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Biomedical subjects

Sujit S Sansgiry

Publications and source records attributed to Sujit S Sansgiry.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effect of incentives on student performance on Milemarker examinations.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of incentives on student performance on comprehensive cumulative examinations administered at the College of Pharmacy, University of Houston. METHODS: This study is a retrospective longitudinal study conducted over a period of 6 years, from 2000 to 2005. Passing rates on the cumulative examinations administered during the first 3 years of the doctor of pharmacy curriculum were obtained. These cumulative examinations, known as the Milemarker assessments, involve 3 examinations: Milemarker I, II and III, each offered after completion of each progressive year. Milemarker I and II examinations were phased in throughout the years with various incentives to increase student performance. Incentives for these examinations included books, achievement letters, bonus points, and remediation exercises. Incentives with respect to Milemarker III examination was determination of students' progression into the experiential year of the curriculum and did not change over the study period. Passing rates were compared for these examinations before and after the implementation of these incentives. RESULTS: Passing rates for Milemarker I increased significantly by 185% from 2003 to 2004 when incentives were changed from awards such as books and achievement letters from the Dean's office to bonus points towards future examinations and a remediation process. Similar results were seen for Milemarker II, where the passing rates increased by 590% during the same period for similar incentives. However, passing rates were much higher throughout the time period for Milemarker III due to the high-stakes incentive of stops on progression to the next year. CONCLUSION: Appropriate incentives may be effective in changing student performance on comprehensive cumulative examinations.

Education, Pharmacy↗
PubMed2006

Factors that affect academic performance among pharmacy students.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine factors such as academic competence, test competence, time management, strategic studying, and test anxiety, and identify whether these factors could distinguish differences among students, based on academic performance and enrollment in the experiential program. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design utilizing questionnaires measuring previously validated constructs was used to evaluate the effect of these factors on students with low and high cumulative grade point averages (GPAs). Pharmacy students (N = 198) enrolled at the University of Houston participated in the study. RESULTS: Academic performance was significantly associated with factors such as academic competence and test competence. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater significantly differed in their level of test competence than those with a GPA of less than 3.0. Students enrolled in their experiential year differed from students enrolled in their second year of curriculum on factors such as test anxiety, academic competence, test competence, and time management skills. CONCLUSION: Test competence was an important factor to distinguish students with low vs. high academic performance. Factors such as academic competence, test competence, test anxiety and time management improve as students' progress in their experiential year.

Achievement↗
PubMed2006

Effect of students' perceptions of course load on test anxiety.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the association between student perceptions of course load, their ability to manage time, and test anxiety. METHODS: A survey was self-administered to all students (professional years 1 through 4) enrolled in the PharmD curriculum at the University of Houston (2001) with items measuring test anxiety, perceived course load, and ability to manage time. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-eight students participated in the survey (response rate P1 = 48%, P2 = 52%, P3 = 52%, P4 = 72%). There was a significant difference in students' perception of course load, ability to manage time, and test anxiety scores across the 4 years. Test anxiety was positively correlated with students' perceptions of course load and negatively related to their ability to manage time with course work. CONCLUSIONS: Students' perception of course load and their ability to manage time with their course work is associated with test anxiety. Future studies should evaluate the role of stress/time management programs to reduce stress and anxiety.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2005

Obstruction of critical information on over-the-counter medication packages by external tags.

BACKGROUND: Over-the-counter (OTC) medication packages are important sources of information for consumers during product selection and use. Consumers may not be able to access information from OTC packages if external tags, namely price or anti-theft tags, are improperly placed. OBJECTIVE: To determine the amount and type of information concealed by anti-theft tags and price tags affixed on OTC drug packages. METHODS: A field study was performed by evaluating packages containing acetaminophen and combinations of acetaminophen in stores located in Houston. Five packages for 4 products selected from each store after an initial survey for presence of an external tag were examined. A data collection sheet was prepared that extracted the type and amount of information concealed by these tags. Data were analyzed by performing descriptive analyses to provide an understanding of the information obscured. RESULTS: A total of 24 stores were considered in the study, and 67 products and 285 packages were evaluated. External tags, both anti-theft and price tags, obscured significant amounts of information on the principal display panel (53.4%) and the Drug Facts panel (47.7%) of OTC packages. These tags concealed crucial information on various aspects of labels such as brand names (42.3%), product description (36.3%), warnings (51.5%), uses (10.4%), and purposes (7.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that improper use of external tags clearly obscured important information on OTC medication packages necessary for consumers to make informed decisions regarding product selection and use. Tagging practices should be altered to allow consumers full access to drug information on the product.

Advertising↗
PubMed2005

Geriatric education in US schools of pharmacy: a snapshot.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the structure, resources, and activities of academic geriatrics courses in U.S. pharmacy schools. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Schools of pharmacy in the United States identified through the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). The survey was e-mailed (May 2003) to the academic chairs of the clinical pharmacy department and/or the head of geriatric pharmacy practice at each of the 84 schools of pharmacy in the United States. MEASURES: The primary measure was to assess the nature and extent of geriatrics course content in the responding schools. In addition, we elicited information on the type of geriatrics material taught, faculty involvement, student population, type of school, academic requirements, and experiential education. The questionnaire items were based on the current course content in geriatrics courses taught at the institution. Content validity of the questionnaire was assessed by administering the survey to three survey experts (including one in geriatrics); their suggestions were incorporated in redesigning the questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 42 (50%) out of 84 schools responded. All responding schools had some form of geriatric education incorporated into their curriculum. However, the depth and breadth of the geriatric curriculum reported by the responding schools did not seem to be that different from results obtained by a 1985-1986 survey. CONCLUSION: Geriatric education in pharmacy schools has not increased proportionally with the expected increase in the geriatric population in the United States. Schools of pharmacy should make geriatric education a priority because the majority of patients whom pharmacists need to monitor or counsel currently are, and will continue to be, 65 years and older. Compared with a past study, the focus of current geriatrics education in pharmacy schools does not seem to have improved much despite the increasing need for geriatric practitioners and drug misadventures in the elderly.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Consumer knowledge and perceptions of formularies.

A study was undertaken to determine consumer knowledge and perceptions of formularies. A prevalidated survey containing 11 scored items was administered to 714 consumers waiting to receive prescription medications at 72 community pharmacies in Houston. Overall, these consumers were satisfied with their prescription insurance plans, but their attitudes toward formularies were negative, and the negative perceptions were significantly correlated with satisfaction scores. However, only 25% of the surveyed population had a copy of the formulary, so that a large majority had no knowledge of their formulary or the types of drugs it covered. Efforts to educate patients may reduce the difficulty faced by pharmacists in explaining formulary issues to consumers.

Adolescent↗