Promoting knowledge of metered dose inhaler (MDI) usage among pharmacy professional students through a mobile app.

INTRODUCTION: Efficient asthma management necessitates optimal usage of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs). As future health professionals, pharmacy students are pivotal in disseminating accurate methodologies for MDI usage. Despite having hands-on experience, there is room to enhance their comprehension, highlighting the need for prompt patient educational interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app-assisted educational method in improving pharmacy students' understanding of MDI usage. METHODS: A pre-experimental study was conducted from March to August 2021 with 45 participants enrolled in the Pharmacist Professional Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Using a one-group pretest-post-test design, the study measured the app's impact on students' knowledge and MDI usage skills. RESULTS: The intervention significantly improved students' scores on a 9-step MDI usage checklist, with increases ranging from 0.10 to 0.50 across verbal and motor components. A Mann-Whitney U test validated these findings, showing a statistically significant p-value of 0.001. CONCLUSION: The mobile app-assisted educational approach substantially enhanced pharmacy students' proficiency in MDI use. The significant rise in mean scores for the 9-step checklist, along with the notable p-value, supports the effectiveness of this intervention in healthcare education.

Knowledge and attitudes of medical and pharmacy university students regarding monkeypox: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: In May 2022, monkeypox (mpox) suddenly reappeared and rapidly spread worldwide. This global outbreak was a public health emergency of international concern. This study investigated Vietnamese medical and pharmacy university students' knowledge and attitudes towards mpox. METHODS: This online cross-section survey was administered among students in four universities using a convenience sampling method. A semi-structured questionnaire was shared among students via a Google Forms link (quick-response code) in university amphitheaters at recess. Frequency (percentage) and mean (standard division) were used for descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with students' mpox knowledge and attitudes. A p-value < 0.001 was considered statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 1,848 students participated in this study (including 1,030 medical students and 818 pharmacy students). Their common sources for seeking mpox/health information included the Internet (89.7%) and mass media (64.2%). Students' average knowledge and attitude scores were 11.542 ± 3.910 (range: 0-23) and 30.301 ± 3.738 (range: 9-45), respectively. The average knowledge score of pharmacy students (12.139 ± 3.545) was significantly higher than that of medical students (11.067 ± 4.118) (p < 0.001). The average attitude score of the former (30.454 ± 3.787) was comparatively higher than that of the latter (30.181 ± 3.696), but this difference was insignificant (p = 0.111). Factors significantly associated with students' mpox knowledge and/or attitudes were their sex, age, year of study, residence, major, grade point average, type of university, seeking mpox information in the past, and using reliable sources to seek health information (p < 0.001). A positive correlation existed between students' knowledge and attitude scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Students' knowledge about mpox was relatively poor, while their attitudes were comparatively positive. Universities and relevant authorities should focus on the above factors and use multiple platforms and channels of communication to guarantee that trustworthy information about mpox can reach as many students as possible.

[Monitoring student skills during community pharmacy placements: Retrospective analysis of dashboards]. / Suivi des compétences des étudiants au cours du stage de pratique professionnelle en pharmacie officinale : analyse rétrospective des tableaux de bord.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to describe the skills considered to have been acquired by students during their professional practice placements, with particular emphasis on skills related to the new roles of pharmacists. METHODS: Skills are monitored during the professional practice placement using the dashboard included in the guide designed by the college of community pharmacy placement supervisors. Each skill is assessed at three points during the placement. The assessment is carried out jointly by the student and his or her placement supervisor using the dashboard, which is available online in the form of a form on the Moodle platform. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the professional practice placement dashboards for the 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 academic years. RESULTS: The response levels for the three phases of the dashboard are very high, always exceeding 90% of students completing their placement. All of the scorecards show a progression in the acquisition of skills throughout the placement and enable certain skills to be distinguished in terms of their level of acquisition at the end of the placement. The focus on pharmaceutical interviews shows that the rate of acquisition of this skill is over 85% in 2021 and 2023, the years in which the subject of the public health project was the performance and quality assurance of pharmaceutical interviews in pharmacies, whereas it is no higher than 38% in the other years. CONCLUSIONS: Our work shows the contribution of the professional practice placement dashboard in monitoring student progress. The analysis carried out reveals different levels of mastery at the start of the placement and different levels of progress depending on the skills. It also reveals the contribution made by the intervention on the content of the placement, particularly in terms of the acquisition of certain skills, especially those related to new tasks such as conducting pharmaceutical interviews.

Assessment of pharmacy students' knowledge about breast cancer and colon cancer in Northern Cyprus universities.

BACKGROUND: Colon and breast cancer are the most common types of cancer in cancer patients worldwide. Therefore, health students, especially pharmacy students, should be well-educated about colon and breast cancer. Adequate education and knowledge provide significant benefits from early diagnosis to treatment. METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study for 3 months between 1 November 2022, and 31 January 2023, in Northern Cyprus. The aim of this study was to assess pharmacy students' knowledge of breast cancer and colon cancer in North Cyprus Universities. RESULT: A total of 494 pharmacy students participated in this study. Twenty-three incompletely filled questionnaires were excluded from the study. Regarding Near East University and Cyprus International University pharmacy students' knowledge of colon cancer, 298 out of 494 had good knowledge and 196 out of 494 had poor knowledge. Regarding Near East University and Cyprus International University pharmacy students' knowledge of breast cancer, 317 out of 494 had good knowledge and 177 out of 494 had poor knowledge. The total score of knowledge of Near East University and Cyprus International University pharmacy students about breast cancer was 10 ± 3.43 and 11.40 ± 3.67, respectively. The total score of knowledge of Near East University and Cyprus International University pharmacy students about colon cancer was 7.54 ± 3.67 and 9.19 ± 4.08, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study indicate that most of the pharmacy students have good knowledge about the risk factors and symptoms of breast and colon cancer, but are not at the ideal knowledge level expected in the fight against cancer after graduation.

Exploring the pharmacy students' perspectives on off-campus online learning experiences amid COVID-19 crises: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 has placed many challenges for pharmacy students' learning experiences via the online e- system. There is paucity of studies that addresses this in colleges of pharmacies in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Objective: We have explored the preparedness, attitudes, experiences, and barriers/facilitators, and delineated factors that may affect the pharmacy students' e-learning process amid the COVID-19 crises. Methods: The current study was cross-sectional, and survey-based (anonymously self-administered) that utilized theoretical domains framework. The survey (multiple statements) was comprised of four domains (based on theoretical domain framework) that has elaborated on the preparedness, attitudes, experiences and barriers for the pharmacy students' e-learning (all years and interns). The validated (Cronbach Alfa 0.821) and piloted survey posted to the Google form and a link distributed to the pharmacy students. The survey was comprised of four domains (34 statements), distributed as five in preparedness, eleven in attitude, eleven in the experiences, and seven in the barriers/facilitators (theoretical domains framework). Outcome measure: The primary outcome was the total sum of scores of individual statements and each individual four domain of the questionnaire (preparedness, attitude, experiences, and barriers/facilitators). Results: Two hundred thirty respondents participated in the survey (230/400, response rate 57.5%), of which 193 were females (83.9%) versus 37 males (16.1%). The mean age (years) was 19.9 ± 1.9 (males 19.8 ± 1.6 and females 20.0 ± 1.9). The mean total score for preparedness Q1 to Q5 (domain maximum score 25); and for the attitude Q6 to Q16 (domain maximum score of 60) were 14.9 ± 3.8 (95% CI 14.4 - 15.4; P < 0.05), 29.5 ± 7.4 (95% CI 28.6 - 30.5; P < 0.05) respectively. While for the experiences Q17 to Q27 (domain maximum score 55); and for the barriers/facilitators Q28 to Q34 (domain maximum score 30) 40.1 ± 8.0 (95% CI 39.1 - 41.1; P < 0.0001), and 20.9 ± 4.9 (95% CI 20.3-21.5;P < 0.05) respectively. Conclusion: Our pharmacy students support the use of e-learning in pharmacy education, and seems prepared for the future technology moves in education. The colleges of pharmacies need to conduct further research on versatile innovative models such as virtual learning/artificial intelligence that fits with their students' perspectives.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding proton pump inhibitors among community pharmacists and pharmacy students.

Background: There are concerns about inappropriate use and insufficient knowledge of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) use among medical staff. Aims: This study was designed to examine pharmacy students' and community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude, and practices toward PPIs and their relationship with specific sociodemographic characteristics. Subjects and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on the pharmacy students (first and last year) at Eastern Mediterranean University and community pharmacists in North Cyprus Data were collected by a validated questionnaire, which assessed knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding PPI use. Students were included without sampling in a volunteer-based manner. Registered community pharmacists were selected randomly. Results: First-year pharmacy students (n = 77) showed significantly lower knowledge levels than last-year students (12.00 vs. 13.65; P < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference between last-year students (n = 111) and community pharmacists (n = 59). First-year pharmacy students were significantly less aware of PPIs' "dosage and administration" than the other two groups. Last-year students and community pharmacists exhibited significantly higher attitude scores regarding PPI use (24.7 and 24.6 vs. 22.7; P < 0.001). Omeprazole was found to be the most preferred PPI among the three studied populations. Community pharmacists used PPIs mainly to treat acid reflux. Gender, nationality, and pharmacy education program type did not influence pharmacy students' knowledge, attitude, or practices. Conclusions: There was not a significant difference regarding knowledge and attitude between the last-year pharmacy students and community pharmacists. The practices of community pharmacists were significantly different from the pharmacy students. It was concluded that certain essential topics regarding PPI use should be emphasized in pharmacy education and during pharmacy practice. Further, it is essentially important for community pharmacists to continue their education through training programs after graduation to enhance their knowledge of PPI use.

Beyond the Classroom: An Observational Study to Assess Student Pharmacists' Confidence and Perception of a High-Fidelity Manikin Chemotherapy Infusion Reaction Simulation.

Objective: To assess the impact of a high-fidelity manikin chemotherapy infusion simulation on student pharmacists' confidence in applying clinical knowledge and perception of oncology pharmacy practice. Methods: One cohort of third professional year student pharmacists completed a high-fidelity manikin simulation during the last week of their didactic training. The 10-minute manikin experience simulated an acute paclitaxel infusion reaction, requiring students to apply their knowledge on how to provide patient care during a chemotherapy-induced infusion reaction. A pre- and post-survey was administered to determine whether there was a change in students' confidence and perception. Results: Thirty-three student pharmacists (62%) completed the pre- and post-surveys and manikin simulation. A statistically significant improvement was seen in median confidence scores when comparing pre- and post-questions of all 10 survey items (P < 0.001). Students' perception of oncology pharmacy and the manikin simulation had mean of 4.4 on a 0- to 5-point Likert scale. Conclusion: The high-fidelity manikin experience improved student pharmacists' post-survey confidence of applying clinical skills. In addition, students' perception of oncology pharmacy improved and the use of a manikin simulation to support didactic learning was seen as an additional avenue for delivering didactic curriculum. This study explored the feasibility of introducing a manikin simulation into the oncology pharmacy curriculum and the benefit of providing hands-on application of clinical skills to support didactic concept-based learning.

Perception of pharmacy students toward opioid-related disorders and roles of community pharmacists: A French nationwide cross-sectional study.

Background: Community pharmacists are among the frontline health professionals who manage patients with an opioid-related disorder (ORD). Pharmacists frequently have a negative attitude toward these patients, which could have a negative impact on their management. However, education on ORD may improve the attitude of future healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess French pharmacy students' perceptions of ORD. Methods: This online survey was performed by emails sent to French pharmacy schools (between January 14, 2019 and May 31, 2019). The primary outcome was the perception (visual analogic scale) of ORD as a disease, the roles of community pharmacies (delivery of opioid agonist therapy-OAT and harm reduction kits), and the efficacy of OAT. The secondary outcomes assessed professional experience, university experience of and education on ORD, and the individual characteristics of students. Results: Among the 1,994 students included, 76.3% perceived ORD as a disease and felt that it was normal for pharmacists to deliver OAT (78.9%) and harm reduction kits (74.6%). However, only 46.9% perceived OAT as being effective. Multivariable analyses showed that females had a more positive perception in recognizing ORD as a disease. The progression through university years increased the positive perception of ORD as a disease and the delivery of OAT and harm reduction kits by pharmacists. Education on substance-related disorders had no impact on any scores. Students who had already delivered OAT had a negative perception of their efficacy. The students who had already performed pharmacy jobs or traineeships had a negative perception of harm reduction kit delivery. Conclusion: Education on substance-related disorders had no impact on students' perceptions. It seemed that the maturity acquired through university years had a stronger impact on the students' perceptions of ORD. Efforts must be made to improve our teaching methods and reinforce the confidence of students in the roles of community pharmacists.

A realist evaluation exploring simulated patient role-play in pharmacist undergraduate communication training.

BACKGROUND: Effective communication between pharmacists and patients is essential and improves health outcomes. Simulated patients (SPs) are trained to reproduce real-life situations and can help pharmacy students to develop and adapt their communication skills in a safe, learner-centred environment. The aim of this research was to explore how SP and pharmacy student role-play supports communication training. METHODS: A mixed methods realist evaluation approach was adopted to test an initial theory relating to SP role-play for pharmacy students. The intervention tested involved complex communication cases in a men's and women's health module in year three of a new MPharm programme. This SP session was the first such session, of the programme which exclusively focused on complex communication skills for the students. Data collected comprised video-recordings of both training and mock OSCE sessions, and from student focus groups. Communication videos were scored using the Explanation and Planning Scale (EPSCALE) tool. Scores from SP and mock OSCE sessions were compared using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test. Focus groups were conducted with students about their experience of the training and analysed thematically, through a realist lens. Data was analysed for Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations to produce modified programme theories. RESULTS: Forty-six students (n = 46/59, 78 %) consented to their video-recorded interactions to be used. Students identified contextual factors relating to the timing within the course and the setting of the intervention, the debrief and student individual contexts. Mechanisms included authenticity, feedback, reflection, self-awareness and confidence. Negative responses included embarrassment and nervousness. They distinguished outcomes including increased awareness of communication style, more structured communication and increased comfort. However quantitative data showed a decrease (p < 0.001) in communication scores in the mock OSCE compared with scores from training sessions. Modified programme theories relating to SP training for pharmacy students were generated. CONCLUSIONS: SP role-play is a valuable communication skills training approach. Emphasis should be placed on multiple stakeholder feedback and promotion of reflection. Time limits need to be considered in this context and adjusted to meet student needs, especially for students with lower levels of communication comfort and those communicating in languages different to their first language.

Multicenter randomized comparative trial of Micromedex, Micromedex with Watson, or Google to answer drug information questions.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare pharmacy students' ability to correctly answer drug information questions using Micromedex with Watson, Micromedex without Watson, or Google. METHODS: This multicenter randomized trial compared pharmacy student responses to drug information questions using Micromedex with Watson, Micromedex without Watson, or Google from January to March of 2020. First- to fourth-year pharmacy students at two institutions were included. The primary outcome was the number of correct answers. Secondary outcomes were the time taken to answer the questions and differences in number of correct answers by pharmacy student year and institution. RESULTS: The analysis included 162 participants: 52 students in the Micromedex group, 51 students in the Watson group, and 59 students in the Google group. There was a significant difference among groups in the total number of questions answered correctly (p=0.02). Post-hoc analysis revealed that participants in the Micromedex group answered more questions correctly than those in the Google group (p=0.015). There were no significant differences between Micromedex and Watson groups (p=0.52) or between Watson and Google groups (p=0.22). There was also no difference in time to complete the questions among groups (p=0.72). CONCLUSION: Utilizing Google did not save students time and led to more incorrect answers. These findings suggest that health care educators and health sciences librarians should further reinforce training on the appropriate use of drug information resources.

Final-year pharmacy undergraduate students' career intention and its influencing factors: a questionnaire study in northwest China.

BACKGROUND: Career intention is closely related to the distribution of university graduates across sectors in pharmacy-related field. The aim of the study was to describe career intention and identify its influencing factors among final-year pharmacy undergraduate students in China. METHODS: A questionnaire study on demographic characteristics, educational situation, family background, occupational value and career intention was conducted among final-year pharmacy undergraduate students at three universities in northwest China. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the constructs of occupational value. Multinominal logistic regression was adopted to analyse the factors influencing career intention. RESULTS: Among the 275 student participants, 62.6% intended to work in public medical institutions (rural: 44.4%; urban: 18.2%), 26.5% aimed to work in the pharmaceutical industry, 6.5% wanted to work in other sectors in the pharmacy-related field, and 4.4% planned to work in other fields. Their gender, father's education level, monthly household income per capita, whose opinions were considered most during job selection, the self-gratification factor of occupational value, and employment guidance had significant impacts on students' career intentions. CONCLUSION: In the Chinese background, the career intention of more than half of the undergraduate pharmacy students was to work in public medical institutions. The career intentions of the overall participants were mainly determined by their gender, family background as well as psychological self-gratification, and they could also be influenced by employment guidance.

[Pharmacy students in between pedagogical continuity and field mobilization]. / Des étudiants en pharmacie entre continuité pédagogique et mobilisation sur le terrain.

The health crisis will have disrupted the functioning of our society and will have marked us individually. As soon as it was decided to close the universities, pharmacy students knew that their daily lives would no longer be the same. Many of them mobilized directly in the field, while continuing to follow the courses that were still being given.

The influence of a patient counseling training session on pharmacy students' self-perceived communication skills, confidence levels, and attitudes about communication skills training.

BACKGROUND: The ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill for a pharmacist. However, the curricula of most pharmacy schools in South Korea do not include communication skills training (CST). This study aims to evaluate the effects of CST in pharmacy education. METHODS: This study was a comparison of pre- and post-intervention surveys completed by sixty fifth-year pharmacy students who participated in communication skills and patient counseling training during the spring 2017 semester. The students were asked to respond to 49 questions addressing 4 self-assessment categories: communication skills (24), attitudes (19), and confidence levels (2) at the beginning and end of the CST, and their perception of CST (4) after completing the course. The training session included lectures, small group work, role play, videos, and performance feedback by a tutor. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test with Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons. The open-ended questions were analyzed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: The pharmacy students' self-assessment of their communication skills, attitudes toward the communication course, and confidence levels showed significant improvement after the CST. Most students (96.7%) indicated the necessity of a pharmacy communication curriculum. They responded that CST is helpful for effective communication with patients (33.3%) and other healthcare professionals (31.7%). Role-playing was reported as the most preferred learning method (58.3%). CONCLUSIONS: CST significantly impacted pharmacy students' skills, attitudes, and confidence levels related to communication skills and patient counseling. These findings indicate that communications training should be included in the regular curriculum of pharmacy schools.

The role of empathy and psychological need satisfaction in pharmacy students' burnout and well-being.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Korean pharmacy students' empathy and psychological need satisfaction and their levels of burnout and psychological well-being, using structural equation modeling. METHODS: The participants were 452 pharmacy students from five South Korean universities. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (Health Professions Students version), the Activity-Feeling States Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey were used to assess empathy, psychological need satisfaction, and burnout, respectively. Psychological well-being was measured with the Mood Rating Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, and Satisfaction With Life Scale. The fits of the measurement and structural regression (SR) models with data on the four variables were evaluated using the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), incremental fit index (IFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) using AMOS 18.0. RESULTS: A total of 447 students (98.9%) completed the survey. The measurement model showed adequate fit indices; all hypothesized factor loadings were significant. The proposed SR model also showed an acceptable fit (TLI = 0.92, IFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.072); each path was supported except the path from empathy to burnout (ß = 0.005). Empathy was positively associated with psychological well-being (ß = 0.18). Perceived satisfaction of psychological needs was positively related to psychological well-being (ß = 0.59), but strongly and negatively related to burnout (ß = - 0.71). The model explained 50 and 44% of variances in burnout and psychological well-being, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy students' empathy and psychological needs should be considered in pharmacy education systems to promote psychological adjustment.

Do clerkship schemes effectively improve pharmacy students' understanding of and attitudes regarding pharmaceutical care?--a pre-post study in China Pharmaceutical University.

BACKGROUND: Clerkship is potentially an effective measure of improving the pharmacy students' understanding of and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care. This research aimed to validate whether clerkship schemes in China effectively improve pharmacy students' understanding of and attitudes toward PC, and discuss on how to improve the clerkship schemes for better quality. METHODS: A pre-post and self-administrated questionnaire survey among three continuous years of students was conducted to measure Chinese fifth-year clinical pharmacy students' differences in understanding of pharmaceutical care and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care before and after their clerkship schemes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the retrieved data. RESULTS: 602 respondents completed the post-part survey (drop rate = 1.8%). Correct rates of all statements regarding students' understanding of pharmaceutical care were generally increased, but the rates of respondents holding correct understanding of the primary goal of pharmaceutical care (71.9 to 85.0%), the necessity of drug information support in pharmaceutical care (77.1 to 87.5%) and the patients' role and duty when receiving pharmaceutical care (66.1 to 70.6%) were unsatisfactory before the clerkship and the improvement was not significant. Most statements regarding students' attitudes toward pharmaceutical care were improved in general. However, rates of respondents holding negative attitudes toward students performing pharmaceutical care during their clerkship (3.7 to 7.5%) and choosing pharmaceutical care provider as their career after clerkship schemes (10.8 to 14.8%) had increased after the clerkship schemes. CONCLUSION: Clerkship generally improves clinical pharmacy students' understanding of and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care, yet adjustments are also required in some contents of the clerkship for further improvements in its outcomes.

[Identification of knowledge deficits of pharmacy students at the beginning of the fifth year of pharmacy practice experience: Proposals to change the content of academic programs]. / Identification des lacunes de connaissances des étudiants en filière officine débutant le stage de 5(e) année : propositions pour modifier le contenu de l'enseignement.

INTRODUCTION: In France, community pharmacy students performed a hospital pharmacy practice experience during the 5th year of the university curriculum. The purpose of a part of the content of the academic teaching program delivered before this practice experience is to prepare the students for their future hospital activities. It should enable them for the practical use of knowledge in order to improve pharmacotherapy, laboratory diagnosis and monitoring of patients' care. The aim of this study was to show if there are gaps in this program. METHODS: Fourteen students performing their clerkship in a teaching hospital were invited to highlight these gaps when they were gradually immersed in the pharmaceutical care. They did so under the careful observation of hospital pharmacist preceptors. These practitioners referred to professional guidelines, documentary tools used in daily clinical practice and publications supporting their pharmaceutical care practices. RESULTS: Shortcomings and gaps identified were: how to communicate with other healthcare professionals and the content of verbal exchanges, how to conduct a patient-centered consultation, documentation tools required for relevant pharmacist' interventions, codification of pharmacist's interventions, risks related to drug packaging and benefit risk assessment of health information technologies. DISCUSSION: These gaps represent a handicap by delaying the process that led to move from student to healthcare professional. Hospital pharmacist preceptors have to fill in these gaps before engaging students in pharmaceutical care. CONCLUSION: These results invite to revise partly the content of the academic teaching program delivered before the 5th year hospital pharmacy practice experience.

Coaching for Success: A Residency Search Primer and Update for Preceptors and Faculty.

Pharmacy residency programs have become increasingly competitive in recent years, and changes to the residency search and application process have altered the process for matching with a residency. In this article, major residency topics, from the benefits of residency training to searching for and ranking programs, are summarized. A discussion of tips and tricks for applying for residencies and interviewing for positions is included along with specific suggestions developed with data following the implementation of the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS). The article is organized in a question and answer format to help facilitate understanding of key concepts and common questions that may arise from applicants. Many changes have taken place in the residency search and application process in recent years, and the process of obtaining a residency is complex. Residency applicants and those advising applicants may find value in the answers to commonly asked residency application questions to help ensure the greatest chance of a successful residency match.

Recognition of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Student Participation Within Antimicrobial Stewardship Activities.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship is important in managing patients with infectious diseases. Limited data exist documenting the extent of pharmacy student involvement within antimicrobial stewardship activities. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to document the types of hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship activities in which Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) students are involved. Methods: A questionnaire was developed using the most current guideline for developing an institutional antimicrobial stewardship program. It was designed to collect preceptor-reported perceptions and APPE student involvement in antimicrobial stewardship activities. Pharmacist preceptors of APPE students from 2 Florida Colleges of Pharmacy were surveyed in October 2011. Questionnaires fully completed by hospital pharmacists currently serving as an APPE preceptor were included. Results: Forty-eight questionnaires met all inclusion criteria, collectively reporting APPE student participation within every element of antimicrobial stewardship. The most common areas of student participation were dose optimization based on patient characteristics (n = 40, 83%), acquiring patient information for prospective audit with feedback (n = 39, 81%), intravenous to oral conversion (n = 37, 77%), and pharmacokinetic services (n = 36, 75%). Anti-infective subcommittee participation (n = 3, 6%) was uncommon. Respondent perceptions were overall favorable regarding student participation in antimicrobial stewardship activities. Conclusion: With supervision from pharmacist preceptors, APPE students from 2 Florida colleges of pharmacy were reported to participate in each element and activity of antimicrobial stewardship as set forth by current guidelines. The role and value of such involvement is not fully understood. Future research investigating activity-specific outcomes and policy creation are needed to guide appropriate use of APPE students as a resource for optimizing antimicrobial use in hospitals.

Knowledge and attitudes of doctor of pharmacy students regarding the appropriate use of antimicrobials.

Pharmacists are key partners in antimicrobial stewardship efforts, yet their degree of education on and attitudes toward this topic during training are not well documented. An electronic survey measuring knowledge and attitudes regarding antimicrobial use and resistance was administered to graduating pharmacy students at 12 US schools of pharmacy. Of 1445 pharmacy students, 579 (40%) completed the survey. The vast majority (94%) believed that strong knowledge of antimicrobials was important for their pharmacy careers, and 89% desired more education on appropriate antimicrobial use. Most students (84%) considered their pharmacy education regarding antimicrobials useful or very useful, but there was significant variability on perceptions of preparation for most antimicrobial stewardship activities according to the students' school. The mean number of correct answers on a section of 11 knowledge questions was 5.8 (standard deviation 2.0; P value for score between schools <.001). On multivariable linear regression analysis, significant predictors of a higher knowledge score were pharmacy school attended, planned postgraduate training, completion of a clinical rotation in infectious diseases, perception of pharmacy school education as useful, use of resources to answer the knowledge questions, and use of Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines and smartphone applications as frequent resources for learning about antimicrobials. Pharmacy students perceive antimicrobial stewardship to be an important healthcare issue and desire more education on the subject. Student perceptions of antimicrobial coursework and actual antimicrobial knowledge scores significantly varied by the school of pharmacy attended. Sharing of best practices among institutions may enhance the preparation of future pharmacists to contribute to effective antimicrobial stewardship.

A comparison of medical and pharmacy students' knowledge and skills of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy.

AIM: Pharmacotherapy might be improved if future pharmacists and physicians receive a joint educational programme in pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics. This study investigated whether there are differences in the pharmacology and pharmacotherapy knowledge and skills of pharmacy and medical students after their undergraduate training. Differences could serve as a starting point from which to develop joint interdisciplinary educational programmes for better prescribing. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, the knowledge and skills of advanced pharmacy and medical students were assessed, using a standardized test with three domains (basic pharmacology knowledge, clinical or applied pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills) and eight subdomains (pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, interactions and side-effects, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification groups, prescribing, prescribing for special groups, drug information, regulations and laws, prescription writing). RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty-one medical and 151 pharmacy students were included between August 2010 and July 2012. The response rate was 81%. Pharmacy students had better knowledge of basic pharmacology than medical students (77.0% vs. 68.2% correct answers; P < 0.001, δ = 0.88), whereas medical students had better skills than pharmacy students in writing prescriptions (68.6% vs. 50.7%; P < 0.001, δ = 0.57). The two groups of students had similar knowledge of applied pharmacology (73.8% vs. 72.2%, P = 0.124, δ = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy students have better knowledge of basic pharmacology, but not of the application of pharmacology knowledge, than medical students, whereas medical students are better at writing prescriptions. Professional differences in knowledge and skills therefore might well stem from their undergraduate education. Knowledge of these differences could be harnessed to develop a joint interdisciplinary education for both students and professionals.