Smaller proportion of preregistration candidates pass this year’s examination

[sena168]

New and hot from PJ

Smaller proportion of preregistration candidates pass this year’s examination

Just over 85 per cent of candidates have passed the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s summer registration examination. The pass rate of 86.9 per cent is down slightly from last year’s figure of 89.9 per cent (PJ, 25 July 2009, p85).

A higher percentage (92.2 per cent) passed the separate section on calculations, which candidates must pass in addition to passing the examination as a whole.

Mean percentage scores for the different components of the examination were as follows:

* Overall: 81 per cent (range 45–98)
* Closed book: 82 per cent (range 48–100)
* Open book: 79 per cent (range 33–100)
* Calculations: 81 per cent (range 15–100).

This year’s open book examination was affected by a printing problem, which resulted in a number of students in Liverpool starting the paper up to 75 minutes late (PJ, 3 July 2010, p2).

Of this year’s 2,176 candidates, 2,056 were UK graduates or sandwich course students, of whom 1,800 (87.5 per cent) passed. The remaining 120 candidates were pharmacists from overseas seeking to register via the adjudication route, of whom 92 (76.7 per cent) passed.

Among the candidates who failed, 263 were making a first attempt, 12 were making a second attempt and nine were making a final attempt.

[Husnain87]

Wow,wher did u gt ths info frm

[sena168]

Wow,wher did u gt ths info frm

PJ Website, linked provided in my first post

[Fleegle]

Can't help feeling sorry for the nine candidates who failed on their final attempt...Kind of makes me wonder why, after three attempts, they still couldn't hack it...any ideas why this might have happened from you newly-qualifieds? (Well done to you all, by the way)

Fleeg.

[sena168]

Can't help feeling sorry for the nine candidates who failed on their final attempt...Kind of makes me wonder why, after three attempts, they still couldn't hack it...any ideas why this might have happened from you newly-qualifieds? (Well done to you all, by the way)

Fleeg.

I think it's due to the stress on the day, I still remember I was so stressed in the exam and I picked few wrong answers because I panicked. (as soon as I came out from the exam, I cant stop myself thinking why did I put that even I knew the answer)

Stressful situation do impair people's judgement/logic

[Fleegle]

Fully agree, however the nine people who failed have all done a pre-registration year which should really have prepared them not only for the pressure of the exam, but also the pressures of 'real-world' pharmacy. Whilst I understand some won't make the grade, I find nine a bit high. Perhaps the pre-reg tutors should be contacted by the approprate department of the society, and asked for their views on why their students failed. A letter in the post telling you it's game-over after four or five years just doesn't appear fair. I don't suppose any of the nine will read this, but if any do, please let us know your position as you see it. Perhaps something could be done.
I have a story (which I will not go into now) about a student who failed their pre-reg in the days before pre-reg exams. I didn't think it was fair 24 years ago, and I still don't think it's fair now.

Fleeg.

[hktony]

I think it's due to the stress on the day, I still remember I was so stressed in the exam and I picked few wrong answers because I panicked. (as soon as I came out from the exam, I cant stop myself thinking why did I put that even I knew the answer)

Stressful situation do impair people's judgement/logic

agreed, esp. in the open book exam

[crit care]

and you have to ask yourself, how much effort are these candidates putting in themselves..the tutors can only do so much of the work for them....

its an expensive way of trying to get through on the 3rd attempt..then again those 9 unfortunate candidates could have been overseas people trying to qualify over here and english may not have been their forte, and may have hindered them in the exam under timed limits?

[Fleegle]

and you have to ask yourself, how much effort are these candidates putting in themselves..the tutors can only do so much of the work for them....

its an expensive way of trying to get through on the 3rd attempt..then again those 9 unfortunate candidates could have been overseas people trying to qualify over here and english may not have been their forte, and may have hindered them in the exam under timed limits?

Fair comment. I think, however, a lack of competence in written and spoken English should have become an issue long before a final notification of complete failure was issued. Surely an ongoing literacy problem would have been identified in the second year of the degree course, at the absolute latest.. and certainly rectified years before the final pre-registration exam.

Fleeg.

[johnep]

Would be interesting to hear from any of the nine what they propose do now.
johnep