An individualized approach to residency preparation for fourth professional year pharmacy students.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an individualized residency preparation program and faculty mentorship on student preparedness for pursuing residency training and their ability to successfully match with a postgraduate year one (PGY1) residency position. METHODS: This prospective cohort enrolled fourth professional year pharmacy students from August 2016 to March 2017. Students participated in a faculty-designed residency preparation program, were assigned faculty mentors, and were provided with several residency preparation resources. The primary outcome was change in the median overall perceived level of preparedness, as measured by pre- and post-residency preparation program surveys. A key secondary end point was the correlation between obtaining a PGY1 residency position and the number of residency preparation sessions attended. RESULTS: Fifty-two students participated in the residency preparation program. The median overall perceived level of preparedness increased following the preparation program. Of the 52 students participating, 37 attended over half of the program sessions. Twenty-one of the 37 (56.8%) students participating in more than half of the sessions matched with a PGY1 program compared to three out of 15 (20%) students participating in fewer than half the sessions. Additionally, students reported value in mock interviews, faculty mentorship, and institution-specific residency preparation guidance delivered via a workbook. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in an individualized residency preparation program with faculty mentorship and institution-specific guidance improves the perceived level of preparedness for students pursuing residency training. High attendance at sessions, along with other factors, may contribute to a higher rate of success.

Utilization of external reviews by colleges of pharmacy during the promotion and tenure process for pharmacy practice faculty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of external reviews by colleges of pharmacy (COP) during the promotion and tenure process for pharmacy practice faculty. METHODS: A 25-item web-based survey was sent to 112 Pharmacy Practice Department Chairs. Results were analyzed via descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Fifty-four of 112 colleges (48%) responded to the survey, although respondents had the option to skip questions. Of those who responded, 82% utilize external review in their Promotion and Tenure evaluation. At the majority of colleges that responded, reviewers are selected from a combination of sources including the candidates' personal list and in most circumstances someone other than the candidate contacts the reviewer to determine interest and availability. At almost all responding colleges, the reviewer receives the candidate's curriculum vitae and specific guidelines for completing the review. Based upon 40 respondents, colleges request the reviewer(s) to evaluate the candidate's research (100%), teaching (80%), clinical practice (73%) and external service (73%). CONCLUSION: The goal of this project was to examine the current use of external review during the Promotion and Tenure process for pharmacy practice faculty. This data is a sample of what is being done at the schools that responded. The majority of responding COP utilize external reviews, however methods and requirements vary considerably.

Incorporating an internet-based voicemail drug information assessment in an introductory pharmacy practice course.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the implementation and student perceptions of an innovative verbal drug information assessment. DESIGN: The drug information assignment in an introductory pharmacy practice course was redesigned and an assessment of a verbal response to a drug information request was added with the use of an internet-based voicemail (IBVM) system. ASSESSMENT: Students performed well on both the verbal vs. written assessments. Most students strongly agreed or agreed that completing both assignments was a valuable experience; however, more students agreed that the verbal assignment was useful (90% vs. 83%). More students agreed that the verbal assignment helped prepare them as a pharmacist (97% vs. 85%) and that the verbal assignment increased their confidence (82% vs. 78%). Student comments echoed these results; additionally, many indicated that the verbal assessment was realistic. CONCLUSION: The IBVM assessment was successful, user-friendly, and this mode of assessment may be useful in other courses.

Maintenance of Goal Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and A1C Levels in Veterans With Type 2 Diabetes After Discharge From a Pharmacist-Managed Ambulatory Care Clinic.

Objective. This study evaluated the ability of patients with type 2 diabetes to maintain systolic blood pressure (SBP), LDL cholesterol, and A1C at goal levels after being discharged from a pharmacist-managed ambulatory care clinic. The goals of this study were to 1) document the length of time to failure of maintenance of each goal and 2) characterize risk factors that may be associated with a shorter time to failure. Methods. Researchers reviewed the medical records of veterans with diabetes who were discharged from the clinical pharmacy ambulatory care clinic between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2009 after attaining their goal SBP, LDL cholesterol, or A1C. The time to goal failure, medical history, laboratory data, medications, demographic information, and clinic appointment attendance were documented. Results. A total of 69 patients who were discharged from the clinic after meeting their SBP, LDL cholesterol, or A1C goal subsequently failed to maintain that goal. The mean time to failure was 9.4 months (SD 8.75 months) for SBP, 25.8 months (27.45 months) for LDL cholesterol, and 20.4 months (15.1 months) for A1C. Multiple risk factors were associated with a shorter time to failure of maintenance of SBP and A1C goals. Conclusion. Veterans with type 2 diabetes in this study demonstrated durable maintenance of their goal LDL cholesterol and A1C levels after being discharged from a pharmacist-managed ambulatory care clinic. However, maintenance of xSBP goals did not demonstrate the same durability. Patients who meet their SBP goal may benefit from receiving continued disease state management services from a pharmacist-managed ambulatory care clinic instead of being discharged to receive their usual care.

The Importance of Research during Pharmacy Residency Training.

Practice-related projects and pharmacy practice research are requirements to complete postgraduate pharmacy residency programs. Many residents will complete residencies without fully developing the skills needed to perform research required for new clinical and academic positions. Many studies have quantified successes and identified characteristics that may be associated with successful resident publication. There are many benefits to gaining research and publication skills during residency training for the resident, preceptor/mentors, and the residency program. Published works have also suggested approaches than can be taken to improve research within a residency program. The aims of this article are to discuss the publication rates of resident research projects, suggest ways to improve residency research, review benefits of residency research, and briefly review research training alternatives.

Utilization of coagulation assays in clinical therapeutics.

With the emergence of new anticoagulants, clinicians need a thorough understanding of coagulation assays. Various laboratory assays exist to measure the effectiveness of anticoagulants. Coagulation assays are the primary method for measuring the effectiveness of anticoagulants; therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the various assays is critical to interpret the results appropriately. Coagulation test results can be affected by multiple factors including diseases, drugs, and genetic variations. This article reviews the indications, limitations, and interpretation of coagulation assays.

Evidence about the pharmacological management of constipation, part 2: implications for palliative care.

Constipation remains a challenging problem for patients and caregivers in home healthcare. Part 1 of this two-part series discussed the scope, physiology, and evidence-based practice for nonpharmacological interventions for constipation. This second article will focus on evidence-based pharmacological prevention and management of constipation, medication cost, and implications for palliative care.

Essential elements for a pharmacy practice mentoring program.

Formal guidelines for mentoring faculty members in pharmacy practice divisions of colleges and schools of pharmacy do not exist in the literature. This paper addresses the background literature on mentoring programs, explores the current state of mentoring programs used in pharmacy practice departments, and provides guidelines for colleges and schools instituting formal mentoring programs. As the number of pharmacy colleges and schools has grown, the demand for quality pharmacy faculty members has dramatically increased. While some faculty members gain teaching experience during postgraduate residency training, new pharmacy practice faculty members often need professional development to meet the demands of their academic responsibilities. A mentoring program can be 1 means of improving faculty success and retention. Many US colleges and schools of pharmacy have developed formal mentoring programs, whereas several others have informal processes in place. This paper discusses those programs and the literature available, and makes recommendations on the structure of mentoring programs.

Evidence about the prevention and management of constipation: implications for comfort part 1.

Constipation remains a challenging problem for patients and caregivers in home health. In Part 1 of this 2-part series, the scope, physiology, and evidence-based practice for nonpharmacological interventions for constipation are discussed. Part 2 will focus on pharmacological management of constipation, including medication cost, prevention of occurrence, and implications for palliative care.