Persistence in a distance learning program: A case in pharmaceutical education

A survey instrument was designed and administered to a population of currently enrolled and drop‐out adult students in a post‐baccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy program taught at a distance. The data from the survey was used to test a predictive model developed to examine the parameters of adult student persistence in distance learning programs. The independent variables in the model were significant in predicting persistence (F=5.670, DF=8,151, p<.0001) and explained 23% of the variance in persistence. Intrinsic benefits, age, and level of student ease or comfort with individual learning were significant factors.