Impact of electronic device use in class on pharmacy students' academic performance

Abstract

Objectives. To evaluate and assess the impact of pharmacy students' electronic device (e-device) use during a lecture-based pharmacotherapeutics sequence. Methods. A validated survey instrument to assess e-device use was e-mailed to 238 second- (P2) and third-year (P3) pharmacy students. Grades were reviewed retrospectively and correlated with e-device use to determine its impact on academic performance. Results. Of 140 responding students (59% response rate), 106 reported using e-devices during class for course-related (91.5%) and non-course-related (81.1%) activities. When P2 and P3 students were combined, e-device use was not associated with academic performance (p 5 0.70). Academic performance was not impacted among P3 students (p 5 0.86), but P2 students performed better academically if they refrained from using e-devices during class (mean grade 5 88.5% vs. 83.3%; p50.019). Conclusions. The impact of e-device use on overall academic performance was negligible. Use of e-devices by students enrolled in their first pharmacotherapeutics course may negatively impact academics.