Perceptions and Use of iPad Technology by Pharmacy Practice Faculty Members

Objectives. To explore the potential of tablet technology to address the specific workload challenges of pharmacy practice faculty members and to evaluate tablet usage after a department-wide iPad initiative.Methods. After conducting a needs assessment to determine pharmacy faculty attitudes towards tablet technology and to identify potential usage scenarios, all faculty members in a department of pharmacy practice received an iPad. After iPad distribution, training sessions and virtual tutorials were provided. An anonymous survey was administered to evaluate the pilot.Results. The needs assessment survey revealed positive attitudes towards iPad technology, identified use scenarios, and led to a department-wide iPad pilot program. Most faculty members used iPads for connectivity with students (86%), paper/project annotation (68%), assessment (57%), and demonstration of tools used in practice (36%). For teaching, 61% of faculty members used iPads in seminars/laboratories, 57% used iPads in the experiential setting, and 43% used iPads in the classroom. Use of iPads for patient-care activities varied and depended on site support for mobile technology. The 23 faculty members with external practice sites used iPads to a greater extent and had more positive attitudes towards this technology compared with campus-based faculty members.Conclusion. Integration of tablet technology into the pharmacy education setting resulted in faculty-reported increased productivity and decreased paper waste. It also allowed faculty members to experiment with new teaching strategies in the classroom and experiential setting. Administrators at institutions exploring the use of tablet technology should allocate resources based on faculty needs and usage patterns.     

Comparison of Learning Styles of Pharmacy Students and Faculty Members

Objectives. To compare dominant learning styles of pharmacy students and faculty members and between faculty members in different tracks.Methods. Gregorc Style Delineator (GSD) and Zubin’s Pharmacists’ Inventory of Learning Styles (PILS) were administered to students and faculty members at an urban, Midwestern college of pharmacy.Results. Based on responses from 299 students (classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010) and 59 faculty members, GSD styles were concrete sequential (48%), abstract sequential (18%), abstract random (13%), concrete random (13%), and multimodal (8%). With PILS, dominant styles were assimilator (47%) and converger (30%). There were no significant differences between faculty members and student learning styles nor across pharmacy student class years (p>0.05). Learning styles differed between men and women across both instruments (p<0.01), and between faculty members in tenure and clinical tracks for the GSD styles (p=0.01).Conclusion. Learning styles differed among respondents based on gender and faculty track.     

Preparation of Faculty Members and Students to Be Citizen Leaders and Pharmacy Advocates

To identify characteristics and quality indicators of best practices for leadership and advocacy development in pharmacy education, a national task force on leadership development in pharmacy invited colleges and schools to complete a phone survey to characterize the courses, processes, and noteworthy practices for leadership and advocacy development at their institution. The literature was consulted to corroborate survey findings and identify additional best practices. Recommendations were derived from the survey results and literature review, as well as from the experience and expertise of task force members. Fifty-four institutions provided information about lecture-based and experiential curricular and noncurricular components of leadership and advocacy development. Successful programs have a supportive institutional culture, faculty and alumni role models, administrative and/or financial support, and a cocurricular thread of activities. Leadership and advocacy development for student pharmacists is increasingly important. The recommendations and suggestions provided can facilitate leadership and advocacy development at other colleges and schools of pharmacy.     

Part-time and Job-Share Careers Among Pharmacy Practice Faculty Members

Part-time and job-share policies may allow pharmacy practice faculty members to achieve work/life balance while pursuing their professional goals. Precedent for alternative work schedules within the health professions community can be found throughout the literature; however, little is known about part-time roles in academic pharmacy. The design and implementation of 3 different alternative faculty appointments are described and department chair and faculty perspectives are shared. Teaching, service, and scholarship responsibilities, as well as outcomes before and after changes in appointment, are described. Advantages and disadvantages, including advice for other colleges of pharmacy, are presented. Alternate appointments may be a key factor in retaining highly qualified faculty members who continue to bring their expertise to teaching, precepting, and scholarship within a college or school of pharmacy.     

A Blueprint for Transitioning Pharmacy Residents Into Successful Clinical Faculty Members in Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

With the increase of new pharmacy colleges and schools throughout the country, the number of open clinical academic pharmacy positions continues to grow. Considering the abundance of clinical faculty positions available nationwide and the increased likelihood of current pharmacy residents transitioning from residency directly into academia, pharmacy residents must be prepared to succeed in the role of new clinical faculty member. However, no blueprint or recommendations have yet been provided to facilitate this transition. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate the literature regarding transitioning pharmacy students and/or residents into faculty roles. The literature reviewed represents nursing, medical, graduate school, and engineering disciplines because no literature on this topic was available from the pharmacy profession. Based on the recommendations provided in the literature and on the authors’ experience at their college, they created a blueprint consisting of 7 components to help residents transition directly into their roles as faculty members.     

Education,Training, and Academic Experience of Newly Hired,First-Time Pharmacy Faculty Members

Objective. To describe the education, training, and academic experiences of newly hired faculty members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy during the 2012-2013 academic year.Methods. A survey regarding education, training, and academic experiences was conducted of all first-time faculty members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy hired during the 2012-2013 academic year.Results. Pharmacy practice faculty members accounted for the majority (68.2%) of new hires. Ambulatory care was the most common pharmacy specialty position (29.8%). Most new faculty members had a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) as their terminal degree (74.8%), and 88.3% of pharmacy practice faculty members completed a residency. Of new faculty members who responded to the survey, 102 (67.5%) had at least 3 prior academic teaching, precepting, or research experiences.Conclusion. New faculty members were hired most frequently for clinical faculty positions at the assistant professor level and most frequently in the specialty of ambulatory care. Prior academic experience included precepting pharmacy students, facilitating small discussions, and guest lecturing.     

Publication Rates for Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Members at Nonresearch-Intensive US Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To provide benchmarking data for faculty productivity by determining publication rates for pharmaceutical sciences faculty members at nonresearch-intensive schools and colleges of pharmacy between January 2010 and December 2013.Methods. Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched using faculty names from the AACP faculty and professional staff roster. Annual publication rates were calculated and compared for various demographic subcategories.Results. The average annual publication rate for the 4-year period was 0.82 per faculty member, and 10.95 per institution. Publication rates were significantly higher in departments offering a PhD program or with NIH funding.Conclusion. Because institutional missions are diverse, it can be useful to evaluate faculty scholarly productivity in relation to similar organizations. Pharmaceutical science faculty members at nonresearch-intensive institutions contribute to the literature despite institutional missions less focused on research.     

Student and Faculty Observations and Perceptions of Professionalism in Online Domain Scenarios

Objectives. To relate common online scenarios to tenets of professionalism, assess frequency of observed scenarios in 4 online domains, and compare second-year (P2) pharmacy students, fourth-year (P4) pharmacy students’, and faculty members’ perceptions of professionalism.Methods. A 63-item survey instrument consisting of scenarios of behavior in online domains was developed. Using a Likert scale, participants reported whether they had observed each scenario and whether each scenario was professional.Results. Of the 296 participants who completed the survey instrument, 53% were P2 students, 49% were P4 students, and 68% were faculty members. Most of the observed scenario responses were for social networking sites. There were statistical differences among the 3 cohorts’ perception over whether a scenario demonstrated professional behavior in 6 of the 10 most frequently observed scenarios, and 4 out of 6 of these scenarios were in the social networking domain.Conclusion. Second-year pharmacy students and faculty members were more in alignment with their perception of professionalism then P4 students, suggesting that P4 students may be more complacent in their perception of professionalism.     

A 5-Year Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Journal Article Publications of Pharmacy Practice Faculty Members

Objectives. To evaluate scholarship, as represented by peer-reviewed journal articles, among US pharmacy practice faculty members; contribute evidence that may better inform benchmarking by academic pharmacy practice departments; and examine factors that may be related to publication rates.Methods. Journal articles published by all pharmacy practice faculty members between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010, were identified. College and school publication rates were compared based on public vs. private status, being part of a health science campus, having a graduate program, and having doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) faculty members funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).Results. Pharmacy practice faculty members published 6,101 articles during the 5-year study period, and a pharmacy practice faculty member was the primary author on 2,698 of the articles. Pharmacy practice faculty members published an average of 0.51 articles per year. Pharmacy colleges and schools affiliated with health science campuses, at public institutions, with NIH-funded PharmD faculty members, and with graduate programs had significantly higher total publication rates compared with those that did not have these characteristics (p<0.006).Conclusion. Pharmacy practice faculty members contributed nearly 6,000 unique publications over the 5-year period studied. However, this reflects a rate of less than 1 publication per faculty member per year, suggesting that a limited number of faculty members produced the majority of publications.     

Student and Faculty Member Perspectives on Lecture Capture in Pharmacy Education

Objectives. To examine faculty members’ and students’ use and perceptions of lecture recordings in a previously implemented lecture-capture initiative.Methods. Patterns of using lecture recordings were determined from software analytics, and surveys were conducted to determine awareness and usage, effect on attendance and other behaviors, and learning impact.Results. Most students and faculty members were aware of and appreciated the recordings. Students’ patterns of use changed as the novelty wore off. Students felt that the recordings enhanced their learning, improved their in-class engagement, and had little effect on their attendance. Faculty members saw little difference in students’ grades or in-class engagement but noted increased absenteeism.Conclusion. Students made appropriate use of recordings to support their learning, but faculty members generally did not make active educational use of the recordings. Further investigation is needed to understand the effects of lecture recordings on attendance. Professional development activities for both students and faculty members would help maximize the learning benefits of the recordings.     

Identifying Perceptions of Professionalism in Pharmacy Using a Four-Frame Leadership Model

Objectives

To determine whether professionalism in pharmacy education is addressed from Bolman and Deal''s four-frame leadership model.

Methods

Students (N = 624), faculty (N = 57), preceptors (N = 56), and academic administrators (N = 8) at 6 colleges and schools of pharmacy were surveyed to assess professionalism. Using grounded theory methodology and a constant comparative process, common themes were identified for each question in each group. Themes were assigned to the four-frame model and the data were compared.

Results

Mechanisms of addressing professionalism consistent with all 4 frames of the Bolman and Deal''s model were identified. Faculty assessment of student professionalism was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the student group, preceptors, and administrators.

Conclusions

Mechanisms of addressing professionalism in pharmacy education span all four frames of Bolman and Deal''s leadership model. The values students bring into a pharmacy program may play an important role in the process of professional socialization. Faculty members have a tremendous opportunity to enhance student professionalism with their daily verbal and nonverbal interactions with students.     

Faculty Awards at US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objectives

To determine recognition given for outstanding teaching, service, and scholarship at US colleges and schools of pharmacy, the types of awards given, and the process used to select the recipients.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire was made available online in 2006 to deans at 89 colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Results

Sixty-four usable responses (72%) were obtained. An award to acknowledge teaching excellence was most commonly reported (92%), followed by an award for adjunct/volunteer faculty/preceptors (79%). The majority of the institutions (31 out of 58) reported offering 1 teaching award annually. The 2 most common methods for selecting the recipient of the teaching award were by student vote and by college/school committee vote following nominations. Twenty-four of the 63 respondents indicated that their institution provided an award for research/scholarship and 18 offered an award for outstanding service.

Conclusions

Teaching excellence was recognized and rewarded at most US colleges and schools of pharmacy; however, research/scholarship and service were formally recognized less frequently.     

Pharmacy Student Perceptions and Preferences of In-person Versus Video-Recorded Evaluations in Skills-Based Courses

Objective. To determine pharmacy students’ preferences for and perceptions of in-person and video evaluations.Methods. A mixed methods survey was administered to 447 first-, second-, and third-year students enrolled in a public US Doctor of Pharmacy program. A survey instrument with 14 quantitative items and four qualitative items was used to measure student perceptions. Eight response choice items measured preferences. Paired t tests were used to compare students’ perceptions. Independent t tests were used to compare perceptions between students who experienced and had not experienced video evaluations. Two researchers performed thematic content analysis of the qualitative responses.Results. Students (n=444, 99.3% response rate) perceived in-person evaluations more positively for all items except nervousness. Students who experienced video technology felt significantly more positive about video evaluations than students who had little or no experience using video technology on nine items. The students who experienced video technology felt significantly less positive toward video evaluations in terms of quality (1.24 vs. 0.83) and amount (1.14 vs 0.77) of written feedback. Although students valued the interaction with a larger, more diverse pool of evaluators that was made possible by video evaluations, they did not view video technology as applicable to their future practice.Conclusion. Students viewed in-person evaluations significantly more positively than video evaluations. This effect was mitigated by greater exposure to video technology, suggesting that concerns regarding video evaluations are based on conjecture rather than experience. This study highlights the need to reduce the technological issues associated with video evaluations and improve the written feedback provided to students.     

Using Curriculum Mapping to Engage Faculty Members in the Analysis of a Pharmacy Program

Objective. To develop a curriculum mapping process that supports continuous analysis and evidence-based decisions in a pharmacy program.Design. A curriculum map based on the national educational outcomes for pharmacy programs was created using conceptual frameworks grounded in cognitive learning and skill acquisition.Assessment. The curriculum map was used to align the intended curriculum with the national educational outcomes and licensing examination blueprint. The leveling and sequencing of content showed longitudinal progression of student learning and performance. There was good concordance between the intended and learned curricula as validated by survey responses from employers and graduating students.Conclusion. The curriculum mapping process was efficient and effective in providing an evidence-based approach to the continuous quality improvement of a pharmacy program.     

Student and Faculty Perceptions of Lecture Recording in a Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum

Objective. To describe students’ and faculty members’ perceptions of the impact of lecture recording in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.Methods. Second- and third-year pharmacy students and faculty members completed an anonymous survey instrument regarding their perceptions of lecture recording with 2 classroom lecture capture software programs, Camtasia Studio and Wimba Classroom.Results. Most students (82%) responded that Camtasia was very helpful and almost half (49%) responded that Wimba Classroom was helpful (p<0.001). Forty-six percent of the students reported being more likely to miss a class that was recorded; however, few students (10%) reported using recordings as a substitute for attending class. The most common concern of faculty members was decreased student attendance (27%).Conclusion. Pharmacy students consider lecture recordings beneficial, and they use the recordings primarily to review the lecture. While faculty members reported concerns with decreased attendance, few students reported using recordings as an alternative to class attendance.     

Pharmacy Faculty Workplace Issues: Findings From the 2009-2010 COD-COF Joint Task Force on Faculty Workforce

Many factors contribute to the vitality of an individual faculty member, a department, and an entire academic organization. Some of the relationships among these factors are well understood, but many questions remain unanswered. The Joint Task Force on Faculty Workforce examined the literature on faculty workforce issues, including the work of previous task forces charged by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). We identified and focused on 4 unique but interrelated concepts: organizational culture/climate, role of the department chair, faculty recruitment and retention, and mentoring. Among all 4 resides the need to consider issues of intergenerational, intercultural, and gender dynamics. This paper reports the findings of the task force and proffers specific recommendations to AACP and to colleges and schools of pharmacy.     

我国高等药学院校药事管理学科师资情况调查

目的:为加强我国高等药学院校药事管理学科师资队伍建设,推动药事管理学科发展提供参考。方法:通过官方网站、院校网站等进行基本信息资料收集,通过电话、面访等方式对各院校进行问卷调查。结果:返回有效问卷的108所高等药学院校中,共有276名药事管理学科教师,其中男性142人,女性134人;专职教师145人,兼职人员131人。有63所院校仅有药事管理学科兼职教师,兼职教师主要来源于药学其他学科教研组织(91人)、学校党政机构(24人)、医院(9人)、制药企业(4人)、药监部门(3人)。结论:药事管理学科师资来源多样,进入门槛较低。需加强药事管理学科师资建设,提高师资整体水平。     

Perceptions of Tenure and Tenure Reform in Academic Pharmacy

Objectives. To determine the academic pharmacy community’s perceptions of and recommendations for tenure and tenure reform.Methods. A survey instrument was administered via either a live interview or an online survey instrument to selected members of the US academic pharmacy community.Results. The majority of respondents felt that tenure in academic pharmacy was doing what it was intended to do, which is to provide academic freedom and allow for innovation (59.6%). Respondents raised concern over the need for faculty mentoring before and after achieving tenure, whether tenure adequately recognized service, and that tenure was not the best standard for recognition and achievement. The majority (63%) agreed that tenure reform was needed in academic pharmacy, with the most prevalent recommendation being to implement post-tenure reviews. Some disparities in opinions of tenure reform were seen in the subgroup analyses of clinical science vs basic science faculty members, public vs private institutions, and administrators vs nonadministrators.Conclusions. The majority of respondents want to see tenure reformed in academic pharmacy.     

A Pharmacy Faculty Academy to foster professional growth and long-term retention of junior faculty members

Objectives

Implement a Pharmacy Faculty Academy designed to foster professional growth of new faculty members in an outcomes-oriented, “frames”-based manner and to evaluate the impact on faculty satisfaction and retention rates.

Design

A Faculty Academy was designed based on critical themes relevant to junior faculty members and important symbolic, structural, human resource, and political considerations. The year-long program included concentrated sessions during the first 4 weeks of employment followed by longitudinal activities requiring an advancing level of faculty performance.

Assessment

Qualitative and quantitative metrics for engagement and professional growth improved dramatically during the implementation period. The 21 faculty members who completed the program from 2005-2007 provided positive feedback.

Conclusion

An individualized, systematic approach to faculty development resulted in more highly engaged and productive faculty members who were more likely to remain long term within the College.