Peer-Led Alcohol Education program: a pharmacy student-led program for seventh-graders

OBJECTIVE: To delay or discourage the use of alcohol by seventh-grade students through peer-led education. Peer-Led Alcohol Education (PLAE) program objectives were to: (1) educate students about alcohol use and (2) assess the differences between pharmacy student presenters and high school student (peer) presenters. SETTING: Middle schools in rural Nebraska. DESIGN: PLAE focuses on normative beliefs, personal values, and pledging. Pharmacy students and high school students were trained to deliver alcohol education presentations to seventh-grade students. Evaluation results were compared among groups of seventh-grade students who received PLAE presentations from peer presenters and from pharmacy student presenters. RESULTS: PLAE presentations were made to 342 seventh-grade students at 11 schools. Evaluation results suggest that pharmacy students projected more confidence in their presentations, used more creative prop selections, and were more effective communicators. High-school presenters had a greater ability to "relate" to the seventh-graders and thus were deemed more on-target with the information. CONCLUSION: Evaluation findings suggest that rural seventh-grade students in Nebraska perceived that the PLAE program provides useful information to aid them in their decisions regarding alcohol use.     

Substance use education in US schools of pharmacy: A systematic review of the literature

Background: The authors sought to systematically review the quantity and quality of literature describing substance use disorders (SUDs) education in US schools of pharmacy and determine the effectiveness of the educational interventions employed. Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review of SUDs education studies in US pharmacy schools. All literature database searches were performed on April 30, 2016, in 5 databases: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Embase.com, ERIC via FirstSearch, and CINAHL via EBSCOhost. The study authors conducted this systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines and registered it with PROSPERO, which is an international prospective register of systematic reviews. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42016037443. The study authors created a modified data extraction sheet based on the Best Evidence in Medical Education coding sheet. A Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) score was calculated for included articles. Results: From the 1626 retrieved records, 7 were included in the present review. The studies assessed students’ impressions and abilities regarding SUDs pre- and post-intervention. The mean ± SD MERSQI score of the 7 studies was 9.86 ± 1.21 (range: 8–11.5). The included articles assessed pharmacy students at various academic years, with the majority students in either their first or second year of pharmacy school, and described both required and elective courses. The educational interventions varied in design and outcomes measured. Education included nicotine, alcoholism, and SUDs in general. None of the included articles reported on education regarding opioid use disorders. Conclusions: The studies included in this systematic review demonstrate that teaching pharmacy students about SUDs produces a positive impact in their attitudes and knowledge on this subject.     

Attributes of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States

Objectives

To compare the attributes of US colleges and schools of pharmacy and describe the extent of change to the pharmacy education enterprise associated with the addition of new schools.

Methods

Attributes analyzed included whether the college or school of pharmacy was old or new, public or private, secular or faith-based, and on or not on an academic health center (AHC) campus; had 3- or 4- year programs; and had PhD students enrolled. PharmD student enrollment-to-faculty ratios and junior-to-senior faculty ratios also were examined.

Results

Of the new colleges/schools, 76% were private and 79% were not located on a campus with an AHC; 6% had PhD enrollment compared with 80% of old colleges/schools. Faculty ratios were related to several college/school attributes, including the presence or absence of PhD students and whether the college/school was public or private.

Conclusions

Attributes of new colleges and schools of pharmacy have changed the overall profile of all colleges and schools of pharmacy. For example, smaller percentages of all colleges and schools of pharmacy are public and have PhD enrollees.     

Using learning outcomes for undergraduate pharmacy education to assess final‐year students' perceptions of their preparedness for pharmacy practice

Objective Using learning outcomes for undergraduate pharmacy education in Great Britain, this study explored the extent to which final‐year students perceived their education had prepared them for various aspects of practice. Fifteen learning outcomes were evaluated, encompassing competencies necessary for both the performance of pharmacists' tasks and for a professional approach to those tasks. Methods Final‐year students studying at 14 British pharmacy schools completed a questionnaire evaluating perceptions of the extent to which their course had met learning outcomes defined by the profession's regulatory body ‘for and of pharmacy graduates’. Learning outcomes were divided into two groups: those related to preparedness for competence in the performance of pharmacist‐role tasks (Group 1 learning outcomes) and those related to how tasks are approached (Group 2 learning outcomes). Univariate analysis explored associations between contextual/demographic variables and learning outcomes; multivariate analysis was used to determine whether the pharmacy school attended independently predicted learning outcomes once ethnicity and gender had been controlled for. Key findings A response rate of 67.8% was achieved. Respondents were more likely to have felt prepared for broad areas than for specific competencies (Group 1 learning outcomes). Marginally fewer felt prepared for a professional approach to tasks (Group 2 learning outcomes). Females and respondents from minority ethnic groups were significantly more likely to have felt prepared for many outcomes; significant variation between pharmacy school attended and outcomes were also found. After controlling for student characteristics, multivariate analysis demonstrated that the pharmacy school attended predicted variation in 11 out of 15 learning outcomes. Conclusions In the main, students perceived that the learning outcomes of curricula had been met. However, differences between school attended and students' perceptions suggest that either some schools are providing insufficient opportunities for their students to develop skills or that students at some schools have unrealistic expectations of the skills they will need.     

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in Pharmacogenomics Offered by US Pharmacy Programs

Objective. To characterize advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) with a primary focus in pharmacogenomics at schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States.Methods. This was a cross-sectional, multicenter, observational study of pharmacogenomics APPEs at US pharmacy schools. Directors of experiential education at 146 accredited schools of pharmacy were contacted by phone and asked if their school offered a pharmacogenomics APPE. The preceptors of pharmacogenomics APPEs identified by this phone screen were sent an email with a link to an online survey that asked about their APPE offerings.Results. Of the 142 schools of pharmacy that were successfully reached via phone, 40 (28%) offered an APPE with a primary focus in pharmacogenomics. Thirty unique APPEs with pharmacogenomics as a primary focus were identified. The total number of preceptors involved in the pharmacogenomics APPEs was 33: 19 (58%) faculty preceptors and 14 (42%) non-faculty preceptors. Twenty-three of the 30 pharmacogenomics APPEs completed the survey (77% response rate). The APPE sites were diverse and included academic medical centers, community health systems, pharmacogenomic testing laboratories, and schools of pharmacy. Each pharmacogenomics APPE accommodated an average of six students per year. The APPE activities varied across sites.Conclusion. Only a small number of US pharmacy schools offer an APPE with a primary focus in pharmacogenomics. These rotations are diverse in scope and precepted by faculty or non-faculty pharmacists. The Academy should pursue opportunities to increase experiential education in pharmacogenomics.     

连云港市药学类高职学生实习及就业情况调查

目的:了解连云港市药学类高职学生实习及就业情况,并对高职学校人才培养提出建议。方法:对连云港市药学类5年制高职学生及实习接收单位进行问卷调查,包括学生就业意向、用人单位岗位需求、对学生的能力需求、对实习生满意度等内容。在调研的基础上分析学生在实习过程中存在的问题,并提出针对性建议。结果:用人单位提供给药学类高职毕业生的岗位数较多,对实习生总体满意度较好;同时,用人单位对毕业生各项能力要求也较高。学生对就业意向的调查结果显示,90%的学生愿意在医院工作,且用人单位对个人的发展空间是其择业的首要考虑因素。学生对学校教学的满意度也总体较好。结论:药学类高职教育应立足于基层岗位的职业观教育,注重对学生良好的职业道德的培养和社会阅历、工作经验的提升。     

The Evolving Role of Historically Black Pharmacy Schools in a Changing Environment

Objective. To provide a comprehensive review of the contributions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to creating a diverse pharmacist workforce and identify opportunities for future contributions. This was accomplished by comparing enrollment at HBCUs to overall US enrollment of African American pharmacy students and then comparing those numbers to national enrollment of pharmacy students, analyzing contributions of HBCUs to underrepresented pharmacy student enrollment, evaluating overall changes to pharmacy school enrollment and impact on enrollment at HBCUs, and identifying areas of opportunity to enhance the future contributions of HBCUs.Findings. There are six HBCU pharmacy schools in the United States. Although HBCU pharmacy schools made up only 4% of the total number of US pharmacy schools, they accounted for an average of 22.8% of the total African American student enrollment in pharmacy schools over a five-year period (2015-2019). An average of 13.8% of the total population of underrepresented people of color (UPOC) enrolled in US pharmacy schools from 2015-2019 attended an HBCU pharmacy school.Summary. Historically Black colleges and universities have consistently made significant contributions to the total pharmacy school population of African Americans, as well as that of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders and American Indian and Alaska Natives. These institutions have an opportunity to enhance their impact and serve in graduating the diverse pharmacy workforce needed in the future. Historically Black colleges and universities can achieve this goal by making significant efforts to recruit LatinX pharmacy students and by increasing their recruitment of African Americans, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, and American Indian and Alaska Natives.     

Assessment of Full-time Faculty Preceptors By Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and Puerto Rico

Objective. To identify the manner in which colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and Puerto Rico assess full-time faculty preceptors. Methods. Directors of pharmacy practice (or equivalent title) were invited to complete an online, self-administered questionnaire.Results. Seventy of the 75 respondents (93.3%) confirmed that their college or school assessed full-time pharmacy faculty members based on activities related to precepting students at a practice site. The most commonly reported assessment components were summative student evaluations (98.5%), type of professional service provided (92.3%), scholarly accomplishments (86.2%), and community service (72.3%). Approximately 42% of respondents indicated that a letter of evaluation provided by a site-based supervisor was included in their assessment process. Some colleges and schools also conducted onsite assessment of faculty members.Conclusions. Most colleges and schools of pharmacy assess full-time faculty-member preceptors via summative student assessments, although other strategies are used. Given the important role of preceptors in ensuring students are prepared for pharmacy practice, colleges and schools of pharmacy should review their assessment strategies for full-time faculty preceptors, keeping in mind the methodologies used by other institutions.     

What Secondary School Career Advisors in New Zealand Know about Pharmacy and How that Knowledge Affects Student Career Choices

Objective. To explore what career advisors at secondary schools (high schools) in New Zealand know about the pharmacy profession, how they obtain that knowledge, and what their potential influence is on students’ decisions to study pharmacy.Methods. This study employed a cross sectional questionnaire design. A postal questionnaire was sent to 250 randomly selected secondary schools in New Zealand.Results. The response rate was 112/248 (45%). Responding career advisors were familiar with many of the roles of pharmacists (mean knowledge score 11.5 out of 16). Over 90% of career advisors were familiar with the roles of pharmacists in the community setting; however, many had a poorer understanding of other pharmacist roles. One suggestion for improving the promotion of pharmacy within secondary schools was a greater involvement of pharmacists and pharmacy students in the promotion of pharmacy as a profession.Conclusion. Career advisors need a broader understanding of the potential roles of pharmacists. Increasing contact from practicing pharmacists and undergraduate pharmacy students are potential ways of increasing student interest in pharmacy.     

An assessment of the level of moral development of American and Canadian pharmacy students

Context — Moral reasoning assessment is an assessment of conceptual adequacy of moral thinking. It attempts to tap the basic conceptual frameworks that individuals use to analyse social‐moral problems and to judge the proper course of action. It is a significant construct because of its pragmatic and positive relationship to clinical performance in health professionals. Thus, pharmacy students at higher levels of moral reasoning can be expected to perform at higher levels on clinical performance measurements. Objective — To examine the moral reasoning of pharmacy students at schools of pharmacy in the United States and Canada. Method — Rest's Defining Issues Test (DIT) was used as a surrogate measure of pharmacy students' moral reasoning and was completed by all first‐year pharmacy students at one school of pharmacy in the US and one in Canada. Results — The results indicated that significant differences existed between the Canadian and American pharmacy students. The Canadian students scored significantly higher than their American counterparts. The mean moral reasoning score of both classes was lower than previous empirical research results from other first‐year health professional students. The results are discussed along with potential educational interventions and suggestions for selecting pharmacy students to schools of pharmacy. Conclusion — This is the first study to have assessed moral reasoning in pharmacy students. The reasons for differences between US and Canadian students are unknown. The lower scores of pharmacy students compared with other student health professionals indicate that further research is needed.     

Preceptors' perspectives on benefits of precepting student pharmacists to students, preceptors, and the profession.

OBJECTIVES: To educate pharmacists on the shortage of quality preceptors and the benefits received from precepting; present insights from successful preceptors and offer guidance to current and prospective preceptors; and encourage pharmacists to become preceptors and mentor aspiring pharmacy professionals. SETTING: Advanced experiential settings for Nova Southeastern, Ohio Northern, and Creighton Universities. PRACTICE DESCRIPTIONS: Hospital, community, and outpatient clinic settings. PRACTICE INNOVATION: Successful incorporation of student pharmacists and the experiential process into pharmacy practice. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Not applicable. RESULTS: A variety of factors has produced an increased demand for qualified pharmacist preceptors, including workload issues, an increasing number of pharmacy schools, and an increased experiential load in the pharmacy school curricula. Characteristics of quality preceptors include demonstrating enthusiasm in their teaching, being open to questions, and providing constructive feedback. Sites and preceptors can benefit from teaching student pharmacists by receiving assistance in developing and maintaining clinical services, sensing the satisfaction of giving back to the profession, and material rewards provided by schools of pharmacy. In this article, three successful preceptors share their perspectives and insights about precepting, and a professional organization perspective is included to highlight the support for precepting student pharmacists. CONCLUSION: Additional introductory and advanced quality pharmacy experiential practice sites are needed, and pharmacists are encouraged to contact nearby pharmacy schools to become preceptors.     

School-Level Correlates of Adolescent Tobacco,Alcohol, and Marijuana Use

Background: School-level characteristics are related to students’ substance use, but little research systematically examined multiple school characteristics in relation to different types of substance use across grade levels. Objectives: This study examines multiple school-level characteristics as correlates of students’ tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and combined substance use across three grade levels. Methods: Students (N = 23,615) from 42 urban and suburban middle schools and 24 high schools in the U.S. reported on their tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Students’ mean age was 14 years; 47% were male, 53% African American, and 41% Caucasian. School-level data included poverty, racial composition, academic achievement, student-teacher ratio, absenteeism, and school size. Multilevel logistic and Poisson regressions tested associations between school-level predictors and adolescent substance use in middle school, early high school, and late high school. Results: School-level poverty, more ethnic minority students, low achievement, and higher absenteeism were related to alcohol, marijuana, and combined substance use, particularly at lower grade levels. By contrast, cigarette smoking was more prevalent in more affluent high schools with more White students. After adjusting for other school characteristics, absenteeism emerged as the most consistent predictor of student substance use. Conclusions/Importance: Interventions addressing absenteeism and truancy in middle and high schools may help prevent student substance use. Schools serving poor, urban, and mostly minority students may benefit from interventions targeting alcohol and marijuana use, whereas interventions focusing on tobacco use prevention may be more relevant for schools serving more affluent and predominantly White students.     

Faculty perceptions of appropriate faculty behaviors in social interactions with student pharmacists

Objective

To determine faculty and administrator perceptions about appropriate behavior in social interactions between pharmacy students and faculty members.

Methods

Four private and 2 public colleges and schools of pharmacy conducted focus groups of faculty members and interviews with administrators. Three scenarios describing social interactions between faculty members and students were used. For each scenario, participants reported whether the faculty member''s behavior was appropriate and provided reasons for their opinions.

Results

Forty-four percent of those surveyed or interviewed considered interactions between faculty members and pharmacy students at a bar to be a boundary violation. Administrators were more likely than faculty members to consider discussing other faculty members with a student to be a boundary violation (82% vs. 46%, respectively, P <0.009). A majority (87%) of faculty members and administrators considered “friending” students on Facebook a boundary violation.

Conclusions

There was no clear consensus about whether socializing with students at a bar was a boundary violation. In general, study participants agreed that faculty members should not initiate friendships with current students on social networks but that taking a student employee to lunch was acceptable.     

The impact of faculty and student pharmacist relationships on burnout

BackgroundStudents in health professions, including student pharmacist, are at an increased risk of psychological distress. Unfortunately, effective efforts to combat burnout for student pharmacists are still lacking in the literature and create a void in schools and colleges of pharmacy that seek to assist their students.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to explore how increasing positive out-of-class interactions between the student pharmacists and faculty members affect burnout, especially in work exhaustion and interpersonal disengagement. Professional fulfillment was also assessed as a primary outcome.MethodsThe institutional review board approved this study consisting of 4 faculty members and 12 students. After providing informed consent, the participants were assigned to one of 4 groups. Each group included 1 faculty member and 3 students. At the start of the study, each participant completed a modified Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index questionnaire to measure baseline burnout characteristics and initial level of professional fulfillment. For 8 weeks, the groups met weekly to discuss a topic related to burnout and professional fulfillment. After 8 weeks, each participant completed the postquestionnaire. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed to the mean scores (pre vs. post) in each of the 3 constructs. The statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsThe results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the burnout constructs, work exhaustion and interpersonal disengagement. There was not a statistically significant change in professional fulfillment.ConclusionsImproving relationships between student pharmacist and faculty through increasing out-of-class interactions benefits individuals who are at risk of experiencing burnout. Future initiatives can focus on effective strategies that target work exhaustion and interpersonal disengagement and build on the social networks that develop in pharmacy school.     

Student pharmacists' perceptions of community pharmacy residency programs

ObjectivesTo compare penultimate-year (next-to-last) and final-year student pharmacists' perceptions of the educational value of community pharmacy residency programs (CPRPs) and to compare student pharmacists' perceptions of the educational value of CPRPs and health-system residency programs (HSRPs).MethodsA self-administered online survey was sent to administrators at 119 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited schools of pharmacy for ultimate distribution to penultimate- and final-year student pharmacists. The survey included demographic measures and a 20-item residency program “perceived value of skill development” scale developed for this study.Results1,722 completed surveys were received and analyzed. Penultimate-year students attributed greater value to CPRPs more frequently than final-year students. Students more often attributed higher value to CPRPs for skills related to business management, practice management, and medication therapy management, while they attributed higher value to HSRPs for skills related to teaching, research, and clinical knowledge.ConclusionThe results of this study suggest students' perceived value of CPRPs may be related to their year of pharmacy school and the pharmacy practice skill in question.     

A qualitative analysis of interprofessional students’ perceptions toward patients with opioid use disorder after a patient panel experience

Background: Students from health professional schools participated in a half-day interprofessional education workshop centered on substance use disorder training. One component was a patient panel featuring individuals with a history of opioid use disorder who described the impact of addiction on their lives and their road to recovery using varied treatment options. We hypothesized that interacting with individuals with opioid use disorder early in training would elicit more humanistic perspectives and decrease bias and stigma in future health care professionals. Methods: After participating in the panel experience, health professional students (N?=?580) from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and social work were asked to complete short, 5-minute, rapid reflections. Prompts asked students whether the panel changed their perception of individuals with substance use disorder, to reflect on their attitudinal changes or lack thereof, and how working in interprofessional teams could impact the management and treatment of these patients. Conventional content analysis was performed. Results: Eighty-nine percent of students who attended the session completed the rapid reflections (n?=?514). Overall, approximately 70% (n?=?369) of students indicated that their perceptions of individuals with substance use disorder had changed as a result of the patient panel, with students from pharmacy more likely to indicate a change in attitudes. Themes across all professions included a change toward a more humanistic perspective, value of hearing real patient stories, and learning about treatment and recovery options. Student responses described how interprofessional health care teams can provide more holistic care with a broader range of therapeutic options that may improve long-term outcomes. Conclusions: A patient panel experience is influential on interprofessional students’ attitudes toward patients who suffer from opioid use disorder. Students identified an interprofessional approach as being a valuable component of management and treatment of these patients.     

A Scoping Review of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment Literature

Objective. To identify themes, gaps, and sources of evidence from the literature regarding the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) to inform practice and additional areas for research in pharmacy education.Findings. Nineteen articles describing the administration and use of PCOA were identified. Since PCOA was made a curricular requirement by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education in 2016, the focus of literature related to the PCOA has shifted from administration practices (four articles published before 2016 vs two articles published since) to determining models that may predict student performance on the assessment (two vs five articles) or how the examination might be used to predict future performance (one vs seven articles), especially on the North American Pharmacist Licensing Examination. While there is a growing body of literature focused on the PCOA’s utility for measuring performance, few variables have been consistently used.Summary. This review found no studies with objectives that aligned with the initial intended use of the PCOA as defined by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which included tracking individual student performance throughout the curriculum, benchmarking programs against other programs, and evaluating whether a program was meeting their desired outcomes. Additionally, no consensus across the Academy was found as to the proper use of the PCOA, and a paucity of literature exists regarding how the PCOA informs schools and colleges about the effectiveness of their curriculum. There is a need for the Academy to establish a uniform application for the PCOA in pharmacy schools, assess the resources that programs need to administer this required assessment, and determine the utility of the PCOA to measure curricular effectiveness and/or student performance.