[Human Resource Development in Pharmaceutical Sciences in the New Era of Life Science].

Almost 20 years have passed since the six-year pharmaceutical education started as the standard educational course for pharmacists. The six-year pharmaceutical education was originally proposed to nurture the pharmacists who can play important roles in advanced medical care as part of the medical team. Importantly, recent advances in life science are providing additional scientific advantages for the graduates from the six-year pharmaceutical education system. In the new era of life science, clinical training in the six-year education will be beneficial not only for the clinical pharmacists but also for the pharmaceutical scientists. For example, in drug discovery research, numerous studies have been making efforts to identify therapeutic targets based on basic sciences so far. However, as a result of the innovation in life science, such as multi-omics analyses and molecular imaging, we can now perform patient-/disease-oriented research on molecular basis using clinical materials and information. Nowadays, with the help of data science, we can understand the pathophysiological status of individual patients and optimize pharmacotherapy from viewpoint of molecular biology in clinical setting. Moreover, in drug discovery research, we can explore and identify the drug targets by analyzing clinical samples and medical records. Thus, learning from the bedside in detail will develop future leaders, including pharmacists, scientists and pharmacist-scientists, who will pave the way for pharmaceutical sciences in the next generation.

Continuing to Challenge the Paradigm of What Is Possible in Pharmacy Education and Practice Post-COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused boundless disruptions to every element of life. It has also brought with it lessons from the past that will likely extend into the future as humans continue to interface with the ever-increasing threats of zoonotic diseases. The pandemic has challenged the profession and the Academy to adjust, modify, and adapt. It has also stretched the bounds of what had previously been thought possible within the realms of medicine. As the Academy begins to reach and crest the apex of the epidemic it should be reminded of the many lessons associated with the pandemic and of the constant need to challenge the paradigm of what is possible.

Pilares para la excelencia en las unidades de nutrición. Formación / Pillars for excellence in nutrition support units. Training

Pocas áreas dentro de la medicina actual han experimentado en los últimos años un cambio y una evolución como los de la nutrición clínica. Actualmente, el 98 % de los servicios de endocrinología y nutrición en los hospitales de 500 o más camas incorporan una unidad de nutrición clínica y dietética (UNCyD). La formación de los profesionales que integran estas unidades ha sido y será un punto clave para continuar su desarrollo hacia la excelencia. En los estudios del Grado de Medicina, a pesar de su relevancia, la formación en nutrición es actualmente escasa y heterogénea, y necesita una mejora que puede venir de la mano de las propuestas de la ESPEN recientemente publicadas. En el caso de los médicos especialistas en endocrinología y nutrición, las sucesivas adaptaciones del programa docente establecido por la Comisión Nacional de la especialidad y los esfuerzos en formación liderados por la SEEN han permitido una importante mejoría. En la farmacia hospitalaria existe un curriculum de formación en nutrición que podría actualizarse. La formación universitaria en nutrición dentro del Grado de Enfermería también es heterogénea. Los estudios más relacionados, como el Grado de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Técnico Superior en Dietética, Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos o Bromatología, abordan fundamentalmente temas relacionados con la dietética. Se echa de menos un esfuerzo de coordinación para definir el papel de los integrantes de estas UNCyD multidisciplinares también en lo referente a su formación

Few areas of current medicine have undergone change and evolution in recent years such as those of clinical nutrition. Currently, 98 % of endocrinology and nutrition departments in hospitals with 500 or more beds incorporate a clinical nutrition and dietetics Unit. The training of the professionals that integrate these units has been and will be a key point in their ongoing development towards excellence. In medicine degree studies, despite its relevance, nutrition training is currently scarce and heterogeneous, and needs improvement, which may come hand in hand with the recently published ESPEN proposals. In the case of doctors specializing in endocrinology and nutrition, the adaptations in the teaching program established by the National Commission for this specialty, and the training efforts led by the SEEN have allowed significant improvement. In hospital pharmacy studies there is a nutrition training curriculum that could be updated. University training in nutrition within the nursing degree is also heterogeneous. The most related studies such as the Degree of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Technician in Dietetics, Food Science and Technology or Bromatology fundamentally address issues related to dietetics. There is a lack of coordinated effort to define the role of the members of these multidisciplinary UNCyDs, also in regard to their training

Predicting the 2016 US News & World Report rankings using a reputation and prestige model.

INTRODUCTION: The objective was to determine institutional, faculty, and student attributes predictive of the 2016 US News & World Report (USNWR) pharmacy rankings and to explore if student attributes modify program rankings. METHODS: Institutional attributes and student and faculty resources and outcomes were obtained from various sources. Regression analyses predicted rankings. RESULTS: USNWR rankings were higher for older programs, those located at an academic health center or classified as a research-intensive institution, and members of a Power Five athletic conference. Number of fulltime equivalent faculty, Pharmacy College Admissions Test composite percentile, pharmacy practice h-index score, funding rank, and first time North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rate predicted higher rankings. Nearly 45% of programs in the empiric models left or entered the top 25 rankings compared with the existing USNWR method (range 31 place increase to 22 place decrease). Among USNWR top 25 ranked programs, 16 remained in the top 25 in all four empiric models and three were not included in any of the models. Six USNWF unranked programs moved into the top 25 by one or more of the empiric models. CONCLUSIONS: Faculty and student attributes significantly impact program rankings, while impact of institutional attributes is negligible if independent of student and faculty attributes. Faculty numbers and productivity influence USNWR rankings more than student academic preparation and success on NAPLEX. These findings will inform efforts to improve the validity of the USNWR rankings and identify programs that are both prestigious and of high quality.

Educational needs of oncology pharmacists: A survey by the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners.

BACKGROUND: The International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) is committed to providing educational resources to members for their continuous learning and professional development. This survey was conducted to explore the educational needs of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members for the purpose of developing resources to support future learning relevant to the diverse global pharmacy practitioner membership of our society. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners membership was conducted between 10 December 2018 and 15 January 2019. The survey contained 17 questions and consisted of four sections: (1) respondents' demographics, (2) common challenges/barriers faced by members in accessing oncology pharmacy education, (3) areas within oncology pharmacy where members need education and (4) preferred methods of education delivery. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize survey results. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 62 out of 363 International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members (17% response rate). Respondents were from 19 different countries, representing all the habitable continents. Most respondents were practicing in North America (21%), Oceania (21%) and Asia (16%). The majority of respondents worked in inpatient cancer units (60%), ambulatory tertiary cancer centres (31%) and academia (26%). Reported barriers to accessing education relevant to oncology pharmacy practice included lack of financial support (44%), time spent travelling to attend educational activities (39%), limited learning opportunities in their country of practice (34%) and limited growth of the oncology pharmacy discipline in their country of practice (32%). The content areas of greatest demand included pharmacotherapy of various cancers followed by oncology pharmacy research, International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners oncology pharmacy practice standards, supportive care and medication safety. Among educational activities offered by International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, respondents valued annual International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners symposia and Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice the most. Most respondents (87%) indicated webinars as an effective educational tool. CONCLUSION: Among an international oncology pharmacist cohort, we identified practice areas prioritized by pharmacists for continuing and professional development. Time and cost were common barriers to education, both in developing and developed countries. These survey findings may help to guide future education initiatives of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners and other providers of pharmacist oncology education.

Interactive Clinical Avatar Use in Pharmacist Preregistration Training: Design and Review.

BACKGROUND: Virtual patients are interactive computer-based simulations that are being increasingly used in modern health care education. They have been identified as tools that can provide experiential learning and assessment in a standardized and safe environment. However, the study of high-fidelity virtual patients such as interactive clinical avatars within pharmacy is limited. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to describe the design and review of three interactive clinical avatar simulations as part of pharmacist preregistration training. METHODS: A multistep design approach was taken to create interactive clinical avatar simulations on the topics of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), calculation of renal function, and childhood illnesses. All case studies were reviewed by registered pharmacists to establish content and face validity. The EHC case study and data collection questionnaire were also reviewed by a purposive sample of preregistration trainees and newly qualified pharmacists. The questionnaire used Likert ranking statements and open-ended questions to obtain users' feedback on the design, usability, and usefulness of the interactive clinical avatars as learning tools. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were undertaken on the data. RESULTS: Ten preregistration trainees and newly qualified pharmacists reviewed the EHC interactive clinical avatars and data collection questionnaire. The data collection questionnaire was associated with a Cronbach alpha=.95, demonstrating good reliability. All three interactive clinical avatar simulations were reported as usable and appropriately designed for preregistration training. Users perceived they were developing skills and knowledge from the simulations. The high-fidelity nature of the avatars and relevance of the simulations to real-life practice were reported as aspects that encouraged the application of theory to practice. Improvements were suggested to ensure the simulations were more user-friendly. CONCLUSIONS: The design and creation of the interactive clinical avatar simulations was successful. The multistep review process ensured validity and reliability of the simulations and data collection questionnaire. The in-depth explanation of the design process and provision of a questionnaire may help widen the use and evaluation of interactive clinical avatars or other simulation tools in pharmacy education. The interactive clinical avatars were reported as novel learning tools that promoted experiential learning and allowed users to feel like they were engaging in real-life scenarios, thus developing transferable knowledge and skills. This may be potentially beneficial for many health care training courses as a way to provide standardized experiences promoting active learning and reflection.

Joint Statement on Pediatric Education at Schools of Pharmacy.

Providing health care for children is a unique specialty, and pediatric patients represent approximately 25% of the population. Education of pharmacy students on patients across the lifespan is required by current Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards and outcomes; thus, it is essential that pharmacy students gain a proficiency in caring for children. A collaborative panel of pediatric faculty members from schools and colleges of pharmacy was established to review the current literature regarding pediatric education in Doctor of Pharmacy curricula and establish updated recommendations for the provision of pediatric pharmacy education. This statement outlines five recommendations supporting inclusion of pediatric content and skills in Doctor of Pharmacy curricula.

Let External Stakeholders Be Your Guide to Curricular Revision.

Schools and colleges of pharmacy undertake curriculum revisions for a variety of reasons ranging from the reactionary (eg, responding to changes in practice patterns, accreditation standards) to the proactive (eg, striving for innovation and excellence). Continuous quality improvement processes and published curriculum models, both described in this commentary, should be used to guide revision processes. Equally important is engaging the expertise of external stakeholders. While there may be challenges to incorporating external stakeholders in a curriculum revision process, their perspectives and knowledge can contribute to a more robust result, often in unexpectedly positive ways. Logic modeling is one mechanism to structure this approach, maximize the utility of external stakeholders, and strengthen the overall curriculum revision process. Regardless of the size of the revision, a good rule of thumb is to engage external stakeholders at the outset and to let their expertise be your guide.

Assuring Quality in Pharmacy Education During a Time of Crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all facets of pharmacy education, including accreditation and certification activities. In a very short period of time, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs and pharmacy technician programs had to convert to teaching classes online, experiential education sites had to figure out how to train student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians while ensuring their safety, continuing pharmacy education providers had to move their in-person courses online, and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) had to postpone accreditation site visits. Given the challenges faced by our constituencies, the ACPE implemented processes and suggested solutions that stayed within the boundaries of the standards while at the same time allowing flexibility so that organizations could achieve their educational outcomes even given the constraints produced by the pandemic.

Challenges to Pharmacy School Enrollment Management Caused by a Global Pandemic.

Academic institutions work diligently each year to recruit, retain, and graduate Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students who will be positive contributors to our healthcare system. The immergence of a novel coronavirus in 2019 (COVID-19) has threatened these systems. This commentary is a discussion of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the enrollment management processes of PharmD degree programs, including recruitment, admissions, orientation, retention, and graduation. The authors highlight enrollment management processes that may forever be changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This commentary is intended to assist pharmacy administrators as they reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their own programs and develop strategies to minimize the negative effects.

Sustainable Pharmacy Education in the Time of COVID-19.

Pharmacy schools and colleges worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges to ensuring sustainable education during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The experiences of pharmacy educators in the Asia-Pacific region in delivering emergency remote teaching, ensuring purposeful experiential placements, supporting displaced or isolated students, and communicating with faculty members, staff members, and students are discussed. The role of this pandemic in accelerating opportunities for new models of pharmacy education across the world is also discussed.

Maintaining Core Values in Postgraduate Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted pharmacy graduate and postgraduate education. This crisis has resulted in a cosmic shift in the administration of these programs to ensure core values are sustained. Adjustments may be needed at a minimum to ensure that postgraduate trainees complete program requirements while maintaining safety. Moving forward, additional issues may arise that will need to be addressed such as admissions and program onboarding, acclimating students to new training environments, and managing inadequate resources for distance education, distance practice, and remote versus in-person research opportunities.

Striving for interrater reliability with a patient counseling assessment rubric: Lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: Providing effective patient counseling is an essential pharmacist skill to ensure patients understand how to take medications, prevent medication-related errors, and meet requirements of federal law. This study sought to develop a new patient counseling assessment rubric to minimize interrater variability, deliver a consistent summative competency assessment, and provide students with formative, actionable feedback. IMPACT: A first attempt to achieve statistically significant interrater reliability was not successful due to incorporation of too many variables into study design and the subjective nature of patient counseling. After reducing study variables (number of different medications, number of evaluators, and number of videos) and consulting a statistician, a second attempt was made to analyze interrater reliability for the rubric. However, even with variables minimized, this attempt did not lead to statistically significant agreement. RECOMMENDATIONS: The faculty team identified four recommendations (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990): conduct a norming session for graders prior to the assessment (Rantucci, 2006), conduct a post-hoc analysis after grading to reduce interrater variability and increase consistency (Taitel et al., 2012), simplify the rubric to reduce subjectivity and clarify the intent of rubric elements, and (Saranagam et al., 2013) rubrics can be utilized differently in separate courses to target specific learning objectives. DISCUSSION: Although the goal of creating a rubric with statistically significant interrater reliability was not achieved, we did learn important lessons about evaluating student pharmacist performance with less subjectivity and more consistency. The authors hope the results and lessons learned will be valuable to our colleagues at other institutions as patient counseling content and rubrics are developed.

An assessment of interprofessional education in schools/colleges of pharmacy in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacy educational standards provide requirements for interprofessional education (IPE). However, there has not been a comparison of IPE structure between doctor of pharmacy programs in the United States (US). The purpose of this study was to gather information regarding current IPE programs and curricula in schools/colleges of pharmacy (S/COP) across the US. METHODS: A survey was developed and emailed to at least one faculty member or administrator from each S/COP responsible for IPE or experiential education. The survey gathered information on IPE status, structure, and oversight. It also explored mechanisms promoting IPE success, pieces of advice for starting or expanding IPE, and hurdles for IPE implementation. RESULTS: Eighty-five S/COP representing 59.9% of programs in the US responded to the survey. All respondents felt IPE was either very important or important to pharmacy education. Mechanisms that promoted IPE success included partnerships, faculty interest in IPE, having an IPE center, being located on an academic medical center, administrative support, and integrating IPE during curricular development. IPE hurdles included logistics, faculty buy-in, sustainability, distance from other programs, and differing accreditation standards across programs. Themes of advice for others were to be innovative/patient/flexible, collaborative, identify key initial partners, develop a director or coordinator of IPE position, and receive administrative support. CONCLUSIONS: IPE is a vital component to training the next generation of health professionals, but the process for can be daunting. Building on the successes of others and predicting barriers can assist S/COP in developing effective IPE.

Evaluation of student perceptions of introductory pharmacy practice experiences.

INTRODUCTION: Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) are focused on sharpening the student's knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes related to becoming an effective member of the healthcare team. Currently, the literature on student pharmacists' perceptions focused only on advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). This study gathered perceptions of IPPEs from pharmacy students in their first through third year professional years. METHODS: A voluntary pre- and post-survey instrument was administered to 367 first through third year professional students from Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and Cedarville University at the beginning and end of the 2017-2018 academic year. Each survey utilized questions with Likert scales designed to detect differences in student expectations and experiences related to IPPE training. Questions primarily focused on demographics, objectives, goals, interprofessional teamwork, application of knowledge, and preceptor engagement. Students ages 18 and older who were enrolled at the participating institutions were eligible for inclusion in this study. Survey completion was voluntary, and students were not incentivized to participate. RESULTS: Sixty-six students completed the pre- and post- surveys with matching, identifiable data for analysis. Twenty-nine items demonstrated a more negative perception of IPPEs between the pre- and post-surveys (p < 0.05). Eight items demonstrated a difference by institution (p < 0.05), while three items demonstrated a difference between professional years (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Student expectations of IPPEs were significantly less positive in the pre-survey than in the post-survey. Future studies should examine the implications of these results on student IPPE performance and methods to impact student perception of the value of IPPE training.

Exploring first-year student pharmacists' expectations in the classroom.

INTRODUCTION: The transition from Millennial to Generation Z learners will require health professions educators to reassess their approach not only to teaching, but also in the learning environment where they prepare the next generation of healthcare providers. With this generational transition, health professions programs are also being tasked with updated accreditation standards and evolving practice expectations that require curricular change. METHODS: This paper explores the teaching qualities and behaviors first-year student pharmacists associate with excellent teaching in pharmacy faculty. Using the Teacher Behaviors Checklist, a 28-item list of qualities and behaviors associated with master teaching, students were asked to identify the top ten qualities and behaviors they felt were essential. RESULTS: Over a four-year span, 204 students (34.1% response rate) participated in the study across two different curricula. Results showed that students identified the following as essential: approachable/personable, authoritative, confident, effective communicator, encourages/cares for students, enthusiastic about teaching/topic, knowledgeable, prepared, realistic expectations, respectful, and understanding. Findings were compared across the two curriculums, to previous studies' findings, and to the perceived expectations of learners within Generation Z. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study provide a snapshot of first-year student pharmacists' expectations for teaching within the doctor of pharmacy curriculum.

Transferability of a diabetes escape room into an accelerated pharmacy program.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Educational games can be used to increase students' knowledge of diabetes management. Students perceive educational games to be valuable learning tools. This study evaluated the transferability of a serious game, the diabetes escape room, between skills laboratories in a traditional program and an accelerated program. The authors believe that this is a valuable addition to educational methods for students in any pharmacy program. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Faculty at an accelerated, three-year pharmacy program replicated a diabetes escape room previously used by a traditional, four-year pharmacy program. The diabetes escape room required students to compete in a team-based educational game in which they solved diabetes-themed puzzles. Students completed pre- and post-game knowledge assessments and a perception survey linked to activity participation. The accelerated program students completed an additional delayed post-game knowledge assessment. FINDINGS: Students showed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-game knowledge assessment scores at both institutions as well as in the delayed post-game knowledge assessment implemented at the accelerated program. Perception survey results were statistically significantly higher for the accelerated program, however both cohorts suggested positive perceived engagement with and usefulness of the escape room. SUMMARY: The use of a diabetes escape room resulted in statistically significant gains in knowledge and positive student perceptions. The diabetes escape room is a transferrable activity that can be used by other colleges or schools of pharmacy.

Student pharmacist perceptions of learning after strengths-based leadership skills lab and escape room in pharmacy practice skills laboratory.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Leadership is a required component of doctor of pharmacy programs. There is opportunity for students to receive instructional education on leadership concepts through serious games. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: First-year pharmacy students (n = 146) participated in a required skills-based leadership lab including a team-based escape room activity. FINDINGS: Students reported a statistically significant increase in understanding of leadership concepts and application at the end of the global lab activities (p < 0.01) and a majority of the students found the escape room activity "very useful" (56%). SUMMARY: Escape rooms present a unique opportunity to engage students in active learning and problem solving. A majority of the students found the escape room activity useful and enjoyed the interactive application of leadership concepts. Potential challenges to implementing escape rooms such as time to develop, physical space requirements, supplies, and volunteers to facilitate the experience should be considered prior to implementation. Serious gaming is an emerging pedagogy, and this data supplements existing literature to support use in pharmacy education.

Student knowledge and confidence with prescribing hormonal contraception.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists' scope of practice has expanded in several states to include independently prescribing and dispensing hormonal contraceptive products. The objective of this research was to assess student knowledge and confidence with prescribing hormonal contraception following a simulated patient case activity. METHODS: This was a descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study utilizing educational assessments and survey data from second professional year students during the 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019 academic years. Student performance was assessed using a five-question readiness assurance test at the beginning of class, documented patient assessment and plan, and five-question post-activity quiz. Student confidence with interpreting legal regulations and following protocol instructions, performing a patient assessment, prescribing an appropriate contraceptive product, and providing verbal and written communication to patients and providers was assessed using a nine-question survey at the end of class. RESULTS: Average student performance was consistent on the readiness assurance test between the two years. Students scored an average of 84.2% and 91.6% on the documented assessment and plan and 96.4% and 91.2% on the post-activity quiz for each year, respectively. Students felt most confident with navigating and interpreting a prescription drug formulary, providing the patient with written documentation, and communicating with the patient's prescriber. Students were less confident with selecting an appropriate product based on patient-specific factors and providing education on missed doses. CONCLUSIONS: This case-based activity demonstrated student knowledge and confidence with prescribing hormonal contraceptives.