/Institutions/University-of-Texas-at-Tyler/json/2022-2023/Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Texas-at-Tyler/json/2022-2023/Catalog.json

2022-2023 Catalog > Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy > Policies for the Fisch College of Pharmacy > Milestone and Capstone Exams

Milestone and Capstone Exams

Milestone and/or capstone exams may be given as a comprehensive assessment of learning. Milestone and capstones include, but are not limited to:

Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA)

The purpose of the PCOA administration and remediation policy is to provide the guidelines and procedures for the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016 state that the college must annually assess the performance of students nearing the completion of the didactic curriculum that allow for national comparisons and college- or school-determined peer comparisons. Each year, the FCOP administers the PCOA in the first, second, and third professional years.

• The PCOA-NABP is the PCOA exam designed and administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). 
  • The P1-PCOA is given in the first professional year (P1).
  • The P2-PCOA is given in the second professional year (P2).
  • The P3-PCOA is given in the third professional year (P3).
• The PCOA-FCOP is a FCOP-administered assessment that simulates the NABP-PCOA exam
• The PCOA National Scaled Score (NSS) is used to establish minimum competency for the FCOP.
  • The overall PCOA score will be used to assess P1-P3 student performance.
  • P1 student performance will be compared to national P1 data, P2 student performance to national P2 data, and P3 student data to national P3 data.
  • The minimum PCOA passing score is equal to the national scaled score minus one (1) standard deviation. 
• The minimum PCOA passing score is equal to the national scaled score minus one (1) standard deviation. 
• Unsatisfactory performance is considered a student score that falls below one (1) standard deviations of the national scaled score.

Implications of Unsatisfactory Performance: Students must receive a passing score on their P3-PCOA to progress to their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).  Students with unsatisfactory performance on the P3-PCOA will need to successfully remediate the PCOA prior to beginning their APPEs. The P3-PCOA requirement may not be waived by the FCOP Professional Academic Standards Committee (PASC) or PASC appeal process.

PCOA Remediation: Students who do not pass the P3-PCOA exam may be afforded the opportunity to remediate and further their academic competency. The primary goal of remediation is to assist the student in correcting deficits in knowledge beyond the standard course curriculum.

The remediation process allows a student with unsatisfactory performance on the P3-PCOA to be reassessed on the content of the curriculum. This remediation is for the sole use in relationship to the PCOA, therefore no other reassessment/remediation policy applies.

Process:

1. P1 students will take P1-PCOA at the end of the P1 spring semester.
   1. Students completing the P1-PCOA may continue in their coursework as scheduled.
   2. All students completing the P1-PCOA will receive feedback and recommendations to use to prepare for P2-PCOA.
   3. Students who do not pass the P1-PCOA are encouraged to develop a self-study plan based on feedback received from the P1-PCOA. Students are also encouraged to attend workshops aimed at improving study and test-taking strategies.
2. P2 students will take the P2-PCOA at the end of the P2 spring semester. A passing score on the P1-PCOA is not a requirement to take the P2-PCOA.
   1. Students completing the P2-PCOA may continue in their coursework as scheduled.
   2. Students who do not pass the P2-PCOA will be required to enroll in a PCOA-preparation elective course during the P3 fall semester. Of note, the outcome of this elective course will be included in the FCOP progression policies (i.e. determination of academic probation, academic dismissal, grade-point calculations, etc.).
3. P3 students will take the P3-PCOA in December/January of the P3 year. A passing score on the P1-PCOA and/or P2-PCOA is not a requirement to take the P3-PCOA.
   1. Students passing the P3-PCOA may continue in their coursework as scheduled.
   2. Students who do not pass the P3-PCOA will be required to:
      1. Retake the P3-PCOA at the end of the P3 spring semester and
      2. Be delayed for two APPE rotations to prepare for P3-PCOA retake and to allow time to receive the results.
4. For those students completing the P3-PCOA reexamination:
   1. Students passing the P3-PCOA reexamination will be allowed to advance to their APPEs starting in the fall semester and continuing through the following summer. Note: APPE scheduling is determined by the FCOP Office of Experiential Education and is highly dependent upon preceptor and site availability.
   2. Students who do not pass the P3-PCOA reexamination are unable to continue in the program and will be dismissed from the FCOP.

Process for Class of 2024 only: 

Students in the Class of 2024 are required to take the P2-PCOA and P3-PCOA only.

Timelines: The timeline in which the assessment and grading will occur is determined by the FCOP Office of Academic Affairs. The FCOP Office of Academic of Affairs will notify students of their performance on each of the PCOA attempts within 5 business days of receiving the results.