Impact of a short-term pharmacy study abroad Program: student outcomes and program evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of a short-term study abroad program, focusing on program evaluation, attendee satisfaction, and acquired knowledge and skills. A questionnaire survey was conducted covering various aspects including demographics, program evaluation, and feedback. RESULTS: Results indicated higher female participation due to gender imbalances in pharmacy students in Egypt, with senior students recognizing the value of international experience. Attendee satisfaction was high, with positive feedback on accommodation, tours, and workshop materials. Field visits and workshops provided valuable experiential learning, with attendees suggesting extending the program's duration. The program equipped attendees with knowledge and skills relevant to pharmaceutical products and services, leading to improved competences and perceptions. The study concludes that such study abroad experiences profoundly impact personal growth and recommends integrating them into educational curricula for valuable experiences.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacy students in 7 Middle Eastern countries concerning antibiotic resistance: A cross-sectional study.

Addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stands as a major global health challenge threatening humanity. Resolving this issue can be initiated through emphasizing the significance of AMR education among students in health colleges during their undergraduate studies. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic resistance in 7 Middle Eastern countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students at universities in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait between March 2021 and January 2022. The first section of the questionnaire gathered demographic information. The knowledge section comprised 7 questions. Subsequently, the questionnaire explored participants' attitudes (6 items) and practices (2 items) concerning antibiotic resistance. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the median knowledge score between different demographic groups. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for being more knowledgeable about antibiotic resistance. A 2-sided P < .05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 4265 pharmacy students were involved in this study (Egypt (2249), Jordan (n = 704), Saudi Arabia (n = 531), Lebanon (n = 401), United Araba Emirates (n = 130), Qatar (n = 129), and Kuwait (n = 121)). The median knowledge score for the participating pharmacy students was 5.00 (IQR = 4.00-6.00) out of 7, equals to 71.4% with 4th, and 5th year students and bachelor of pharmacy program students have higher odds of being more knowledgeable about antibiotics resistance compared to other students (P < .05). The majority of the students agreed that antibiotic resistance is increasing, they should be more concerned regarding antibiotic consumption and that government should create more awareness of antibiotic resistance, and that they should have enough knowledge to prevent antibiotic resistance. Around 3 quarters of the students (73.0%) confirmed that they take antibiotic only after getting prescription from their physician and almost half (51.7%) reported that they take antibiotic to manage their fever. The study concluded good educational programs in Middle East pharmacy schools with the need for targeted educational interventions promoting responsible antibiotic stewardship practices among future pharmacists.

Evaluation of a pre-post quasi-experimental educational intervention on breast cancer awareness among pharmacy professionals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction: Cancer, particularly breast cancer, is a major contributor to mortality and a significant impediment to life expectancy. In 2020, breast cancer accounted for 11.7% of all cancer cases and caused approximately 685,000 deaths worldwide, surpassing lung cancer in prevalence. The study aims to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on breast cancer awareness among pharmacy students by comparing their understanding before and after the program. Method: A pre-post quasi-experimental study was designed to assess knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, breast self-examination (BSE) practices, and attitudes toward breast cancer among female university students in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants completed a pre-session questionnaire, attended an awareness workshop and video tutorial, and then completed a post-session questionnaire 2 weeks later. Results: Of 1,200 participants, 1,015 of them completed both the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Key demographic features included 83.9% of the participants being in the 18-24 age group, 26.8% being married, and only 14.2% having a family history of breast cancer. Before the intervention, 60.7% of the participants were not involved in regular breast self-exams due to a lack of awareness. Post-intervention results showed a significant increase in awareness, with 35.9% rising to 94.9%. The use of screening methods increased from 46.7 to 94.8%. Knowledge of breast cancer improved from 51.2 to 96.7%, and the general perception rose from 48.2 to 93.4%. Attitudes toward self-examination also shifted positively, indicating a significant change in perception. Interpretation and conclusion: The study concludes the baseline knowledge of breast cancer among female students was inadequate but improved significantly from over 40% to over 90% following the educational intervention. The intervention positively influenced the general perception and attitudes toward breast cancer. These findings highlight the need for regular educational sessions to enhance awareness, improve healthcare outcomes, and reduce mortality rates, particularly in developing countries.

Correlating Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Exam Scores and Pharmacist Licensure Status in a Single Program.

OBJECTIVE: Pharmacist licensure exam first-time pass rates have declined for several years. Predictors of licensure exam performance, including the Pharmacy College Admission Test, are no longer required, necessitating alternative strategies. Our aim is to assess the relationship between numerical scores on advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) exams and pharmacist licensure exams first-time pass rates. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, retrospective, observational analysis. APPE examination results between May 2020 and November 2023 were analyzed for association with licensure information from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. Exam scores were collected for student cohorts graduating from 2021 to 2022 as study cohort data. Correlation between exam scores and probability of successful licensure was assessed using logistic regression. A classification and regression tree analysis identified the most significant threshold. Predictive ability of the best-fit model was prospectively validated using the 2023 graduate cohort. RESULTS: The overall licensure success rate was 80.6% for the study cohort (2021-2022, n = 206). Exam scores were well correlated to the likelihood of licensing success. The most significant threshold was 77.8%. The success rate was 82.5% vs 16.7% for those scoring above and below the threshold, respectively. The observed and predicted licensure success rates were 91.0% and 88.8%, respectively, in the validation cohort (2023, n = 89). The positive and negative prediction values were 94.9% and 40.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The performances on APPE exams were reasonable in predicting the first-time licensure success rate for a graduating class. Our assessment appears promising as a risk-stratification tool for students in gaining successful pharmacist licensure.

Predictors of Success in Obtaining Postgraduate Residency or Fellowship.

OBJECTIVE: As more pharmacy students are pursuing postgraduate training, colleges of pharmacy are investigating ways to predict success in matching for residency or fellowship. While data have been published about characteristics predictive of matching, we sought to study student scores, rotation types, and rotation evaluations as predictors of success. METHODS: Data were collected from students in the graduating classes of 2021, 2022, and 2023. Students were surveyed on participation in mock interviews, numbers of programs to which they applied, and number of interviews received. In addition, data were collected on impostor phenomenon, grit, perceived stress, anxiety, grade point average (GPA), types of patient care rotations, and preceptor evaluations. RESULTS: Overall, 295 students were included, with 69 unsuccessful and 226 successful students. Successful students were more likely to have lower Perceived Stress Scale-10 scores in the final 3 semesters of school, a higher GPA, more elective patient care rotations, and more preceptors who answered "Yes" to "Would you hire this student?" after graduation. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, final GPA and preceptors answering affirmatively to "Would you hire this student?" were independent predictors of success in obtaining a postgraduate position. CONCLUSION: As colleges of pharmacy prepare students for postgraduate residencies or fellowships, in addition to GPA, stress levels during the final 3 semesters of pharmacy school may be areas on which to focus. Given that willingness of a preceptor to hire a student after graduation was a predictor of success in securing a postgraduate position, this should be explored in future research.

Building the PharmD Pipeline With a Pre-Pharmacy Track for Working Adults Marketed to Pharmacy Technicians.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the activities undertaken at Mercer University (MU) to establish a complete pre-pharmacy curriculum for working adults and market the program to pharmacy technicians in metropolitan Atlanta. To document post-implementation, the yield of students to the pre-pharmacy program and subsequent yield of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students to the MU College of Pharmacy. METHODS: The level of retrospective interest in the pre-pharmacy program was measured by a survey questionnaire administered to MU PharmD students who had completed their pre-pharmacy courses in metropolitan Atlanta colleges and universities. A traditional marketing funnel approach was used to achieve awareness, interest, desire, and action in the target market: metropolitan Atlanta pharmacy technicians. The pre-pharmacy program was established as a curricular track within the MU College of Professional Advancement for working adults. Enrollment and matriculant data were reported using frequency counts. RESULTS: A total of 185 pre-pharmacy program matriculants from the Spring semester 2019 through the Summer semester 2023 accounted for 1222 pre-pharmacy course enrollments. Of these students, 38 applied for the PharmD program at the MU College of Pharmacy, and 27 were accepted and matriculated. CONCLUSION: Offering a pre-pharmacy track for working adults marketed to pharmacy technicians is one potential avenue for building the pipeline to pharmacy school while adding to the overall enrollment of the university.

Exploring the Impact of Generation Status on Pharmacy Admissions: A Comparative Study of First-Generation and Continuing-Generation College Students.

OBJECTIVE: First-generation college students (FGCSs) comprise a large demographic of health professions programs. Although FGCSs in pharmacy education have been studied, robust data describing FGCSs who pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree are sparse. The objective of this study was to describe the FGCS applicant population within pharmacy education from 2017 to 2023 and compare them with continuing-generation college student (CGCS) applicants. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using national Doctor of Pharmacy application data from the Pharmacy College Application Service between 2017 and 2023. RESULTS: Of the 83,446 applicants, 26% identified as an FGCS, with analysis demonstrating the breadth of differences between FGCS and CGCS. FGCSs were found to be older, more likely of minority status, and more likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds. FGCSs also submitted a greater number of applications per student, were less likely to matriculate, and were more likely to be denied by at least 1 program. CONCLUSION: Important differences between FGCSs and CGCSs in the pharmacy school applicant pool were identified. These differences highlight the importance of studying recruitment strategies and support programs for FGCS pharmacy applicants, strategies to increase completed applications, and decrease melt in FGCSs once they are accepted into programs.

Measuring Pharmacy Student Engagement in a Pharmacotherapy Course With Required Attendance.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate student engagement in a pharmacotherapy course with required attendance, identify intervals where students were most and least likely to be engaged, and assess student perceptions of the importance of engagement. METHODS: In 2022, the pharmacotherapy course faculty implemented a graded attendance policy. A survey instrument was developed to gauge student engagement throughout in-class sessions and included 3 questions regarding engagement to determine whether students were on-task, off-task-related, or off-task-unrelated. Each week throughout the semester, students were randomly surveyed for a beginning, middle, and end time point. A second survey was utilized to collect perception data from students regarding attendance and engagement. The perception survey was released during the midpoint of the semester and at the end of the semester. RESULTS: The overall attendance rate was 91.1% (SD 4.64%) for the semester. Generally, students reported being on-task when surveyed. The average weekly tasks rates were 77.7% on-task, 15.8% off-task-related, and 6.5% off-task-unrelated. For the perception survey, both time points had a high response rate (82.8% midpoint survey, 77.1% end of semester). Most students had positive perceptions regarding mandatory attendance, engagement, and pre-class preparation. CONCLUSION: This study endorses high levels of student engagement in a pharmacotherapy course with required attendance. In addition, student perceptions were generally positive regarding required attendance. Future investigations need to be completed on the non-performance benefits of attending classes.

A Cross-sectional Study on Effects of University Closure Due to Industrial Disputes on Pharmacy Students.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of the closure of universities due to industrial disputes on pharmacy students. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among third-year to final-year pharmacy students at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) from July to August 2023 using a 23-item structured self-administered questionnaire. Responses were analyzed using SPSS v27.0. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the variables, while chi-square tested the association between the variables. RESULTS: Of 306 students who participated in the study (response rate: 99.0%), 218 (71.2%) were within the age range of 21 to 25 years, while more than half of the participants 187 (61.0%) had less than 4 distinctions in the last professional examinations. Overall, slightly above half of the respondents 172 (56.2%) were negatively impacted by the strike; more than half of them agreed to the item "I felt anxious and unprepared for school activities after the strike" 204 (66.7%). Slightly above half of them also had a good perception of the strike 154 (50.3%); more than half of them agreed with the item "During the strike, I felt that education has lost its worth" 212 (69.3%). Students with less than 4 distinctions in the last professional examination had a better perception of the strike, while students aged 21 to 25 years were more negatively impacted by the strike than other students. CONCLUSION: Academic strikes in Nigerian universities caused anxiety, increased reported depressive episodes, and poor performance among pharmacy students, necessitating online classes and prompt dispute resolution.

Preceptor Feedback on Utilization and Pre-APPE Performance Expectations of Pharmacy Practice Skills.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the frequency with which preceptors perform skills in their practice setting and the degree of competency that preceptors expect from students to perform those skills upon starting their advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). METHODS: A survey assessing skill utilization and expected pre-APPE student competency level upon entry to APPEs was developed by pharmacy practice faculty and distributed to preceptors. Preceptors were asked to rank their utilization of skills and expected pre-APPE student competency of each skill. Investigators assigned each skill a categorical ranking of high, moderate, or low priority. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 448 pharmacy preceptors. Skills related to communication, patient education, documentation, collecting medication histories, and drug therapy review/reconciliation were the most utilized. Skills related to physical assessment and point-of-care testing were the least utilized, and the expected student competency level was also low. Skills identified as highest-priority included those related to patient counseling/education, problem-solving/critical thinking, and information gathering and management. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey suggest that the frequency with which preceptors perform specific skills in practice and their corresponding competency expectations for APPE students vary and are skill-dependent, allowing for prioritization. Stratifying individual skills according to how commonly they are encountered in practice and the competency levels expected by APPE preceptors can assist institutions in prioritizing skills-based laboratory content and assessment and in addressing curricular bloat and hoarding.

Pharmacists and pharmacy students' perceptions on how a new teaching model supports their clinical decision-making.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clinical decision-making (CDM) is crucial in pharmacy practice, necessitating effective teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education. This study aims to explore undergraduates and postgraduates' perceptions of how a new teaching model supports their CDM when addressing patient cases. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Implemented in a full-day CDM course for pharmacy students and a half-day course for pharmacists in the Netherlands, the model, accompanied by a learning guide, facilitated CDM in patient cases. Eight courses were conducted between September 2022 to June 2023, followed by an online survey measuring participants' agreement on how the model supported their CDM, using a 5-point Likert scale. Additionally, three open-ended questions were included to elicit learning outcomes and self-development opportunities. FINDINGS: Of 175 invited participants, 159 (91%) completed the survey. Most agreed the teaching model supported their CDM, particularly in considering the patient's healthcare needs and context (96%), and exploring all available options (96%). Participants found the model provided a clear structure (97%), and fostered critical thinking (93%). The most frequently mentioned learning outcomes and self-development opportunities included collecting sufficient relevant information, maintaining a broad perspective, and decelerating the process to avoid premature closure. SUMMARY: Participants agreed that the teaching model helped them to make clinical decisions. Both undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education could possibly benefit from the teaching model's implementation in supporting pharmacy students and pharmacists conducting CDM in pharmacy practice.

Death and dying in pharmacy learners: A critical review.

PURPOSE: This review article is the first comprehensive evaluation of the available literature surrounding the education of death and dying in pharmacy schools. The purpose of this review was to describe the available literature and methods utilized regarding the emotional preparation for patient death in pharmacy education. PROCEDURES: Searches were performed in three pharmacy databases to identify articles that contained descriptions of activities related to death and dying education in pharmacy curriculums. FINDINGS: Eleven journal articles were reviewed, detailing activities in pharmacy education including simulations, didactic sessions, and an innovative "death over dessert" model. Evaluation methods varied, with surveys being most common, followed by reflection. Didactic courses demonstrated increased empathy and knowledge, while simulations compared to case-based activities improved skills, knowledge, and comfort levels with providing end-of-life care. Simulations often involved interprofessional groups, with third-year pharmacy students most evaluated. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students were mainly exposed to death and dying scenarios through didactic courses or simulations, with limited longitudinal exposure. Research suggests that students may lack preparation for handling death-related situations, leading to trauma and dysfunction. While existing studies focus on outward effects like empathy, internal factors such as coping methods receive less attention. Unlike nursing and medicine literature, pharmacy education lacks comprehensive coverage of coping and emotional support strategies for death and dying scenarios. Additional focus should be placed on intentional incorporation of these topics into pharmacy curriculums.

Student personality type and preferred rounding methods in an internal medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy students completing Internal Medicine rotations may be exposed to different stylistic approaches from providers on routine activities like patient rounds. This may be beneficial as students can learn in different ways. Conversely, extensive exposure to approaches that do not suit them may hinder student learning or lead students to feel they don't belong in a clinical setting. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: This study sought to assess how students of different personality types perceived benefits to their learning based on the rounding styles of two providers. One provider (Dr. Bedside) used a team-based, bedside rounding method with direct patient interaction, while the other (Dr. Table) used a tableside team-based discussion for each patient. In the final week of a 5-week Internal Medicine APPE rotation, a cohort of ten students completed a 12-item survey that collected details on two personality assessments and assessed perspectives of the two rounding styles. EVALUATION FINDINGS: Ten students completed the personality assessments and survey. Students represented a diverse set of StrengthsFinder strengths and DOPE personality types, with the highest concentration (60%) of students receiving the Executing strength. All students agreed or strongly agreed that the exposure to two different rounding styles was valuable to their learning, with 80% of students preferring Dr. Bedside's approach. ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: Overall, no trends were identified between preference of rounding style and results from personality assessments, which indicates the current approach of exposing students to two rounding styles does not negatively impact certain learners based on DOPE and StrengthsFinders personality types.

A novel experiential work-based learning model in paediatric secondary care using entrustable professional activities to develop clinical knowledge and communication skills.

BACKGROUND: Initial education and training standards for pharmacists in Great Britain require early clinical exposure to patients using experiential work-based learning. However, there is poor evidence of this approach in some settings, such as paediatric care. The aim of this study was therefore to explore a novel model of experiential work-based learning for student pharmacists in a paediatric setting. METHODS: Fourth-year student pharmacists enrolled on a Master of Pharmacy programme were allocated five three-hour placement sessions at a paediatric hospital. Sessions consisted of a briefing, ward activities, scaffolded consultations with children and their carers, followed by a debriefing session with a clinical supervisor. Data were collected relating to the ward, patient details, student reported activities, learning outcomes and if follow up was required by a member of the clinical team. Data were cleaned, quality checked, then descriptive statistical analysis and inductive content analysis were conducted. MAIN FINDINGS: Seventy-four students took part in 28 individual sessions and 233 consultations were recorded. Consultations included a best-possible medical history (76%, n = 177), a satisfactory drug history (45%, n = 104), or discussed hospital discharge (11%, n = 26). Students were exposed to patients with diagnosed acute conditions (41%, n = 96) and chronic conditions (33%, n = 76), as well as children awaiting diagnosis (13%, n = 30). Students reported learning about the pathology, diagnosis and symptoms of paediatric conditions (48%, n = 81), medicines used in children (24%, n = 41), patient experiences of recieving care (15%, n = 25), carer experiences (2%, n = 3), the hospital environment (2%, n = 4), career progression (2%, n = 4), and experiences of social care (11%, n = 18). Findings were synthesised with existing entrustable professional activities from the literature to generate novel EPAs specific to paediatric settings. CONCLUSIONS: A paediatric setting offers a suitable environment to host experiential work-based learning in pharmacy education. Standards of initial education and training which require pharmacists to prescribe in Great Britain must recognise the importance of exposure to the health needs and experiences of children, young people's and carers prior to graduation.

Pharmacy students' process of learning of real patients in a simple first-person perspective patient simulation exercise - A qualitative analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists need more insight into patients' perspectives on medicine to target their counseling and improve patient outcomes. Patient simulation exercises, where pharmacy students are asked to consume medicine-like products, have been shown to foster such understandings, although the specifics of how this occurs, in particularly, how students turn their first-person perspectives toward generalizations about real patients' lives with medicines, are not well documented. The aim was to identify central aspects of the learning process by introducing reflection questions about real patients and follow students' development during a study period. METHODS: The study was conducted with students in their 4th semester in the second year of Pharmacy Education at the University of Copenhagen who were asked to respond to free text questions in a survey instrument about their daily experiences of taking a licorice product for one week as well as answering patient reflection questions. Qualitative deductive analysis was performed by coding students' experiences according to concepts of 'experiential learning'. Pattern identification within each concept was then inferred, as were their interrelationships. RESULTS: Patient reflection questions enabled students to turn their first-person perspectives toward relevant generalizations about real patients' lives with medicines, including involved psychological mechanisms and how real patient groups differ in their ability to take medicine regularly. Students who during the week faced challenges with following the required dosing scheme came to more nuanced realizations that medicine adherence requires special efforts and restricts one's daily life; hence, negative emotions were involved in the learning process. CONCLUSIONS: The design of the simple patient simulation exercise gave rise to new types of insights into real patients' lives with medicines. Negative emotions due to interference between the requirements of the exercise and students' normal social lives, as well as commitment to the exercise, were important aspects of this process.

Development, implementation, and assessment of a tailored oral milestone remediation examination process for fourth-year pharmacy students.

Performance assessments for student pharmacists are required by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education to monitor student knowledge, retention, and professional skill sets. Near the end of their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs), fourth-year pharmacy students (P4s) at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy must pass a milestone exam (P4ME) to graduate. The P4ME contains four sections: adult medicine, ambulatory care, community, and hospital. If a student fails one or more sections of the initial multiple-choice P4ME, they must retake that specific section(s) on the makeup P4ME. If a student fails the makeup multiple-choice P4ME, they participate in a case based oral exam designed to determine whether they meet minimal competencies to pass the P4ME. This report outlines the process undertaken by the faculty to develop a high-stakes P4 milestone oral exam. While only a few students have participated in the process, outcomes differentiated P4s eligible for graduation versus those who needed to repeat an APPE. Lessons learned about the oral exam process include minimizing the number of faculty in attendance, shortening the exam duration, and standardizing the exam process. Positive aspects include remediation led by a subject matter expert and implementation of a unique rubric to assess student performance. Overall, the authors find the P4 oral milestone exam to be a feasible assessment tool for students who perform poorly on the initial and makeup multiple-choice P4MEs.

Qualitative analysis of preparation and planning habits of students with low-performance on high-stakes practice examinations (pre-NAPLEX®).

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this analysis was to identify, analyze, and report patterns (or themes) of planning and preparation considerations of students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam. METHODS: This qualitative study was a retrospective, inductive thematic analysis of de-identified semi-structured interview field notes collected from student interviews for those students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam. RESULTS: Ninety-one students were initially contacted based on their score on the Pre-NAPLEX® exam to participate in one-on-one virtual discussions (i.e., interviews) with faculty members. Fifty-two responded and participated with their responses analyzed and included in thematic categorization. Four major themes were identified during the analysis. These include 1) Organization and Messaging of NAPLEX® Preparation Efforts, 2) Time Management during Competing Obligations, 3) Test Taking Experience, and 4) Curricular Disconnect. CONCLUSION: Student performance on the NAPLEX licensing exam is of great concern to many colleges of pharmacy. As a result, many institutions are looking at root-causes for poor performance and working to implement structural changes at their institution to address these concerns. This investigation identified four major themes surrounding the preparation and planning for the Pre-NAPLEX® for students that scored less than the historic average score on the Pre-NAPLEX®. These include 1) Organization and Messaging of NAPLEX® Preparation Efforts, 2) Time Management during Competing Obligations, 3) Test Taking Experience, and 4) Curricular Disconnect. Each of these themes provides potentially actionable items to improve how students prepare and plan for the Pre-NAPLEX®, which may be translatable to informing actions to improve results on the actual NAPLEX exam itself.

A mixed-methods approach to repetitive formative assessment with timely feedback on instructional perception in doctor of pharmacy students.

INTRODUCTION: Formative assessment assists learning, but how Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students perceive repeated formative assessment is unclear. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study sought to determine perceptions of repeated formative assessment with timely feedback on student learning in third-year PharmD students. This mixed methods approach included four surveys and a qualitative interview. Five formative assessments were assigned to third-year PharmD students throughout a fall course, and then repeated in a spring course for the same cohort. Paired pre-and post-course surveys administered in both courses contained items corresponding to formative assessment perceptions. Survey items included domains of knowledge, engagement, feedback, and confidence, and effect size was determined using Cohen's d. Following the second course, students were invited to take part in a qualitative interview to further characterize perceptions. RESULTS: Overall, 19 and 18 students participated in paired fall and spring pre- and post-surveys, respectively. The standardized mean difference for 12 out of 24 total survey items (58.3%) indicated small to medium positive effect sizes following the intervention, two out of 24 (8.3%) with medium to strong positive effect sizes, and one out of 24 (4.17%) with a strong positive effect size. Eight students participated in a quantitative interview; response themes included "think," "critiquing," "helped," and "helpful." CONCLUSIONS: In two PharmD courses, students expressed a generally small to moderate perceived benefit on repeat formative assessment in domains representing knowledge, engagement, feedback, and confidence.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 Knowledge, Its Vaccine Uptake Intentions, and the Influence of Personality Traits among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in a University Setting: Findings and Implications.

CONTEXT: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the greatest global health catastrophe of the century, with its vaccine hesitancy compounding the woes. Relevant stakeholders, including pharmacy students (whose education was disrupted) are important bulwarks against these catastrophes, but their COVID-19-related information are scarce. AIMS: We assessed COVID-19 knowledge, its vaccine uptake intentions, and the influence of personality traits among pharmacy undergraduates in a Nigerian university. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a post-lockdown cross sectional study conducted at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A 61-item questionnaire was used to collect data among pharmacy undergraduates who attended Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria, in May 2021. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Summary statistics- mean (±standard deviation), range, frequency, proportion; inferential statistics- Chi square statistics, binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 88% (168/191). The average COVID-19 knowledge score, the frequency of acceptance, and hesitancy to take COVID-19 vaccine among study participants were 42.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 42.1-43.7), 39.1% (95% CI = 37.3%-41.8%), and 61.9% (95% CI = 58.0%-64.2%), respectively. In addition, of the 168 study participants, 73 (43.5%) considered themselves to have high self-esteem, 67 (39.9%) were highly extroverted, 91 (54.2%) highly privately self-conscious, 96 (57.1%) highly publicly self-conscious, and 60 (35.7%) highly self-restrained, with 57 (34.0%) not believing in the existence of COVID-19. COVID-19 knowledge varied significantly by level of study ( F [2,165] = 5.539; P = 0.005; η 2 = 0.06). Similarly, those with high self-esteem were twice as knowledgeable regarding COVID-19 as those with low self-esteem (odds ratio [OR]: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.08-3.78; P = 0.03) with gleaning COVID-19-related information from social media platforms predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (CVH) (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.16-0.85; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The observed suboptimal COVID-19 knowledge was associated with participants' low level of self-esteem, and the prevalent CVH was associated with obtaining COVID-19-related information from social media platform.

Résumé Contexte:La maladie du coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) est la plus grande catastrophe sanitaire mondiale du siècle, avec ses hésitations à vacciner qui aggravent les fléaux. Les intervenants pertinents, y compris les étudiants en pharmacie (dont l'éducation a été perturbée), sont des gardiens importants contre ces catastrophes, mais leurs informations relatives au COVID-19 sont rares.Objectifs:Nous avons évalué les connaissances sur le COVID-19, ses intentions d'adoption du vaccin et l'influence des traits de personnalité chez les étudiants en pharmacie d'une université nigériane.Configuration et conception:Il s'agit d'une étude transversale.Sujets et méthodes:Un questionnaire de 61 points a été utilisé pour recueillir des données auprès des étudiants en pharmacie qui ont étudié à l'Université Usmanu Danfodiyo, Sokoto, au Nigeria, en mai 2021.Analyse statistique Utilisé:Résumé ­ moyenne (± déviation standard), gamme, fréquence, proportion; inferentiel ­ statistiques Chi-square, régression logistique binaire.Résultats:Le taux de réponse était de 88 % (168/191). Le score moyen de connaissances sur le COVID-19, la fréquence d'acceptation et l'hésitation à prendre le vaccin contre le Covid-19 parmi les participants à l'étude étaient respectivement de 42,9% (intervalle de confiance de 95 % [CI] = 42,1 à 43,7), de 39,1% (IC 95 % = 37,3% à 41,8%) et de 61,9% (IC 95% = 58,0 % à 64,2%). En outre, sur les 168 participants à l'étude, 73 (43,5%) se considéraient comme ayant une haute estime de soi, 67 (39,9%) étaient hautement extrovertis, 91 (54,2%) très conscients de soi en privé, 96 (57,1%) sont hautement conscients d'eux-mêmes en public et 60 (35,7%) sont très restreints, avec 57 (34,0%) qui ne croient pas en l'existence de COVID-19. Les connaissances sur le COVID-19 varient considérablement selon le niveau d'étude (F [2,165] = 5,539; P = 0,005; η2 = 0,06). De même, les personnes ayant une haute estime de soi étaient deux fois plus informées au sujet du COVID-19 que celles ayant une faible estime d'eux-mêmes (ratio de probabilité [OR]: 2,02; 95% CI: 1,08­3,78; P = 0,03) avec la collecte d'informations relatives au Covid-19 provenant des plates-formes de médias sociaux qui prédisaient l'hésitation au vaccin contre le COVid-19 (CVH) (OR: 0,37; 95% IC: 0,16­0,85; P= 0,02).Conclusions:Les connaissances sous-optimales observées sur le COVID-19 ont été associées à un faible niveau d'estime de soi des participants, et la prévalence de la HCV a été associée à l'obtention d'informations relatives au Covid-19 à partir d'une plate-forme de médias sociaux.

Building Interprofessional Competencies Through a Collaborative Prescribing Activity With Osteopathic, Pharmacy, and Physician Assistant Students.

Introduction: Medication errors can lead to significant adverse events. Nearly 50% of medication errors occur during the prescription-writing stage of the medication use process, and effective interprofessional collaboration and communication are key to reducing error in this process. Methods: We developed a three-part, 60-minute, interprofessional education activity providing medical, physician assistant, and pharmacy students the opportunity to practice collegial interprofessional communication surrounding prescribing practices. Learners met virtually initially as a large group and divided into small groups facilitated by a health professional. Part 1 involved reviewing two prescriptions prepared by learners; part 2 was a discussion about the education, roles, and responsibilities of each profession; and part 3 focused on identifying prescription errors in examples provided by faculty. Students completed a post-pre survey measuring their perception of learning the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) areas. Results: Of 317 participants (151 doctor of osteopathy, 68 master of physician assistant studies, and 98 doctor of pharmacy students), 286 completed the post-pre survey, for a 90% response rate. Students reported statistically significant (p < .001) increases in all 20 questions spanning the six ICCAS areas. Discussion: The virtual format allowed multiple institutions to participate from various locations. It broadened the learners' experience by fostering interaction among those with varied perspectives and allowed collaboration between locations and programs that otherwise could not have participated. The activity introduced students to virtual collaboration and key telehealth skills, enhancing their confidence and familiarity with virtual interactions in a professional setting.