This study, conducted at the Howard University College of Pharmacy, aimed to assess pharmacy students’ understanding and opinions on the off-label use of gabapentin in the treatment of pruritus. Gabapentin is primarily prescribed for conditions such as seizures and neuropathic pain, raising concerns when it is used for pruritus without formal approval. A survey of 39 students found that only 27% were aware of gabapentin’s approval for the treatment of seizures, while just 10.8% recognized its us
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Written by Jhoyce S. Souza
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Currently, there is no straightforward measure that combines the extent to which a patient uses different healthcare services into a comprehensive score. This study aimed to develop such a tool and investigate its relationship to overall health outcomes, including mortality and life expectancy. We developed the Healthcare Utilisation (HUTIL) index by assigning weights to different healthcare services based on their typical costs compared to a primary care physician (PCP) visit. These cost ratios
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Written by Baudouin Standaert
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Previous estimates of potential cost savings from the de-implementation of low-value care have been calculated using simple modeling approaches that focus on direct medical costs and do not account for substitution. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate a modeling approach to calculate a more realistic estimate of the societal costs and benefits of de-implanting low-value care. The modelling approach was developed and evaluated in three steps: (1) reviewing studies to identify aspe
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Written by Naganandini Raju
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Dementia presents a pressing health issue worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a post-conflict LMIC with a fragmented healthcare system, currently lacks standardized national policies, prevalence data, and coordinated dementia services. This study examines how healthcare providers perceive and approach dementia care, identifying challenges and feasible improvements tailored to BiH’s healthcare environment. A qualitative cross-sectional
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Written by Abdulaziz Alhossan
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in late 2019 triggered a shift in healthcare priorities globally, with pharmacies playing a pivotal role in supporting the healthcare system throughout the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the preparedness and service delivery of community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 crisis. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2020, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to community pharmacists across the country. The survey focused o
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Written by Nikolaj Frost
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Patient navigation initiatives aim to improve the coordination of healthcare by reducing the barriers patients encounter when seeking access to appropriate services. These types of interventions are currently being tested both within Germany and internationally. A common obstacle in such research, as with most clinical trials, is developing recruitment methods that successfully enroll enough participants from the target groups. The results presented here aim to share insights and experiences reg
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Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to improve outcomes for individuals with cardiovascular conditions significantly. The encouragement and referrals provided by healthcare professionals are crucial for engaging patients in CR programs. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of Chinese healthcare providers regarding CR, assess the frequency with which they recommend it to patients, and examine the factors influencing their recommendation practices. A nationwide cross-sectional su
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Written by Irene Alcoceba-Herrero
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Posthospital care aims to enhance patient access to providers and reduce avoidable readmissions. This study assessed the feasibility, barriers, and influencing factors associated with implementing remote patient monitoring (RPM) for oncology patients at the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute (HHC) in Hartford, CT, and across a statewide health system. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews and focus groups to gather insights from hospi
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Written by Anil K. Verma
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
To evaluate how curriculum committees in US schools and colleges of pharmacy have changed since 2011 with respect to their roles, organizational design, duties, charges, and operational activities. A survey was administered to 133 fully accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy. Data were gathered between March and September 2020, with survey items referring to the 2019–2020 academic year. Information collected included committee composition, leadership structure, assigned responsibilities, an
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Written by Natalie R. Evans
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
This research aimed to evaluate if incorporating standardized patients (SPs), or combining SPs with interprofessional student groups, alongside a simulated electronic health record (EHR) system, enhanced knowledge retention and student attitudes among learners. A prospective cohort design was employed to examine three groups of entry-level pharmacy students participating in skills lab sessions during 2018, 2019, and 2021. The main goal was to assess retention of case content one month later acro
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Written by Jorge L. Ramirez
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
The main goal of this research was to evaluate the ethical growth in moral judgment among pharmacy undergraduates and graduates at a Jordanian university. A cross-sectional approach was employed to examine the ethical decision-making abilities of 512 pharmacy students and graduates using the Professional Ethics in Pharmacy (PEP) instrument. The key metric was the Principled Morality Score, expressed as a percentage indicating the extent of advanced moral judgment, with elevated scores signifying
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Written by Vanessa R. Coleman
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Omar H. Farooq
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Laura B. Martinez
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Kofi A. Owusu
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Katarzyna Mazur
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Erik J. Svensson
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Yousef A. Haddad
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Elisabeth A. Kruger
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Helene Dupont
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by María P. Castillo
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Brian T. O’Leary
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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Written by Sanne J. de Vries
Published in Vol 4 , 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
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