Trends in Pharmacy College Admission Test Requirements and Utilization Across Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To identify national trends among US pharmacy schools and colleges in their requirements for the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and underlying rationales for not requiring pharmacy school applicants to take it.Methods. An electronic survey regarding the following was sent to all US pharmacy programs: current and future PCAT requirements for applicants, use of the PCAT or other means to assess applicants’ written communication skills, use of unofficial PCAT scores, and, if applicable, the rationale for not requiring applicants to submit PCAT scores. Data analysis was performed using Excel.Results. One hundred five (73%) of 144 schools and colleges of pharmacy responded to the survey. Twelve institutions discontinued the PCAT requirement between the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 admissions cycles. The most commonly selected reason for discontinuation was a desire to increase pharmacy applications by reducing admission barriers. Pharmacy schools nationwide had concerns regarding high PCAT registration fees. The majority of pharmacy programs that used PCAT scores in their application process indicated that they always, often, or sometimes invited applicants for an interview before they had received the applicant’s official PCAT scores. The majority of pharmacy programs considered applicants’ PCAT writing score in making their admissions decisions. Other methods used included onsite essays and personal statements.Conclusion. At the time of this study the majority of US pharmacy schools required applicants to submit the PCAT scores before being considered for admission to pharmacy school; however, the use of this examination has declined nationally.     

Pharmacoeconomics Education in US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To determine the extent of pharmacoeconomics education in US colleges and schools of pharmacy provided to doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students in 2011.Methods. E-mails requesting syllabi and information about courses covering pharmacoeconomic topics were sent to all US colleges and schools of pharmacy from which PharmD students had graduated in 2011 (n=103).Results. Of 87 responding pharmacy colleges and schools, 85 provided pharmacoeconomics education in 2011. The number of hours dedicated to pharmacoeconomic-related topics varied from 2 to 60 per year (mean=20).Conclusions. Pharmacoeconomics education is provided at almost all US colleges and schools of pharmacy; however, variation in the number of teaching hours and topics covered demonstrates a lack of standardization in the PharmD curriculum. Pharmacy administrators and educators should invest more resources and tools to standardize training in this area.     

Education in Pediatrics in US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To determine the extent to which pediatrics is taught at US doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs and to characterize what is being taught and how.Methods. A 40-question online survey instrument was sent to accredited and candidate-status US PharmD programs.Results. Of 86 participating programs (67.2% response rate), 81 (94.2%) indicated that pediatric topics were included in their required classroom curricula (mean, 21.9 contact hours). A pediatric elective course was offered by 61.0% of programs (mean, 25.9 contact hours). Advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in pediatrics were offered by 97.4% of programs, with an average of 27 students per program completing this practice experience annually.Conclusions. Almost all responding programs incorporated pediatrics in their required curricula. Pediatric elective courses provided an adequate mean number of contact hours, but 39.0% of programs did not offer an elective course. One-fifth of students completed a pediatric APPE prior to graduation. Continued expansion of pediatric-focused classroom and experiential curricula across US PharmD programs is recommended.     

Team-Based Learning in US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To characterize the use of team-based learning (TBL) in US colleges and schools of pharmacy, including factors that may affect implementation and perceptions of faculty members regarding the impact of TBL on educational outcomes.Methods. Respondents identified factors that inhibit or enable TBL use and its impact on student learning. Results were stratified by type of institution (public/private), class size, and TBL experience.Results. Sixty-nine of 100 faculty members (69%) representing 43 (86%) institutions responded. Major factors considered to enable TBL implementation included a single campus and student and administration buy-in. Inhibiting factors included distant campuses, faculty resistance, and lack of training. Compared with traditional lectures, TBL is perceived to enhance student engagement, improve students’ preparation for class, and promote achievement of course outcomes. In addition, TBL is perceived to be more effective than lectures at fostering learning in all 6 domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy.Conclusions. Despite potential implementation challenges, faculty members perceive that TBL improves student engagement and learning.     

Educating Pharmacy Students to Improve Quality (EPIQ) in Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To assess course instructors' and students' perceptions of the Educating Pharmacy Students and Pharmacists to Improve Quality (EPIQ) curriculum.Methods. Seven colleges and schools of pharmacy that were using the EPIQ program in their curricula agreed to participate in the study. Five of the 7 collected student retrospective pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Changes in students' perceptions were evaluated to assess their relationships with demographics and course variables. Instructors who implemented the EPIQ program at each of the 7 colleges and schools were also asked to complete a questionnaire.Results. Scores on all questionnaire items indicated improvement in students' perceived knowledge of quality improvement. The university the students attended, completion of a class project, and length of coverage of material were significantly related to improvement in the students' scores. Instructors at all colleges and schools felt the EPIQ curriculum was a strong program that fulfilled the criteria for quality improvement and medication error reduction education.Conclusion The EPIQ program is a viable, turnkey option for colleges and schools of pharmacy to use in teaching students about quality improvement.     

Impact of Pharmacy Student Interventions in an Urban Family Medicine Clinic

Objectives. To determine the number of interventions made by pharmacy students at an urban family medicine clinic and the acceptance rate of these recommendations by the healthcare providers. The secondary objective was to investigate the cost avoidance value of the interventions.Methods. A prospective, unblinded study was conducted to determine the number and cost avoidance value of clinical interventions made by pharmacy students completing advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in an urban family medicine clinic.Results. Eighteen students completed this experience in the 8 months studied. Of the 718 interventions performed, 77% were accepted by physicians, including 58% of the 200 interventions that required immediate action. Projected avoidance was estimated at $61,855.Conclusion. The clinical interventions by pharmacy students were generally well received by healthcare providers and resulted in significant cost savings. Pharmacy students can play an important role in a family medicine clinic.     

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.     

Teaching the Science of Safety in US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

This paper provides baseline information on integrating the science of safety into the professional degree curriculum at colleges and schools of pharmacy. A multi-method examination was conducted that included a literature review, key informant interviews of 30 individuals, and in-depth case studies of 5 colleges and schools of pharmacy. Educators believe that they are devoting adequate time to science of safety topics and doing a good job teaching students to identify, understand, report, manage, and communicate medication risk. Areas perceived to be in need of improvement include educating pharmacy students about the Food and Drug Administration''s (FDA''s) role in product safety, how to work with the FDA in post-marketing surveillance and other FDA safety initiatives, teaching students methods to improve safety, and educating students to practice in interprofessional teams. The report makes 10 recommendations to help pharmacy school graduates be more effective in protecting patients from preventable drug-related problems.     

手术室药房智能药车管理模式与药箱管理模式效果比较

目的 促进手术室麻醉药品和精神药品的规范化管理。方法 对手术室药房药品使用智能药车管理模式管理3个月,并与传统药箱管理模式的管理效果进行对比。结果 智能药车管理模式的药品记账差错率、账物相符率等均明显优于药箱管理模式。与后者比较,前者对麻醉和精神药品可做到当日盘点,错误率降至0;麻醉师工作量减轻,但药师工作量会增加。结论 智能药车管理模式用于手术室药品的规范化管理效果明显优于药箱管理模式。     

中医院开展临床药学的实践与设想

本文从情报资料、科学的中药质量管理系统、治疗药物监测、发展方向与设想等五个方面,探讨了中医院的临床药学工作。拟在继承祖国医学的基础上,借鉴现代医学理论及实验方法,逐渐形成自己的体系,使之适应现代医学发展的需要。     

浅谈医院药剂科的中药管理

目的探讨和研究医院药剂科中的中药管理方法,找出切实有效的管理办法。方法我院药剂科主要是通过中药药剂的质量检验和中药库房的管理这两大方面对中药进行现代化的管理,再对其管理效果进行观察。结果我院药剂科自从通过上述几个方面开展了对中药的管理,取得了较为明显的效果。结论为了保证中药治病的安全有效,必须加强医院药剂科对中药的管理,有效的管理办法可以确保药品质量、提高医疗水平、维护患者利益,产生一系列有利于医患关系的良性连锁反应,从而可确保医疗工作的顺利进行。所以医院药剂科的中药管理显得尤为重要。     

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Dual PharmD/MPH Programs Offered at US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To assess the prevalence and characteristics of curriculum in dual doctor of pharmacy (PharmD)/master of public health (MPH) degree programs offered by US pharmacy programs.Methods. An 18-item survey instrument was developed and distributed online to faculty members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy.Results. Of the 110 colleges and schools that responded, 23 (21%) offered a PharmD/MPH degree. Common characteristics of these 23 programs included current PharmD program structure (3 + 1 year), early curricular recruitment, small enrollment, and interdisciplinary coursework occurring online and in the classroom. The impact of the dual degree on the curriculum and longevity of the dual-degree programs varied. About 55% of responding programs without a formal dual-degree program reported that additional public health training was available.Conclusion. Twenty-one percent of colleges and schools of pharmacy offer a combined PharmD/MPH dual degree. Most programs required an additional 1 or 2 semesters to complete both degrees.     

A Train-the-Trainer Approach to a Shared Pharmacogenomics Curriculum for US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To assess pharmacy faculty trainers’ perceptions of a Web-based train-the-trainer program for PharmGenEd, a shared pharmacogenomics curriculum for health professional students and licensed clinicians.Methods. Pharmacy faculty trainers (n=58, representing 39 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and 1 school from Canada) participated in a train-the-trainer program consisting of up to 9 pharmacogenomics topics. Posttraining survey instruments assessed faculty trainers’ perceptions toward the training program and the likelihood of their adopting the educational materials as part of their institution’s curriculum.Results. Fifty-five percent of faculty trainers reported no prior formal training in pharmacogenomics. There was a significant increase (p<0.001) in self-reported ability to teach pharmacogenomics to pharmacy students after participants viewed the webinar and obtained educational materials. Nearly two-thirds (64%) indicated at least a “good” likelihood of adopting PharmGenEd materials at their institution during the upcoming academic year. More than two-thirds of respondents indicated interest in using PharmGenEd materials to train licensed health professionals, and 95% indicated that they would recommend the program to other pharmacy faculty members.Conclusion. As a result of participating in the train-the-trainer program in pharmacogenomics, faculty member participants gained confidence in teaching pharmacogenomics to their students, and the majority of participants indicated a high likelihood of adopting the program at their institution. A Web-based train-the-trainer model appears to be a feasible strategy for training pharmacy faculty in pharmacogenomics.     

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.     

医药分开背景下社会药房药事服务费探索

目的：分析社会药房药事服务费收费机制,为深化医药卫生体制改革提供参考和建议。方法：通过定性分析和研究推理,探索社会药房药事服务收费管理机制并提出改革建议。结果：设立社会药房药事服务费,对全面取消以药养医、落实医药分开、提升药品流通企业转型升级具有重要的价值和意义。结论：应尽快创设社会药房药事服务费管理机制,建立合理的执业药师专业服务的补偿机制和激励机制。     

临床药学与中药制剂的应用探讨

研究临床药学主要是以患者作为研究对象,根据药物、剂型、机体之间的相互作用以及应用规律的综合学科研究。其依据的药理基础主要是生物药剂学与药物动力学,将如何合理用药作为研究的核心,通过药师参与到临床的治疗研究,根据药物应用的重要规律,确保患者达到合理用药,不断提高药物治疗水平,使得药物达到有效、安全和经济的目的。本文主要以西药临床药学开展对中药临床合理用药的研究,通过对临床用药方法以及中药注射剂的配伍与使用进行详细阐述,结合当前的实际情况针对中药制剂在应用过程中面临的问题进行一一详解,从而使得临床药物的治疗水平得到不断提高,同时随着中药制剂的应用不断发展,对于其制剂的研究也在不断深入,文章以西药临床药学方法进行对比中药制剂的实际情况进行论述,为中药制剂提供重要的参考价值。     

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.     

Academic Progression and Retention Policies of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To describe academic progression and retention policies used by US colleges and schools of pharmacy.Methods. Student handbooks on the Web sites of 122 colleges and schools of pharmacy were reviewed between February 2012 and May 2012.Results. Data were available and obtained from 98 (80%) programs. Most used grade point average (GPA) as a criterion for progression, with 66% requiring a minimum GPA of 2.0. Cumulative GPA was the most frequently used criteria for probation. Most handbooks did not address remediation, but 38% noted that a failed course could only be retaken once. The most common criteria for dismissal were the cumulative number of times a student was on probation. The graduation requirements of most programs were a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and completion of the program within 6 years of enrollment. Conclusions. Colleges and schools of pharmacy use various criteria for academic progression and retention and frequently provide incomplete or inadequate information related to probation, progression, and dismissal. Information regarding remediation and academic performance during experiential learning is lacking. A clearinghouse containing institutional data related to progression and retention would assist programs in developing academic policies. The study also highlights the need for ACPE to ensure this information is provided to students.     

我院外科住院药房退药情况分析

目的分析外科病区退药原因,以规范退药行为和减少退药次数。方法利用计算机库存管理系统查询医院外科药房2008年7月至12月退药情况并进行统计分析。结果共有28个病区退药,耳鼻喉科二病区退药金额最多,各病区退药总金额占使用药品总金额的0.54%。结论个别病区退药金额占其使用药品金额的比例较大,药房应加强与临床的联系,严格退药制度,减少病区退药。