Evaluation of a Pharmacy Summer Camp to Recruit Students to the Field of Pharmacy.

OBJECTIVE: A 3-day pharmacy summer camp for high school and college students was implemented, which included active learning and information on the pharmacy curriculum, preparatory coursework, and the university community. The program served as a recruitment tool for participants to enter the pharmacy profession and our Doctor of Pharmacy program. Enrollment data from 4 cohorts (2016-2019) were examined, along with assessment data collected from 1 cohort (summer 2022). METHODS: Enrollment data were collected for the 194 participants from 2016 to 2019 to examine the number that applied to the university and to a pharmacy program. All participants from the summer 2022 cohort (n = 55) were asked to complete a knowledge assessment and survey after camp completion. The knowledge assessment contained items related to content covered in the camp. The survey used a self-report retrospective pre-and-post format to assess self-efficacy, and career and degree intentions. In addition, there were items asking participants to evaluate the camp, including 2 open-ended items. RESULTS: Data show that overall, 33% of past participants enrolled at the University at Buffalo, and 15% enrolled or intended to enroll in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. There were 50 respondents to the evaluation survey (91% response rate). Scores on the knowledge assessment suggested participants understood the content. There were statistically significant increases from pre to post on the self-efficacy and intentions scales with the largest change in intentions to pursue a career in pharmacy and to pursue a degree in pharmacy at this university. On the evaluation, 90% agreed that they would recommend the camp to other students interested in pharmacy. Of the 30 comments regarding changes to improve the camp, 17 (57%) were related to including more interactive activities. CONCLUSION: Students who participated in a pharmacy hands-on educational camp demonstrated knowledge of and increased interest in the pharmacy profession.

Implementation and evaluation of an advisement program focused on academic and career development.

INTRODUCTION: This research evaluated a formal academic and career advisement program implemented in a doctor of pharmacy program, which included a "Meet Your Advisor" luncheon and required faculty advisement sessions with an assigned faculty member. METHODS: The advising experience of students from two cohorts of first-year pharmacy students who received the formal advisement program (referred to as advisement cohort 1 and advisement cohort 2) were compared to the experience of a cohort of second-year students who entered prior to the formal advisement program (referred to as the pre-advisement cohort). All students completed a survey with both quantitative and qualitative questions regarding the advisement program. RESULTS: Our research demonstrates that the formal advisement program was successful at ensuring that nearly all students receive personalized advisement. In the pre-advisement cohort 65% of students reported receiving individual advisement, while 94% of students in advisement cohort 1 reported individual advisement and 95% in advisement cohort 2. Advisement cohort 2 responded similarly to the pre-advisement cohort on many of the advisement scales, especially the developing understanding scales, which provided evidence that two years after making the advisement program mandatory, students were having similar experiences to the smaller group of students who self-selected to receive advisement. CONCLUSIONS: A formal advisement program can be developed to include all students. Our research provides evidence that it may take time for the changes to be impactful and suggests the importance of faculty development.