[The interdisciplinary approach as tool of pharmaceutical education of children: from theory to practice].

The pharmaceutical literacy is a necessary element of ensuring quality of human life that is to be formed at early age. The article demonstrates that key direction of development of health literacy is pharmaceutical education involving pharmaceutical workers. The necessity of development of pharmaceutical literacy in children through involvement into process of pharmaceutical education pedagogues and parents/legal representatives of child. The article presents analysis of normative legal documents regulating strategic directions of state and international policy in the field of protection of health and rights of minor citizen/children that regulate organization of pharmaceutical and educational activities and requirements to pharmaceutical and pedagogical workers within the framework of their professional role. The problematic zones in organization of pharmaceutical counseling of minors citizen were discovered. The necessity to improve professional competence of pharmaceutical and pedagogical workers in organization of pharmaceutical education of children of preschool and school age is established. The results of sociological survey of minor citizen and their parents demonstrated inadequate level of pharmaceutical literacy of respondents. On the basis of research results structural model of interaction of participants of pharmaceutical education of children (pharmaceutical workers - parents - pedagogues). The communication relations at the stage of transferring pharmaceutical knowledge to minor personality were revealed. The main result of the study is original structural functional model of organization of pharmaceutical education of children implementing interdisciplinary approach in forming pharmaceutical knowledge in children of preschool and school age. The stages of interaction of participants and professional tasks of pharmaceutical and pedagogical specialists in process of teaching children skills of pharmaceutical safety are determined.

Causes and outcomes of at-risk underperforming pharmacy students: implications for policy and practice.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand the key determinants for poor academic performance of students completing a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm), Bachelor of Pharmacy and Management (BPharmMgmt), or Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree. METHODS: Data were collected on pharmacy students who had not met academic progression requirements between 2008 and 2018 at The University of Sydney, Australia. This included: age at the start of pharmacy degree; gender; whether they transferred from another university; whether they were a domestic or international student; Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank upon entry, previous studies in biology, chemistry, or mathematics; show cause triggers (units of study failed); number of show causes; students' written show cause responses; weighted average mark at last show cause or graduation; whether they graduated and were a registered pharmacist; and, the number of years they spent studying the degree. Descriptive studies were used to analyse student characteristics using SPSS software, and student self-reported reasons for poor performance were analysed reflexively using thematic analysis procedures using NVivo. RESULTS: This study included 164 pharmacy students enrolled in a BPharm (79.3%, n = 130), BPharmMgmt (1.2%, n = 2), or MPharm (19.5%, n = 32). Of the students, 54% (n = 88) were men, 81% (n = 133) were domestic students, 15% (n = 24) transferred from another degree program, and 38% (n = 62) graduated from the course. Show cause students were less likely to graduate if they transferred from another degree program (P = 0.0002) or failed more than three units of study (UoS; P < 0.0001). The most commonly failed UoS were related to organic or pharmaceutical chemistry, and the top student self-reported reasons for poor performance was stress/anxiety, physical health, and depression. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy schools should aim to address student foundational knowledge in chemistry, identify at-risk students early using pre-subject testing, and provide better services to address student mental health.

Evaluation of the creation of podcasts for instructional delivery in a post-graduate training elective course.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the creation of podcasts for instructional delivery and evaluate strengths and areas for improvement in a post-graduate training (PGT) elective course. METHODS: After creating a podcast series, students in the PGT elective from Spring 2021 to Fall 2022 listened to the series then completed a reflection based on five open-ended questions that provoked their thoughts and feelings about use of podcasts as a method of delivering information and teaching. Responses were downloaded and a content analysis was performed. Each investigator analyzed responses from all reflections to identify major themes and subthemes. Letter of intent assignment and overall course grades were compared to assess if podcasts affected student learning. RESULTS: Ninety-one students provided reflections about the use of podcasts in the PGT elective course, which revealed three major themes with 13 subthemes, including perception of guests, learner experience, and show and episode production. Students appreciated the various perspectives, authenticity, relatability, and diversity of the guest speakers; the learning environment was described as flexible, relatable, positive, and a safe space; the podcast design was noted to be informative, organized, and easily accessible. Areas for improvement included more interaction with guests and more visuals. Letter of intent assignment and overall course grades were similar before and after podcast implementation. CONCLUSION: The use of podcasts as an educational tool in a PGT elective course had a variety of characteristics that students preferred to traditional lecture-style classes.

Health advocacy: A gulf between instruction and practice.

BACKGROUND: Systematic ways to teach health advocacy, an educational outcome for pharmacy graduates, is lacking. We developed a workshop to facilitate understanding and application of a novel structured framework for health advocacy and explored how pharmacy students enacted opportunities for health advocacy during subsequent outpatient experiential training. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: A two-hour workshop was introduced for year 2 students in 2019. Its content was organized around a health advocacy framework. With patient and faculty facilitators, students worked through examples characterized into the framework's four quadrants: 1) shared advocacy "with patients" at the individual- or 2) systems-level and 3) directed advocacy "for patients" at the individual-or 4) systems-level. We then conducted a longitudinal diary study asking pharmacy students (N = 23) to reflect on opportunities to practice health advocacy skills in community pharmacy practice. A systematic, multi-coder reflexive thematic analysis of diary entries was employed. FINDINGS: Pharmacy students did not express a fulsome view of patient health advocacy and mischaracterized self-reported practice examples into inappropriate categories of the health advocacy framework. Most overemphasized usual pharmacist care as acts of health advocacy. No systems-level activities were undertaken, although isolated episodes of shared advocacy with patients were identified. SUMMARY: Lasting impacts of a health advocacy workshop in our pharmacy curriculum were not widely apparent. While longer training periods in community pharmacy practice may yield more opportunities to develop and enact this role, gaps in student conceptualization of health advocacy and inabilities to practically observe and exercise system-level advocacy are ultimately problematic for patient care.

APPE unreadiness - The other side of the coin.

INTRODUCTION: Student readiness for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) has not been explicitly defined in literature or standards. Readiness for APPEs is a programmatic requirement of all schools and colleges of pharmacy (schools), leaving schools to determine their own assessments of APPE readiness. Current literature provides no consensus on the definition of APPE readiness nor the assessments or benchmarks used to evaluate APPE readiness. Schools have an opportunity to improve efforts to identify students at risk for poor APPE performance and provide early intervention. COMMENTARY: Due to a lack of consensus, it may be easier to describe students who are not ready for APPEs than it is to describe students who are APPE ready. APPE unreadiness is defined by the authors as those who require significant preceptor instruction on foundational competencies such as knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes and therefore are unable to meaningfully engage in application-based patient care activities. By adding focus to APPE unreadiness within APPE readiness programs, pharmacy schools may be able to more readily identify and remediate students who are at risk of failing one or more APPE rotations. IMPLICATIONS: We provide four recommendations for schools to consider. These are focused on assessing APPE readiness to qualify and quantify APPE unready students. By assessing APPE unreadiness, schools can make continuous quality improvement to ensure that preceptors, sites, students, and faculty can have the ongoing confidence that APPE students are all ready to meaningfully engage on rotation.

Virtual self-care simulations for third-year pharmacy skills laboratory courses in three institutions.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether a virtual, self-care activity improved knowledge and confidence in third-year student pharmacists. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Third-year student pharmacists (n = 386) from three institutions participated in the virtual self-care simulation during their respective practice laboratory course. A pre- and post-assessment collected 10 knowledge and five confidence questions, self-reported on 0-100 scale, mapped to learning outcomes and pharmacy standards. Responses for participants who provided consent and had linked assessments were analyzed. Additionally, students participated in a perception assessment following the simulation with the post-assessment. Each knowledge question was scored as binary (correct/incorrect), presented as percentage, and significance identified with a McNemar's test. Total knowledge score and confidence changes were presented as means with standard deviations and significance with a paired t-test. Student perceptions were presented as frequencies and percentages. FINDINGS: Total knowledge assessment demonstrated a significant improvement (p < 0.001) for the entire cohort of 198 study participants. Upon additional analysis, a single institution led the cohort to significant increase, with variable improvement and significance for each individual question. Confidence improved for the entire cohort of students and at each institution individually. The students perceived the virtual self-care activity favorably. SUMMARY: The third-year student virtual self-care activity improved knowledge and confidence with varying significance between institutions. Future studies will focus on the impact of continued reinforcement of self-care activities on student growth in knowledge and confidence.

Predictors of student preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

BACKGROUND: A capstone course often serves as the final checkpoint of student readiness before the commencement of experiential training. The purpose of this study was to determine if the assessment components from the capstone course can serve as predictors of student performance during their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). METHODS: Student data was analyzed to observe the correlation between performance in the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), student performance in the capstone course, and the overall grade point average (GPA) earned during APPEs. Spearman rank correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the overall APPE GPA and students' capstone course grade, top drug competency exam score, pharmacy calculation competency exam score, and PCOA exam score. A significant regression equation was obtained during the analysis: (F(5, 97) = 5.62, p < 0.001), with an R2 = 0.225 (adjusted R2 = 0.185). In the linear regression model, capstone GPA emerged as a significant predictor (ß = 0.155; p = 0.019) of APPE GPA amongst the tested variables. Additionally, students scoring < 73% on the top drug competency exam in the capstone course or less than the reference group in the PCOA exam were found to have significantly lower GPA during their APPEs compared to other students. CONCLUSION: Performance on the top drug competency exam and the PCOA exam can serve as potential predictors of success during APPEs.

A Call to Action for Integrating Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences With Purpose.

Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) are essential to exposing students to contemporary pharmacy practice and promoting advanced pharmacy practice experience readiness. An IPPE curriculum should be sequenced and progressive, with IPPE experiences built upon each other and coordinated with the didactic curriculum. Pharmacy programs are faced with several internal and external challenges that can influence the design and implementation of their IPPE curriculum. Periodic IPPE curricular review is imperative as new challenges arise and existing challenges abate. Pharmacy programs should use a systematic and holistic process to evaluate and revise their IPPE programs. It is an opportune time to begin this process, with new standards being released in 2024. This commentary describes common challenges associated with integrating a high-quality IPPE program into a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum along with potential solutions, with the intention for individual programs to use this as a tool to guide IPPE evaluation and revision.

Enabling Factors for the Implementation of Competency-Based Curricula in Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy.

OBJECTIVES: To review the implementation drivers of competency-based pharmacy education (CBPE) and provide recommendations for enablers. FINDINGS: Competency-based education is an emerging model in the health professions, focusing on time-variable competency development and achievement compared with a time-bound, course-based, traditional model. CBPE is an outcomes-based organized framework of competencies enabling pharmacists to meet health care and societal needs. However, challenges need to be recognized and overcome for the successful implementation of CBPE. Competency drivers include defining the competencies and roles of stakeholders, developing transparent learning trajectories and aligned assessments, and establishing lifetime development programs for stakeholders. Organization drivers include developing support systems for stakeholders; facilitating connections between all educational experiences; and having transparent assessment plans, policies, and procedures that align with core CBPE precepts, including the sustainability of time-variability. Leadership drivers include establishing growth mindset and facilitating a culture of connection between workplace and educational environments, program advocacy by institutional leaders, accepting failures as part of the process, shifting the organizational culture away from learner differentiation toward competence, and maintaining sufficient administrative capability to support CBPE. SUMMARY: The successful implementation of CBPE involves enabling the competency, organization, and leadership drivers that will lead to program success. More research is needed in the areas of creation, implementation, and assessment of CBPE to determine success in this model. We have reviewed and provided recommendations to enable the drivers of successful implementation of CBPE.

A Scoping Review of Interprofessional Education Training Aimed to Improve 2SLGBTQ+ Health.

OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aims to identify and summarize the available literature on 2-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (2SLGBTQ+) interprofessional health education and to identify optimal methods of interprofessional training to improve health care professional competency for this patient population. METHODS: A search of PubMed and Embase was conducted and supplemented with a manual search of reference lists from identified articles. Articles were included if they reported an interprofessional education event on the topic of 2SLGBTQ+ health to at least 2 or more groups of health care professionals or students. Article screening was completed independently by 2 reviewers. Data from the included articles were extracted and mapped according to the type of participant (health care students or working health care professionals), type of event (workshop, case-based, course/curriculum, or forum), and type of assessment. RESULTS: One hundred articles were screened, of which 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. Twelve articles focused on interprofessional health education for entry-to-practice students, with the remaining 3 articles involving practicing health care professionals. When mapped by type of event, 1-time case-based and workshop style events were the most used to deliver training. All 15 studies used an immediate presurvey and postsurvey design to evaluate the knowledge and competence of the participants after training. CONCLUSIONS: Interprofessional education for improving 2SLGBTQ+ health is largely delivered within entry-to-practice degree programs via 1-time events with knowledge- and confidence-based assessments. Further research is needed to determine the impact of this training in practice, as well as the applicability for the training of practicing health care professionals.

Evaluation of a Generative Language Model Tool for Writing Examination Questions.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an evaluation of a generative language model tool to write examination questions for a new elective course focused on the interpretation of common clinical laboratory results being developed as an elective for students in a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences program. METHODS: A total of 100 multiple-choice questions were generated using a publicly available large language model for a course dealing with common laboratory values. Two independent evaluators with extensive training and experience in writing multiple-choice questions evaluated each question for appropriate formatting, clarity, correctness, relevancy, and difficulty. For each question, a final dichotomous judgment was assigned by each reviewer, usable as written or not usable written. RESULTS: The major finding of this study was that a generative language model (ChatGPT 3.5) could generate multiple-choice questions for assessing common laboratory value information but only about half the questions (50% and 57% for the 2 evaluators) were deemed usable without modification. General agreement between evaluator comments was common (62% of comments) with more than 1 correct answer being the most common reason for commenting on the lack of usability (N = 27). CONCLUSION: The generally positive findings of this study suggest that the use of a generative language model tool for developing examination questions is deserving of further investigation.

Continuing Professional Development Activities Provided by Continuing Pharmacy Education Providers.

OBJECTIVE: To describe continuing professional development (CPD)-related continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activities from 2018 through 2023. METHODS: This was an exploratory study using CPE activities offered by US-based accredited providers from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Provider Web Tool. Activities were selected based on submission and expiration date, which included activities active from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2023. The words "professional development" were used to search for CPE activities based on titles. Frequencies were calculated for provider type, delivery method, and activity types. Content analysis was used to identify categories, subcategories, and elements or components of the CPD cycle from activity titles and learning objectives. RESULTS: A total of 204 activities were identified, with the most common provider type being college or school which provided 41% (n = 83) of the activities. Most activities were designed for pharmacists 76% (n = 156) and primarily delivered in a live seminar format (68%, n = 138) and used a single delivery method (92%, n = 187). Content analysis identified 7 categories and 23 subcategories of activities. Of the 7 activity categories, only 3 had subcategories which reflected elements or components of CPD: precepting and teaching; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and CPD process and principles. CONCLUSION: This study identified that most CPE activities and learning objectives reflected educational interventions without the inclusion or use of the CPD cycle or process, suggesting that additional provider education on the implementation of CPD and differentiation between CPE and CPD may be necessary.

Review of Objective Structured Clinical Examination Practices Within Pharmacy Programs Throughout the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To update the description of current objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) practices within pharmacy schools in the United States and identify barriers to OSCE implementation and expansion. METHODS: A survey was deployed to all accredited Doctor of Pharmacy programs within the United States. The survey was designed to collect information regarding the curricular mapping of OSCEs, OSCE design, OSCE delivery, assessment of OSCE performance, and barriers to OSCE implementation and expansion. RESULTS: Of the 135 US-accredited programs identified, 109 (81%) programs completed the survey. In total, 93 (85%) programs reported using OSCEs to assess students; however, implementation throughout the curriculum and current practices varied by institution. Most programs place OSCEs within specific courses (96%), with the applied skills coursework being the most used (80%). The most common number of OSCEs that occur throughout a curriculum is 6 (18%), however, 20 (22%) programs execute 10 or more OSCEs throughout their curriculum. Forty (43%) programs use OSCEs as high-stakes assessments where poor performance could prevent a student from progressing to advanced pharmacy practice experiences. Of the responding programs, over half (56%) use teaching objective structured examinations to enhance learning. Common barriers to OSCE expansion exist and are related to resource utilization. CONCLUSION: Significant expansion of OSCE development and implementation has occurred over the last decade. There is substantial variability in implementation and utilization among programs. Although standards of best practice for OSCEs exist for other health professions, best practices in pharmacy education have not been widely accepted or adopted.

Pharmacy Student Education Related to Opioids: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: This scoping review explores and assesses the extent of the literature on the current state of opioid-related training and education of student pharmacists and identifies areas for further research to improve the preparedness of future pharmacists in managing care for patients using opioid medications. This review also examines and maps the literature as it relates to the 4 substance misuse educational content areas (legal/ethical issues; screening, treatment, and stigma; pharmacology and toxicology; and psychosocial aspects) recommended by the 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Special Committee on Substance Use and Pharmacy Education. FINDINGS: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles reporting opioid-related educational and training initiatives for student pharmacists in the United States through May 2023. A total of 52 articles were included in the review. Nearly 40% of the included studies reported content that addressed all 4 recommended content areas, with only 8 addressing only 1 or 2 content areas. The majority of studies included students in the third year of their pharmacy program, with many reporting interprofessional educational initiatives. Assessments of opioid-related knowledge and attitudes, satisfaction with the activity, and interprofessional attitudes and competencies were reported. SUMMARY: Most of the reported activities addressed at least 3 of the recommended educational content areas. However, relatively few reported sufficient details to support the replication of the activities and there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these educational initiatives with more vigorous research methodology to determine their potential effectiveness.

Pharmacy Students' Perception of the Content and Delivery of Drug Information Training: A Mixed-Methods Study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pharmacy students' perception of the content and pedagogical strategies used for the delivery of drug information (DI) training. METHODS: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted among BSc Pharmacy and PharmD students at the College of Pharmacy, Qatar University. The first phase consisted of a quantitative cross-sectional survey using a 34-item pretested questionnaire. The Donabedian framework guided the development of the questionnaire. This was followed by a phenomenological qualitative phase that was conducted based on the result of the first phase. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were used for data analyses. RESULTS: The completion and usable rates were 88.7% (102 of 115) and 91.2% (93 of 102) respectively. The online resources used for the delivery of DI and the progressive structuring from year 1 to 4 were reported to be adequate by a majority of the respondents (93.55%). Ninety percent of the students opined that the use of simulation-based assessments improved their integration of the theoretical and practical aspects, and their preparedness to apply the DI concepts in practice. However, 20% of the participants reported inconsistency of the DI curricular content with some practices encountered during their experiential learning exposures. The themes identified from the focus group discussion included the perceived value and skills acquired from the DI content, availability and currency of DI resources, students' preparedness, curricular structuring of DI content, and reflection on and recommendations to improve DI coverage and delivery. CONCLUSION: The curricular structuring of the DI content across varieties of relevant undergraduate pharmacy courses from the lower to higher professional years and its focus on the progressive development of DI-related competencies appeared to have enhanced the students' perception of the relevance, appropriateness, and utility of the content, resources, and pedagogical strategies used for the delivery of DI education at the undergraduate level.

An elective course on career opportunities for pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is limited literature describing the outcomes of formal career guidance in pharmacy programs. This study assessed the course outcomes including students' satisfaction, achievement of the learning objectives and scoring on assignments. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: A 1-credit elective course aims at providing second- and third-year professional pharmacy students (P2 and P3) to career guidance. The main topics address career planning and paths, communication skills, personal and professional development, leadership and entrepreneurship. Included are written assignments, oral group presentations and mock interviews. FINDINGS: Data on 303 students, including 279 P2 and 24 P3, between 2012 and 2021 were analyzed using course evaluations, direct assessment and scoring. Average evaluations ratings were consistently above 4 on a 5-point scale including the clarity of the course policies and procedures (4.61) and its objectives and requirements (4.59), organization (4.58), instructors' simulated questions, responses, discussion and openness to other viewpoints (4.57) and quality (4.5). Students found the experience to be interesting and relevant to pharmacy practice. All students scored above 70% on the course assignments. DISCUSSION: Students were satisfied with the course and gave high ratings to the course content, delivery and in meeting its learning objectives. They scored high on the different course assignments. These findings are similar to the results of other studies reporting students' satisfaction with career guidance. SUMMARY: The career opportunities course is popular among pharmacy students who consistently reported their satisfaction with its content, design and delivery.

Video accounts of first year pharmacy students' identification with the oath of a pharmacist.

INTRODUCTION: The Oath of a Pharmacist (OAP) includes principles that help to direct the practice of pharmacy. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate which OAP components appealed the most to pharmacy students through self-generated video recordings. The secondary objective was to explore students' perceptions of this activity by retrieving their feedback about future video development considerations. METHODS: First-year pharmacy students were invited by email to individually create a 1-min video that discussed an OAP tenet that resonated the most with them and why. The students were also asked: 1) If enhanced, would you use your video for self-promotion purposes? 2) Do you think this activity should be required or optional for future students? 3) What overall comments do you have about this activity? The study authors solely reviewed all submissions. RESULTS: Twenty-nine students developed videos and submitted responses to the associated queries. All students stated they would utilize their videos for self-promotion purposes, if enhanced. Although most students supported the future use of this activity, they were roughly split about whether it should be required or optional. A Communications course was one of the curriculum locales suggested to house this activity. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy students video-recorded themselves articulating which OAP segment meant the most to them and why. Most students recommended embedding future iterations into the curriculum. This activity leveraged OAP aspects to learn more about students' personal and professional motivations.

Perception of Polish pharmacy students on simulation exercise in pharmaceutical care for diabetes-a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The transformation of a pharmacist's role from that of a drug dispenser to an advisor and patient educator, partially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, requires a thorough change in the pharmacy curriculum. Preparation for the provision of modern pharmaceutical services requires the use of the most advanced teaching methods, such as pharmaceutical simulation. Knowledge alone does not guarantee students' readiness and motivation to take on new challenges in their professional work, but it seems crucial that graduates of medical faculties have the ability to practically apply their knowledge, including in new and nonstandard situations. Therefore, in our study, we proposed an intervention using a simulation method (peer role play) in teaching pharmaceutical care, and we assessed its impact on students' levels of self-perceived confidence and self-efficacy in accordance with Bandura's theory. The aim of the study was to verify whether the introduction of these types of classes could be a useful element of pharmacy curriculum renewal. METHODS: The questionnaire-based study was conducted during pharmaceutical care peer role-playing classes in a simulation environment with a debriefing session among 85 final-year pharmacy students at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. The questionnaire consisted of two surveys: the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and a pre-post self-assessment and self-efficacy questionnaire. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between the GSE score and self-efficacy (R = 0.52, p < 0.0001). A statistically significant increase in the post-self-assessment of all the skills and competencies included in the survey in the field of pharmaceutical care of a patient with diabetes compared to the pre-values was also observed (p < 0.001). Additionally, the students' self-efficacy in terms of communicating with patients was greater following the class than before the class (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The peer role-play active teaching method was found to be a cost-effective method allowing for an increase in the self-assessment and self-efficacy of pharmacy students in diabetic patient pharmaceutical care. However, further in-depth research is needed to fully confirm the effectiveness of simulation exercises for teaching pharmacy undergraduates.

Exploring the Value of Medical Affairs Learning Experiences for Pharmacy Students and Residents.

The objective of this article is 3-fold: to strengthen the understanding of medical affairs (MA) among pharmacy professionals; to provide greater visibility into the value experienced by educators, learners, and the practice of pharmacy across the health care ecosystem when MA learning opportunities are available; and to provide a framework for organizations who seek to establish an MA experiential rotation. The authors collated information from published literature, anecdotal experience, and interviews with experiential education leaders from several colleges of pharmacy. As a result, the article summarizes the current perceptions of MA practice among educators and students and highlights how MA experiences may support pharmacy learners in the future.

Reconsidering Pharmacy: We Need to Turn Career Regret into Career Options.

Declining interest in pharmacy as a career is a growing concern. This commentary investigates the factors contributing to career regret among pharmacy graduates, based on data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy National Graduating Student Survey. We identify 3 key contributing factors: workplace environment, professional identity formation, and marketing of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. We argue that students observe, in many work environments, a lack of autonomy, repetitive tasks, and unfulfilling work. This leads to diminished job satisfaction and disillusionment. Additionally, marketing tactics and curricular structures can inadvertently contribute to career regret. We propose potential interventions, emphasizing the need for improved working conditions, more versatile roles in pharmacy, and enhanced career development services within colleges/schools of pharmacy. Additional research is needed to fully understand career regret and the steps that academic institutions can proactively take to mitigate career dissatisfaction among their graduates.