Written by Vanessa R. Coleman
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
This study aimed to evaluate how characteristics of pharmacy schools influence first-time pass rates on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). A retrospective analysis was conducted using NAPLEX first-time pass rates, institutional attributes, and the proportion of graduates securing a first postgraduate year (PGY1) residency for the years 2014, 2015, and 2016. All U.S. pharmacy colleges accredited as of July 2017 were included. Statistical analyses comprised independent a
Written by Omar H. Farooq
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
To assess the progress in gender equality within the United States pharmacy academia following the prior assessments published in 2004 and 2014.Information was collected from public national datasets, proprietary databases of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), minutes from AACP meetings, published documents, journal articles, websites of pharmacy organizations, websites of individual institutions, and LinkedIn profiles. Gender comparisons between males and females were cond
Written by Laura B. Martinez
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Postdoctoral fellows contribute substantially to grant acquisition, collaborative partnerships, and the supervision of graduate learners while working with mentors who foster their scholarly autonomy. Despite this importance, little is known about postdoctoral experiences, particularly in health professions education. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of postdoctoral fellows and their faculty mentors at a public four-year school of pharmacy and to determine opportunities to strengthen
Written by Kofi A. Owusu
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
This study aimed to investigate and synthesize the policies and procedures associated with peer evaluation of teaching and instructional coaching (PET/IC) across pharmacy departments, schools, and colleges, while also identifying potential areas for enhancement grounded in best practice recommendations. A survey was distributed to all pharmacy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to collect data on institutional approaches for supporting and evaluating P
Written by Katarzyna Mazur
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are pivotal in limiting the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Pharmacists are key members of healthcare teams, and to effectively participate in ASPs as antimicrobial stewards, they must receive proper training during pharmacy education before entering professional practice. Although ASP-related curricula have been introduced in entry-to-practice programs globally, there is limited understanding of how students analyze antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) d
Written by Erik J. Svensson
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Following the formal inclusion of the affective domain within pharmacy accreditation requirements, pharmacy programs must adopt effective approaches to support formative evaluation of student competence in these competencies. This investigation aimed to generate validity evidence for a newly developed situational judgment test designed to measure affective domain outcomes specified in the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016.After preliminary item piloting across se
Written by Yousef A. Haddad
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Granting independent prescribing authority to pharmacists in the United Kingdom (UK) allows them to issue prescriptions based on their expertise. This research assessed a rigorously developed educational initiative aimed at equipping Pharmacist Independent Prescribers (PIPs) to securely and efficiently manage pharmaceutical care for elderly individuals residing in UK care homes, as part of a randomised controlled trial. The educational and skill evaluation procedure featured two instructional se
Written by Elisabeth A. Kruger
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Data from the Academy reveal that non-tenure track (NTT) faculty are less likely to advance through academic ranks compared with tenured or tenure-track (T/TT) faculty. Multiple factors likely contribute to this disparity, including insufficient guidance, lack of purpose, and limited access to resources. Although there are various paths to achieve success in academia, it is valuable to learn from those who have navigated the journey before. This Commentary, aimed at new and mid-career NTT facult
Written by Helene Dupont
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Over recent decades, interactions between pharmacists and patients have transformed, and the expansion of clinical pharmacy has led pharmacists to assume more patient-centered roles. Fulfilling these roles demands particular competencies, including skills in patient-focused communication. Assessing students’ abilities in patient-centered communication within academic environments is difficult, and alternative or complementary evaluation strategies may be required to address the limitations of co
Written by María P. Castillo
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Pharmacy students need to develop self-awareness to effectively evaluate their progress in skills, particularly in affective areas like empathy. While outside input can support growth, reliable tools are essential for precise evaluation. Therefore, this research aimed to gather additional validity support for the updated Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES-R), contrast students' own views of their empathy with those from simulated patients via a matching patient instrument (KCES-PV), and explor
Written by Brian T. O’Leary
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Pharmacology forms a fundamental component of medical training, underpinning safe and effective prescribing. Nevertheless, medical students frequently report uncertainty regarding their confidence and competence in pharmacology. Despite growing efforts to enhance student performance, there is limited evaluation of how students approach learning, retaining, and applying pharmacological knowledge. A mixed-methods, student-centered strategy was implemented to design and assess targeted resources ad
Written by Sanne J. de Vries
Published in Vol 4 Issue 2, 2024
Insufficient interaction and communication in pharmacology instruction—particularly after the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which forced rapid transitions to online teaching in medical schools—have resulted in suboptimal educational outcomes. To enhance learner engagement and interaction in both distance learning and face-to-face settings, innovative and interactive teaching strategies are urgently needed. Bullet screens were incorporated into pharmacology classes. Subsequentl
