Cooperation in pharmacy education in Canada and the United States

Implementation of an ACPE-Accredited PharmD Curriculum at a Saudi College of Pharmacy

Objective. To establish an academic curricular collaboration between the newly established college of pharmacy at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Saudi University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and a US college of pharmacy accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, and assess measures of success. Methods. Criteria for selecting a college for collaboration were established. A systematic approach was followed in negotiating legal, logistical, and financial issues with the selected collaborating institution. Course materials were transferred and implemented and minimal changes were made to the alignment and sequencing of lectures. The faculty at KSAU-HS developed and implemented research and seminar courses. Pharmacy practice experiences were designed and rubrics were developed. Results. All courses were implemented successfully. The PharmD students scored significantly higher in all academic levels in a benchmarked progress test than did students in other programs. Students' evaluation of 43 first-, second-, and third-year courses in 2017-2018 using a survey that assessed numerous aspects of each course showed significantly higher overall satisfaction than the institutional averages. Also, female students indicated significantly higher satisfaction with the PharmD program than did male students. Conclusion. The transfer and implementation of an accredited PharmD curriculum to the KSAU-HS College of Pharmacy went smoothly and the program was launched on time. Learning and teaching success was facilitated by the KSAU-HS faculty. Program outcomes were verified by students' high scores on a benchmarked examination and by their satisfaction with the courses.

Examining the relationship between prerequisite grades and types of academic performance in pharmacy school

PURPOSE

To investigate relationships between different prerequisite course grades and grade point average (GPA) of different types of academic performance in a Canadian entry-to-practice pharmacy program while controlling for important demographic variables.

METHODS

Data from eight years of recently admitted students (2007-2014) were used to conduct a series of multiple linear regression analyses to assess relationships between prerequisite course GPA and eight different pharmacy school academic performance variables including: GPA in each of the first three years of the program, overall Y1-Y3 GPA, and GPA in pharmaceutical science, clinical science, clinical practice, and behavioral, social, and administrative (BSA) science courses. Demographic predictor variables including gender, mature status, and whether students attended ranked versus non-ranked universities were included as control variables.

RESULTS

Analysis reveals that Biology and Biochemistry prerequisite GPA consistently predicts all eight academic performance variables while prerequisite English GPA was found to predict only clinical practice and BSA GPA. Being female and attending ranked universities were revealed as positively associated with most types of performance. Being classified as a mature student generally predicted lower academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

The consistent relationship between biology-based prerequisites and academic performance warrants consideration for increasing their weight in admissions GPA calculations. The fact that the set of prerequisites and demographic variables are weaker predictors of clinical practice and BSA performance than pharmaceutical science performance provides empirical support for recent moves to include non-traditional admission criteria.

National preceptor development program (PDP) prototype. The third of a 3-part series

INTRODUCTION

Preceptor development is critical to successful delivery of experiential learning. Although many preceptor development programs exist, a more individualized approach to training is needed. To accomplish this a national preceptor development program should be considered based on the continuing professional development model. A detailed prototype for this program has been described.

METHODS

In this final installment of the series, the twelve evidence-based recommendations from the first installment were utilized to construct a prototype for a preceptor development program. Over a three-month period, investigators experimented with different designs and models before approving the final prototype.

RESULTS

The prototype took the form of an electronic learning platform. Several categories were integral to the design and included sections entitled preceptor spotlight, mentorship, global outreach, choose your own adventure, continuing professional development, feedback, virtual online community, highlights/advertisements, what's new, competency assessment, and frequently asked questions. A graphic was developed to depict the process by which a preceptor would navigate through the web-based learning platform.

DISCUSSION

The authors purposefully maintained a creative and unlimited vision for preceptor development. This conceptual model is intended to spark discussion and augment, refine, or develop entirely innovative ideas to meet preceptor needs. Development of a preceptor development platform could foster improved competency performance, enhanced interest in learning, and promote continuing professional development.

CONCLUSION

With a greater focus on experiential education in pharmacy, the need for a national preceptor development resource is only expected to increase.

Best Practices in Establishing and Sustaining Consortia in Pharmacy Education

Objective. To describe best practices, necessary resources, and success or lessons learned from established consortia in pharmacy education. Methods. Using semi-structured interviews and qualitative analysis, interviews with members of established consortia in pharmacy education were conducted until saturation was reached. Themes were analyzed and meaningful descriptions of consortia characteristics were developed using systematic text condensation. Results. Thirteen interviews were conducted. The primary purpose for forming a consortium was identified as threefold: share ideas/best practices; facilitate collaboration; and perform shared problem-solving. For experiential education consortia, two additional purposes were found: share capacity for practice sites, and promote standardization across programs. When investigating best practices for established consortia, three main themes were identified. These included strategies for: (1) relationship building within consortia, (2) successful outcomes of consortia, and (3) sustainability. Successful outcomes included scholarship and, sometimes, program standardization. Sustainability was linked to structure/support and momentum. Respect was considered the foundation for collaborative relationships to flourish in these consortia. Conclusions. Pharmacy education consortia form through a process that involves relationship building to produce outcomes that promote sustainability, which benefits both pharmacy schools and individual faculty members. Consortium formation is a viable, productive, and often necessary institutional goal for pharmacy schools.

Qualitative Evaluation of a Practice-based Experience Pilot Program for Master of Pharmacy Students in Scotland

Objective. To determine the views of pharmacists in central Scotland regarding experiential education for MPharm students. Methods. A thematic analysis was completed by Ms. Gillian Hendry and Dr. Sally Wiggins of interviews conducted with ten practicing pharmacists paired with first-year master of pharmacy (MPharm) students during the 2011-2012 academic year. Relevant comments from the interviews were manually sorted in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to bring similarly themed material together to facilitate the identification and naming of recurring themes and subthemes. Results. The pharmacists were unanimous in their opinion that experiential education was valuable for MPharm students and, in particular, that it helped students to develop self-confidence. The pharmacists derived personal satisfaction in developing mentor/mentee relationships with students. They also recognized the value that students provided to the workforce as well as the educational value to themselves in supervising students. The participants' primary dissatisfaction was that the pharmacy workflow limited the time they could spend mentoring students. Conclusion. The results provide guidance to the academic community and the pharmacy practice community in the United Kingdom (UK) regarding the design and integration of experiential education courses in MPharm degree programs.

The changing face of pharmacy practice and the need for a new model of pharmacy education

Pharmacy profession has evolved from its conventional and traditional drug focused basis to an advanced patient focused basis over the years. In the past century the pharmacists were more involved in compounding and manufacturing of medicines, but this role has significantly reduced over time. This advancement in the role of pharmacist calls for them to be the part of the broader health care team working for providing better health care for the patients, thus contributing in achieving the global millennium development goals. To match up, the role of today's pharmacists needs to be expanded to include pharmaceutical care concepts, making the pharmacist a health care professional rather than a drug seller in a commercial enterprise. Therefore, pharmacy schools should prepare a program that has competence with the changing role of the pharmacist. The education should provide ability for critical thinking, improve problem-solving skills and decision making during pharmacotherapy. The student should be trained to create, transmit, and apply new knowledge based on cutting-edge research in the pharmaceutical, social, and clinical sciences; collaborate with other health professionals and learn to enhance the quality of life through improved health for the people of local society and as well as the global community.

University-based continuing education for pharmacists

University-based continuing education (CE) fulfills an important role to support the professional development of pharmacists, advance the practice of pharmacy, and contribute to societal needs for research and healthcare services. Opportunities for pharmacists to engage in new models of patient care are numerous worldwide, particularly as pharmacists' scope of practice has expanded. Approaches to CE have changed to address the changing needs of pharmacists and now include a variety of approaches to support development of knowledge and skills. There is emphasis on the learning process as well as the knowledge, with the introduction of the concept of continuing professional development (CPD).As institutions of research and education, universities are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between academic and practice environments, providing opportunities for translation of knowledge to practice. The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta is a provider of CE in Alberta, Canada, where an expanded scope of pharmacy practice includes prescribing, administering injections, accessing electronic patient records, and ordering laboratory tests. In this paper, the Faculty offers views about future directions for CE, including the integration of CE with core faculty activities, expanding the audience for CE, areas of focus for learning, and partnerships. Finally, we hope to ignite dialogue with others in the profession about the role and function of university-based CE.