A Follow-Up Study on Delivery of Pharmacy Law Education Across Doctor of Pharmacy Programs.

OBJECTIVE: To present 2018-2019 data from an expanded investigation after an inaugural 2016 pilot survey, which previously reported on the delivery of pharmacy law education in doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the US. METHODS: Due to the limited scope of responses in the 2016 pilot study, the earlier survey was refined and readministered (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) utilizing branching logic to specifically identify characteristics of the pharmacy law content and its delivery in PharmD curricula. The follow-up study received an exempt status from the Institutional Review Board of Keck Graduate Institute. RESULTS: Of the 142 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy member institutions in 2018, 97 provided complete responses to the survey, yielding a response rate of 68.3%. The survey results from this 2018-2019 further investigation examining the delivery of pharmacy law education in US PharmD programs indicate significant variations across respondent programs with respect to professional background of pharmacy law educators and assessment strategies used in pharmacy law courses, as well as variations in the structure and timing of the core pharmacy law course within the PharmD curriculum. CONCLUSION: The current data show PharmD curricula at surveyed institutions lack uniformity in pharmacy law content and sequencing of pharmacy law courses, supporting further investigation to identify the best practices in the delivery of pharmacy law education. Another deliberate focus should aim to more specifically determine how, if, and which specific modifications to delivery of pharmacy law education might ensure achievement of student learning outcomes and optimize PharmD graduates' performance on standardized jurisprudence exams.

Taking Action Towards Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Pharmacy Curriculum and Continuing Professional Development.

Increased awareness of social injustices and inequities highlight the relevance and importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in health care. Former and recent graduates of pharmacy schools remain deficient in their knowledge of DEIA topics such as unconscious bias, which can directly influence health outcomes in an undesirable manner. Particular DEIA areas that are pertinent to pharmacy practice include: race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability status, religion, socioeconomic status, and political beliefs. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) affirmed its commitment to DEIA as a priority. However, existing gaps in knowledge of pharmacy graduates in this area have the potential to contribute to health disparities and inequities, which are significant public health issues. We call on academic pharmacy institutions and professional pharmacy organizations to elevate DEIA topics and to designate them as essential to both addressing health equity and improving care for underserved populations. We also implore licensing boards to require continuing education related to DEIA as a foundational step to closing the knowledge gap for pharmacists in this area.

Differences in learning styles, critical thinking skills, and peer evaluations between students with and without leadership engagement.

INTRODUCTION: Leadership has long been suggested as an attribute essential to the pharmacy profession. Academic pharmacy has identified and addressed the need for leadership development among student pharmacists. The objective of this study is to assess differences in learning styles, critical thinking skills, and peer-perceived leadership skill evaluations between those with vs. without student leadership engagement (SLE). METHODS: Four cohorts of pharmacy students were included in the analysis. Each student completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory and Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT) during pharmacy school orientation. Student-peer evaluation scores were derived from three courses and assessed important leadership skills such as communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and professionalism. Descriptive analysis was performed; group difference was tested using independent group t-tests on continuous variables and Fisher exact tests on categorical variables. RESULTS: This study included 205 pharmacy students from the Classes of 2018 to 2021; 63 students (31%) displayed SLE. No significant differences were found in the peer evaluation scores between students with and without SLE. Students with SLE showed significantly higher scores in domains of the HSRT and the overall HSRT score. CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that HSRT assessment of critical thinking skills was significantly higher in students engaging in leadership, suggesting that HSRT should be explored as a possible predictor for SLE in future studies.

A Pilot Study Regarding Pharmacy Law Education Across Doctor of Pharmacy Programs.

Objective. To describe the features of pharmacy law education in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States. Methods. A review of the literature found no prior published data describing the delivery of pharmacy law education across PharmD programs in the United States. Members of the Pharmacy Law Educators Subcommittee of the American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL) developed questions for a survey. The survey was administered electronically to all 139 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) member institutions in the summer of 2016. A link to complete the 32-item online survey was distributed via email to the pharmacy law educator or associate dean at each AACP member institution. Results. Of the 139 PharmD programs surveyed, 49 completed the survey instrument, yielding a response rate of 35.2%. Variations between programs were found in the professional background of pharmacy law instructors and assessment strategies for pharmacy law courses, as well as in the structure and placement of the main pharmacy law course within the various curricula. Conclusion. This pilot study represents the first and only known attempt to examine delivery of pharmacy law education across colleges of pharmacy. The variations between programs found in this study highlight the need for further investigation into this area of pharmacy education.

Implementation and lessons learned from a mock trial as a teaching-learning and assessment activity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To describe implementation and lessons learned from use of a mock trial as a teaching-learning and assessment activity in a required evidence-based practice course. This innovative self-directed learning strategy reinforced evidence-based skills and affective domain competencies in Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education (CAPE) 2013 Outcomes and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: During spring semesters 2015 and 2016, first professional year (P1) cohorts were divided into teams and assigned controversial topics to research and debate in mock trials. The activity provided opportunities for teaching-learning and assessment. Statistical analysis included inter-rater reliability (IRR), comparison of faculty-judge and student-juror evaluation of trial performance. FINDINGS: Two cohorts were divided into eight teams (four per cohort) to debate four issues. Students within each team were assigned individual scores. Mean individual scores are reported by trial/topic. Faculty-judges and student-jurors rated eight criteria including content/knowledge, critical thinking, application/discussion of federal/state law, citations/references, visual aids, delivery/style, and active listening. Analysis indicated students met competency expectations with overall judges' and jurors' mean scores above 54/60 points (90%) in 2015 and above 51/60 points (85%) in 2016. Judges' scores showed a wider distribution than jurors' scores. Peer evaluation mean scores were above 55/60 points in all four trials. Intra-class correlation was calculated. Judges' scores had excellent IRR in two trials, and good IRR in a third trial, whereas jurors had good IRR in one trial. SUMMARY: Evaluation scores demonstrated students successfully applied knowledge and skills from this and prior P1 courses, and met competency expectations for the mock trial.

Deliberate Integration of Student Leadership Development in Doctor of Pharmacy Programs.

The CAPE 2013 Outcomes answered the call for increased student leadership development (SLD) by identifying leadership as a desired curricular goal. To meet this outcome, colleges and schools of pharmacy are advised to first identify a set of SLD competencies aligned with their institution's mission and goals and then organize these competencies into a SLD framework/model. Student leadership development should be integrated vertically and horizontally within the curriculum in a deliberate and longitudinal manner. It should include all student pharmacists, begin at the point of admission, and extend beyond extracurricular activities. The school's assessment plan should be aligned with the identified SLD competencies so student learning related to leadership is assessed. To accomplish these recommendations, a positive environment for SLD should be cultivated within the school, including administrative backing and resources, as well as support among the broader faculty for integrating SLD into the curriculum.

Assessing health conditions and medication use among the homeless community in Long Beach, California.

OBJECTIVE: Persons experiencing homelessness are a vulnerable population and are at increased risk for morbidity and all-cause mortality compared to the general population. This study sought to evaluate medication use, regular physician visits, and identify health conditions among the homeless population of Long Beach, California. METHODS: Two "brown bag" medication review events were held at homeless shelters in the Long Beach area. Demographic information, medication use, and comorbid disease states were obtained through surveys. FINDINGS: Three-fourths of the cohort (95 participants) consisted of males, and the average age of participants was 48 years. Psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular disease were the most common disease states reported at 32% and 46%, respectively and so were medications used in treating these chronic diseases. Medication adherence was found to be a significant problem in this population, where more than 30% of patients were nonadherent to medications for chronic diseases. Furthermore, foot problems, hearing and vision difficulties constitute the most commonly overlooked health problems within the homeless population. CONCLUSION: Based on this and other similar finding, we must accept that the homeless represent a vulnerable population, and that because of this fact, more programs should be focused at improving availability and access to health care among the homeless. Regarding the high number of reported health problems in the study, more studies are needed and more studies should incorporate screening for foot, hearing, and vision issues, both to increase awareness and to provide an opportunity for devising possible solutions to these highly preventable conditions.