A Progressive, Collaborative Process to Improve a Curriculum and Define an Assessment Program.

OBJECTIVE: To revise the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy's professional program outcomes and create an assessment map using results from previous peer review and mapping of all professional courses and curricular streams of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). DESIGN: After consolidating 15 original program outcomes into 11 more precise outcome statements, defining KSAs for each, and getting faculty approval of them, the committee detailed measurable program expectations upon graduation for each outcome and created an assessment map identifying where KSAs were taught, how they were to be assessed, and the expected ability level (novice, competent, proficient) for each across the curriculum. ASSESSMENT: The committee's work identified deficits, inconsistencies, and disproportionalities in professional program assessment. It recommended assessments to capture student achievement of each outcome, identified performance levels and criteria to measure outcomes progressively in each professional year, and outlined a process to provide students periodic reports on their progress in achieving each outcome. CONCLUSION: This work establishes a firm foundation for ongoing efforts to measure effectiveness of the professional program, especially in light of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE) revised accreditation standards.

Incremental development of an integrated assessment method for the professional curriculum.

OBJECTIVE: To incrementally create and embed biannual integrated knowledge and skills examinations into final examinations of the pharmacy practice courses offered in the first 3 years of the pharmacy curriculum that would account for 10% of each course's final course grade. DESIGN: An ad hoc integrated examination committee was formed and tasked with addressing 4 key questions. Integrated examination committees for the first, second, and third years of the curriculum were established and tasked with identifying the most pertinent skills and knowledge-based content from each required course in the curriculum, developing measurable objectives addressing the pertinent content, and creating or revising multiple-choice and performance-based questions derived from integrated examination objectives. An Integrated Examination Review Committee evaluated all test questions, objectives, and student performance on each question, and revised the objectives and questions as needed for the following year's iteration. Eight performance objectives for the examinations were measured. ASSESSMENT: All 8 performance objectives were achieved. Sixty-four percent of the college's faculty members participated in the integrated examination process, improving the quality of the examination. The incremental development and implementation of the examinations over a 3-year period minimized the burden on faculty time while engaging them in the process. Student understanding of expectations for knowledge and skill retention in the curriculum also improved. CONCLUSIONS: Development of biannual integrated examinations in the first 3 years of the classroom curriculum enhanced the college's culture of assessment and addressed accreditation guidelines for formative and summative assessment of students' knowledge and skills. The course will continue to be refined each year.

Assessment of streams of knowledge, skill, and attitude development across the doctor of pharmacy curriculum.

OBJECTIVE: To continue efforts of quality assurance following a 5-year curricular mapping and course peer review process, 18 topics ("streams") of knowledge, skills, and attitudes were assessed across the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. DESIGN: The curriculum committee merged the 18 topics into 9 streams. Nine ad hoc committees ("stream teams") of faculty members and preceptors evaluated the content, integration, and assessment for their assigned streams across the 4 professional years. Committees used a reporting tool and curriculum database to complete their reviews. ASSESSMENT: After each team presented their findings and recommendations at a faculty retreat, the 45 faculty members were asked to list their top priorities for curriculum improvement. The 5 top priorities identified were: redefinition and clarification of program outcomes; improved coordination of streams across the curriculum; consistent repetition and assessment of math skills throughout the curriculum; focused nonprescription and self-care teaching into an individual course; and improved development of problem solving. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive assessment enabled the college to identify areas for curriculum improvement that were not readily apparent to the faculty from prior reviews of individual courses.

A review of pharmacist contributions to diabetes care in the United States.

This paper summarizes the outcomes associated with pharmacist involvement in diabetes care in all pharmacy practice settings. Published literature was identified through a search of MEDLINE (1960 to September, week 1, 2008) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts using the search terms "pharmacist," "pharmaceutical care," and "diabetes mellitus." Only articles reporting clinical or behavior change outcomes were selected for review; papers written outside the United States and citations only in abstract form were not reviewed. The specific data extracted included the following: practice setting, model of care, roles of the pharmacist, study design, number of patients studied, duration of the evaluation, and documented outcomes such as changes in hemoglobin A(1c) values, adherence to standards of care (lipids, blood pressure, eye exams, foot exams, aspirin use), and changes in quality of life. The greatest improvements in hemoglobin A(1c) values tend to be observed when pharmacists work in collaborative practice models. Growing evidence demonstrates that pharmacists, working as educators, consultants, or clinicians in partnership with other health care professionals, are able to contribute to improved patient outcomes.

Using team-based learning in an endocrine module taught across two campuses.

OBJECTIVES: To implement a team-based learning (TBL) format in an endocrine module to promote students' active learning in a course delivered to 2 campuses. METHODS: Course lectures were transformed into 13 TBL sessions consisting of content pre-assignments (self-directed learning), in-class readiness assurance tests (accountability), and team problem solving of patient cases and faculty-led class discussion (knowledge application). Student performance was evaluated through multiple assessments during the TBL sessions and on unit examinations. Students evaluated each individual TBL session and the course as a whole. RESULTS: Course grades were higher using the TBL method compared to the traditional lecture-based method that was used previously. Individual readiness assurance tests and team contribution scores significantly predicted overall course grades (p<0.001). Students accepted the change in course format as indicated by course evaluation results. CONCLUSIONS: TBL is an effective active-learning, instructional strategy for courses with large student-to-faculty ratios and distance education environments.