Comparative Performance of Junior and Senior Pharmacy Students in a Malaysian Pharmacotherapy Course

Abstract

Pharmacotherapy education requires integration of pharmacological knowledge with clinical application, yet performance differences between junior and senior pharmacy students within the same course remain underexplored. This study compared assessment outcomes between Semester 2 and Semester 4 Diploma in Pharmacy students enrolled in a pharmacotherapy course and examined predictors of performance. A cross-sectional study involving 159 students (Semester 2, n = 81; Semester 4, n = 78) was conducted. Assessments comprised a midterm test (20%), group assignment (20%), and final examination (60%). Semester 4 students achieved significantly higher scores in the midterm (p < 0.001), final examination (p = 0.011), and overall weighted marks (p = 0.004), while Semester 2 students scored higher in group assignments (p = 0.014). Failure rates were higher among Semester 2 students (11.1% vs. 1.3%). Regression analysis identified midterm performance as a strong predictor of final examination scores (β = 0.727, p < 0.001). Overall, senior students outperformed junior students, underscoring the diagnostic value of early assessments and the need for targeted academic support for junior cohorts.