A Comparison of Competences for Healthcare Professions in Europe

The influence of OSPE and PBL on competency-based pharmacy student self-assessment

BACKGROUND

In addition to vocational education and experience, the pharmaceutical profession's proper pursuit requires acquiring and continuously improving professional competencies. In recent years, the need has been increasingly highlighted for developing a medical education system based on helping students develop their competencies. It is necessary to adapt the tools and methods for assessing competencies during formal education. It will enable students to know the directions of further personal or professional development.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to compare pharmacy students' self-assessment outcomes before and after the Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE), which finished the Pharmaceutical Care course (PCc). The study's purpose was also to compare the outcomes of the self-assessment of competencies between the students of two academic years for whom classes on the PCc were provided by different methods.

METHODS

The study was conducted over two academic years (2018/2019 and 2019/2020) among 5th-year students enrolled at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College (JUMC) at the end of the Pharmaceutical Care course. Different teaching methods were used in the delivery of the course in these academic years. The students self-assessed their competencies using a questionnaire consisting of a list of personal and patient care competencies. The students completed the questionnaire before and after the OSPE, which followed the completion of the PCc.

RESULTS

Students' professional competencies as self-assessed after the exam were higher than those assessed before the exam. Differences were observed in both personal and patient care competencies. Students taking the course in the 2019/2020 academic year set their pre-OSPE competencies higher than students taking the PCc in 2018/2019.

CONCLUSION

The self-assessment scores increased for most competencies included in the study following the OSPE. This may suggest that taking part in the exam, involvement in patient's case simulations, and self-assessment of performance at individual stages of the exam contributed to increased subjective assessment of professional competencies.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice of final-year student pharmacists in public health in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe: an exploratory survey

OBJECTIVE

To explore the knowledge, attitudes and practice of final-year student pharmacists about public health.

METHODS

Knowledge, attitudes and practice of all final-year student pharmacists (N = 158) in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe were assessed through a quantitative 12-item survey. The survey assessed personal interest and attitude towards public health activities, self-assessed ability to perform basic public health activities, perspectives towards current pharmacist practices within public health activities in their country, and student involvement in public health activities during pharmacy school.

KEY FINDINGS

Eighty-two per cent of students responded to the survey (n = 129). The majority (95%) of all final-year student pharmacists are interested in contributing to public health activities in both health promotion and disease prevention and feel, as pharmacists, they have the responsibility to do so. Additionally, the majority of students would like more education during pharmacy school on health promotion (93%) and disease prevention (89%). Despite their interest, low numbers of student pharmacists feel that pharmacists are currently utilised in disease prevention (35%) and health promotion (42%).

CONCLUSION

Final-year student pharmacists in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe express strong interest in public health education and involvement in public health activities. This interest and enthusiasm can serve as evidence for advancing public health education in the pharmacy curricula and for developing pharmacist opportunities in public health efforts that match the needs of the country.