Predictors of Academic Success in a Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program at a Historically Black College and University.

Objective. Rapid changes in the current US health care system, especially in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, require practicing pharmacists to acquire new knowledge and skills. Despite the growth of opportunities for pharmacists within new spaces such as nanotechnology, informatics, and pharmacogenomics, those without a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree could be eliminated from consideration by employers who seek new graduates with more contemporary training and skills. The purpose of this study was to determine what associations exist between student success within a nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) program and certain demographic factors.Methods. This quantitative longitudinal study was designed to determine which factors predict academic success among NTDP students entering the College of Pharmacy at Howard University. Academic success was measured by cumulative graduating grade point average (GPA). Data from four cohorts of students were used to develop multivariate linear regression models with several predictors including age, region of residence, citizenship status, previous pharmacy work background, and ethnicity.Results. The study sample included 81 students whose mean cumulative GPA was 3.44. A foreign-born African heritage was predictive of a GPA that was significantly higher in comparison to African Americans after adjusting for other factors.Conclusion. Findings showed that international students had a higher cumulative GPA in comparison to African American students in the NTDP program.

Challenges and Strategies of Successful Mentoring: The Perspective of LEADS Scholars and Mentors from Minority Serving Institutions.

Mentoring continues to be a salient conversation in academia among junior and senior faculty and administrators. Mentors provide guidance and structure to junior faculty so that they can meet their academic and professional goals. Mentors also convey skills in balancing life and academic pursuits. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive study was to provide additional insight from a training program called Leading Emerging and Diverse Scientists to Success (LEADS) regarding successful strategies and challenges of mentoring relating to lessons learned from the scholars and mentees' perspective. The LEADS program provided multiple training platforms to increase skills and knowledge regarding research to promote expertise in grant writing and submission for funding opportunities among diverse scientists. These findings reinforce the knowledge about the value of a mentor in helping define the research pathway of their mentee and underscoring the importance of mentoring.

Looking through a new lens, exploring the interdependent relationship between interprofessional education and collaborative practice with Polarity ThinkingTM.

The context of interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice (IPCP) has led to calls for greater alignment, coordination, and coalitions among education and healthcare delivery systems. One method to evaluate and improve these coalitions is the Polarity ThinkingTM framework. Polarities, such as IPE and IPCP, can represent interdependent pairs of different but complementary values or perspectives. This project investigates the IPE and IPCP polarity as perceived by educators and practitioners using survey research and an in-person summit to examine how the interdependent relationship between IPE and IPCP can support efficient, effective, and integrated care. Eighteen participants registered to attend the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) Summit on Healthcare Workforce Readiness for IPCP were surveyed in July 2018. Fifteen of the registered participants responded to the survey, which consisted of demographic questions and 16 items specific to the respondents' experiences with IPE and IPCP. The resulting Polarity Map®, generated based on responses to the pre-conference survey, showed that neither the IPE or IPCP poles were strongly supported. However, survey respondents did indicate more frequent positive outcomes with IPCP than experienced with IPE. Additionally, using the Polarity Map® as a guide, Summit participants generated action steps and early warning signs to support IPE and IPCP values. While the sample size was limited, the study can be used as an example of managing the IPE-IPCP polarity through broad engagement of stakeholders to better leverage IPE and IPCP to achieve efficient, effective, and integrated healthcare.

Hip Arthroplasty or Medical Management: A Challenging Treatment Decision for Younger Patients.

The two main treatment options for total hip arthroplasty (THA), medical management and surgical intervention, have advantages and disadvantages, creating a challenging decision. Treatment decisions are further complicated in a younger population (≤50) as the potential need for revision surgery is probable. We examined the relationship of selected variables to the decision-making process for younger patients with symptomatic OA. Thirty-five participants chose surgical intervention and 36 selected medical management for their current treatment. Pain, activity restrictions, and total WOMAC scores were statistically significant (P < .05) for patients selecting surgical intervention. No difference in quality of life was shown between groups. Pain was the only predictor variable identified, however, activity restrictions were also influential variables as these were highly correlated with pain.