Relationships Between Myers-Briggs Type Indicators and NAPLEX Performances

To examine the relationships between pharmacy students' Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTIs) and their first-attempt NAPLEX scores within an accelerated, dual campus curriculum. Data from the MBTIs and NAPLEX findings were retrieved from a single cohort of the Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA campuses of South University School of Pharmacy. A multiple linear regression technique was performed to assess the degree of variability in first-attempt NAPLEX scores that could be accounted for by MBTIs, campus of enrollment, and gender. Of the 134 student data samples collected, 119 (86%) were included for study analysis. Campus of enrollment and MBTIs were predictive of first-attempt NAPLEX scores. Introversion personality types scored 9.5 points higher on the NAPLEX than extroversion types; feeling personality types scored 6.0 points higher than thinking types; students enrolled at the Savannah, GA campus scored 5.7 points higher than their Columbia, SC campus counterparts. Certain personality types were shown to have predictive value with regard to first-attempt NAPLEX score achievements. These results offer plausible insights into pharmacy student tendencies that can affect success on high-stakes standardized examinations. Additional research into sociological aspects of pharmacy students' composition may assist with optimizing performances on licensure examinations as prerequisites to proficient careers within the pharmacy profession.