequently, recruitment issues or shortages of personnel can be mitigated against. Data was collected on attrition rates for students between the years 1994 to 2000. Comparisons were made using data from UCAS for the entry behaviour in terms of students who applied to study pharmacy as their first choice and those who accepted. A time series analysis was carried out for the period of the research, but no trend was noted. In 1997, the highest attrition rates were recorded perhaps due to the change from a three-year degree to a four-year MPharm. It was also noted that factors such as gender, student type, and institution played a role in the levels of attrition recorded. Regardless of students being able to meet the entry requirements, female students tended to perform better than male students as they pursued the pharmacy course. On the other hand. EU and overseas students had lower graduation rates as compared to the local students, while various institutions showed different levels of attrition. This article is important to my study as it explains the attrition phenomenon in relation to the continuity of studies for MPharm students. Correlations can thus be made on whether entry grades influence the attrition cases. 10) Naing, C.N.C., Yusoff, N., Yeoh, P.N. and Keat, P.P.C., 2013. Predicting the success of MPharm graduates in the pharmacy twinning programme. Pharmacy Education, 13.
In this article, predictions were made on the success of MPharm graduates who underwent an international collaborative education system with a credit transfer scheme. A descriptive analysis was carried out for a sample of 546 students in the database for the pharmacy twinning programme between 2003 and 2007. Results indicated a significant positive association between the students’ banding classification on admission to the admission university and the award offered following their first attempt at the degree-awarding institution called University of Strathclyde (UoS) in the UK. It follows that the credit-mark average from the first semester through to the fifth in the admission university served as the sole predictor of the possibility of end-point success in the twinning programme. Findings showed that the academic performance in the pre-university institution had an impact on the level of success in the twinning programme. This article does not directly relate to my study as it focusses on the pharmacy twinning programme. However, the results which show a relationship between academic performance in the pre-university institution and the twinning programme are relatable to my study. Therefore, pre-entry grades can be considered to have a correlation with the academic performance on the pharmacy (MPharm Hons) course.
