Smaller proportion of preregistration candidates pass this year’s examination

[bambalec]

I think some responsibility lies with universities teaching undergraduate degrees. I did mine at King's and they push us in all the right areas. Our university exams had MCQ sections set up in the pre-reg exam format with negative marking. In the closed book pre-reg exam, a significant amount of it was stuff I had gained from undergraduate study.

I think the society should be scrutinizing the undergraduate degrees a lot more. Students at king's think it is so unfair that they are put their paces to such an extent that some of them end up on medication to handle the stress. I think other uni's should be aiming to raise the bar so that their graduates have the ability to handle pressure.

[Fleegle]

Surely, after the advent of Shipman et. al., universities should be aiming to reduce pressure? Everyone has their limits. It's beginning to show...badly.

Fleeg.

[Asterix]

Disagree with that fleeg, I for one know that a lot of universities have 'downgraded' the courses in order to ensure graduates get their degree. I don't feel a reduction in workload is helping many students but merely making large holes appear in their knowledge.

[crit care]

if universities were to reduce pressure on students, i don't think it may prepare them very well for the working world...could be more of a shock, and i don't think i would want my degree to be udnermined in years to come because a msall % of students are unable to cope.

in years to come people will see us as pharmacists but refer to how the degree is currently run rather than what it was like when "we" did it (whether that be pre construction of pre reg exam, 3yr degree, 4yr degree, or potential "viva" by society). and i like to think when i did the degree, i had to work hard to get the grades i did, and not just be wrapped up in cotton wool by the university for fear of putting too much pressure on me.....

[Asterix]

if universities were to reduce pressure on students, i don't think it may prepare them very well for the working world...could be more of a shock, and i don't think i would want my degree to be udnermined in years to come because a msall % of students are unable to cope.

in years to come people will see us as pharmacists but refer to how the degree is currently run rather than what it was like when "we" did it (whether that be pre construction of pre reg exam, 3yr degree, 4yr degree, or potential "viva" by society). and i like to think when i did the degree, i had to work hard to get the grades i did, and not just be wrapped up in cotton wool by the university for fear of putting too much pressure on me.....

thumbs up, bit of spirit. The actual degree itself is very easy in the UK, you ask any european or US student about their degree, one they laugh at ours and two they tell you how average the graduates from uk schools are. The problem is not the pre-reg but the uni degree itself.

[Fleegle]

Universities do not put pressure on students. Every mistake made within the Uni course is fixable, and as such is integral to the learning curve that the degree is designed to provide. There is a very thin line drawn between 'pressure' and 'panic'. The current pre-reg exam system is inducing panic, which can destroy any confidence future pharmacists may have already built up within themselves. Not a good thing.

Fleg.

[crit care]

But you could then argue that some people work better under pressure, and so by removing an element of pressure from the exam you could be disadvantaging them in order to satisfy a minority of those who do panic under exam conditions (sorry i'm playing devils advocate here!)

Although i can guarantee ALL the pre reg students would have sat timed exams and probably panicked at some point during the 4 year degree, so it should not be a new concept to them

[Fleegle]

Fair enough..I just don't think that a micro-exam at the end of the slog of a degree should be the determining factor as to whether you make it or not. Sure, some will always fail..I just don't think this is the correct way in which to let them know.

Fleeg

[bambalec]

i agree with what you're saying about a micro-exam. I think it should be more expansive. There should be a short answer section at least or maybe an essay section to really test understanding.

An alternative could be an OSCE set by each pre-registration site, but then regulating a set standard across sites could be troublesome in practice

[amersidd]

surely by then you would be used to the pressure of doing the exam??

u tight sods, they may a good explanation in failing...God knows