Exploring the Impact of a Vicarious Learning Approach on Student Pharmacists' Professional Identity Formation Using a Simulated Pharmacist-Patient Encounter.

Purposefully developed professional identity formation (PIF) learning activities within the didactic curriculum provide crucial groundwork to complement PIF within authentic settings. The aim of this didactic exercise was to explore the impact upon student pharmacists' PIF after viewing, analyzing, and reflecting upon a simulated pharmacist-patient encounter (PPE). A 12 min role-play video was created, featuring a pharmacist counseling a standardized patient on a new medication regimen; foundational principles of medication safety, health literacy, social determinants of health, empathic communication, and motivational interviewing were included in the counseling, with some aspects intentionally performed well, others in need of improvement. Also included were the patient's varied reactions to the counseling. Students assumed the observer role and learned vicariously through viewing the PPE. Postactivity debriefs included justifying a foundational principle performed well by the pharmacist, and another in need of improvement, and a self-reflection essay expressing the impact of viewing the PPE on their PIF, from which extracts were thematically analyzed for impact. The main themes of the impact included increased awareness of counseling techniques, patient-friendly medical jargon, patient perspectives/empathy, positive and negative pharmacist role-modeling, and the value of the observer role. This PPE exercise enhanced PIF in terms of students thinking, acting, and feeling like a pharmacist, based on students' self-reflections, which most often referenced effective pharmacist-patient communication and enacting optimal patient care.

Exploring the Impact of an Innovative Peer Role-Play Simulation to Cultivate Student Pharmacists' Motivational Interviewing Skills.

Effective patient-centered communication is a foundational skill for student pharmacists, with recent decades broadening the scope of professional responsibilities to include an increased emphasis on empathic communication and motivational interviewing (MI) as tools to support patients' therapeutic adherence. Role-play is a potentially effective pedagogical approach to cultivate these skills, although previous research has identified common shortcomings that can hinder its educational value, particularly in peer role-play with relatively inexperienced learners. The purpose of this study is to describe and provide initial assessment data for an innovative approach to peer role-play that incorporates pedagogical principles to address these common shortcomings. Using a mixed-methods study design that includes instructor-graded rubrics and inductive thematic analysis of student reflections, our findings indicate that students successfully demonstrated a range of important competencies through this experience and perceived it to be both challenging and highly beneficial for their personal and professional development. Among the MI principles and techniques practiced, students performed especially well on expressing empathy and frequently reflected on its importance for future patient care and clinical collaborations. Our findings also suggest that peer engagement through team activities and partnered role-play provides a felicitous context to explore empathic communication together.

Student Pharmacist Engagement in Infographic Creation to Increase Awareness of Impostor Phenomenon.

OBJECTIVE: To assess first professional year (P1) students learning about impostor phenomenon (IP) through participation in learning activities featuring the creation of an educational IP infographic. METHODS: A total of 167 P1 students were invited to complete a validated survey to determine baseline IP tendencies and attended a near-peer-delivered course lecture on IP. Student groups of 4 created an infographic containing IP lecture information and survey results, aimed at increasing IP awareness in a target audience. Mixed methods were integrated to assess learning outcomes. Qualitatively, infographics were evaluated by rubric for completeness, accuracy, and visual literacy, and student reflections were thematically evaluated on the impact of IP activities; quantitatively, 19 student learning objectives were anonymously self-assessed by Likert Scale survey. Students viewed all 42 created infographics, applied criteria, and voted for the 3 best. RESULTS: Survey results indicated 58% of P1 students exhibited IP tendencies above the scale's defined threshold for significant impostorism. Student groups demonstrated IP learning through developing creative, accurate, and concise infographics, with a mean score of 85% (4.27/5). Assessment survey respondents agreed they can confidently describe IP (92%) and design an infographic for a target audience using acquired knowledge (99%). Through critical reflections on the impact of IP exercises, students expressed improvement in self-awareness and communication skills; described the benefits of engagement in random peer groups; and voiced appreciation for a novel method of learning material (infographic creation). CONCLUSION: Students demonstrated learning about IP by incorporating lecture and survey results into engaging infographics and expressed benefits from learning about this important topic that is prevalent in P1 students.

Health and Wellness Projects Created by Student Pharmacists during Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences: Exploring the Impact on Professional Development.

A curricular expectation of pharmacy educators is to equip students with strategies for the promotion of health and wellness. The impact on student professional development with involvement in such health promotions has been sparsely documented. The specific aim of this project was to explore the impact on student learning and professional development when they create, implement, and reflect upon a Health and Wellness Project (HWP). In 2022-2023, each student completing a Community Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience created and implemented an HWP with the goal of serving as a "health promoter" (205 projects). A multi-method design of quantitative and qualitative assessment techniques was used to analyze the impact of creating/implementing the HWP on students' learning, with a self-determination theory (SDT) framework utilized to evaluate professional development. Upon review, all projects met the acceptability criteria. Qualitative data analysis from a subset of 48 students identified themes of impact on learning, which included knowledge acquisition, enhancement of communication skills, opportunity for patient-centered interaction, selection of targeted educational strategies, and immersion into the role of health promoter. All three components of SDT were found to support professional development: competence in the field; relatedness to patients and the profession; and autonomy in creating the HWP. Student quotations demonstrated strong professional identity formation as students began to think, act, and feel like pharmacists.

Exploring practice site contributions and professionalization impact of engaging student pharmacists on hematology-oncology advanced pharmacy practice experience rotations.

INTRODUCTION: Student pharmacists contribute meaningfully to patient care during Advanced Practice Pharmacy Experiences (APPEs) in varied settings. We aimed to characterize and evaluate the impact of student participation in hematology-oncology (hem-onc) APPEs on the practice site, and on student professionalization. METHODS: For students completing hem-onc APPEs during 2016-2019, rotation activities and post-APPE self-reflections describing meaningful impact were reviewed; activities were categorized into direct and indirect patient care, and up to three reflection themes of professionalization impact were extracted from each self-reflection. Hem-onc preceptor cohort was surveyed to assess impact of student contributions on the practice site. RESULTS: 171 students completed hem-onc APPEs in ambulatory care (133) and/or inpatient (38) settings. Of 932 student-reported activities, the most common were: evaluating patient pharmacotherapy (209), providing education to medical staff (132), patient counseling [non-chemotherapy (99); chemotherapy (82)], and providing drug information (96); 89% involved direct patient care/education. Survey results from 16 of 33 preceptors identified the most impactful student activities as evaluating pharmacotherapy, medication education/adherence resources, and in-service presentations. Of 392 student self-reflections, themes of impact focused on professionalization/self-awareness (39.3%), counseling/communication skills (27.8%), practice skills development (20.4%) and collaborative teamwork (12.5%). CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students make significant direct patient care contributions to hem-onc practice settings by evaluating pharmacotherapy and providing education to patients and healthcare personnel. Participation in hem-onc APPEs is highly influential to the professionalization of students, particularly in developing skills in oncology practice, patient interactions/communications, and developing self-awareness.

Exploring the Impact of Reflecting upon Pharmacy Experts' Written Career Guidance on Student Professional Identity Formation.

Study Objective: To explore the impact of reading and critically reflecting upon professional development guidance provided by pharmacy experts upon student professional identity formation (PIF). Methods: Fifteen second professional year student pharmacists completed an elective course assignment to read 20 published personal letters from Letters to a Young Pharmacist, in which pharmacy experts offer career and life guidance to novice or student pharmacists. From those, each student selected four letters and for each composed a 500 to 600-word critical reflection describing the impact of the letter, yielding 60 reflections for thematic analysis. Each author individually analyzed and coded de-identified reflections for up to 3 types of impact. Data were then grouped for similarity and collapsed into themes; overarching evidence of transformative thinking and "eye-opening" were also coded. Results: Of 60 reflections, 160 types of impact were identified, and were grouped into five themes. Most often, students described an impact from Personal Growth (41.3%), followed by Professional Growth (16.9%), Forging Relationships (16.2%), Making an Impact (15%) and Morality (10.6%). "Eye-opening" and "transformative thinking" was evidenced in 21 of 60 (35%) and 53 of 60 (88.3%) reflections, respectively. Conclusions: Student pharmacists experienced growth in PIF by reflecting upon published excerpts from pharmacy experts, as demonstrated by coding for impact and transformative thinking. This novel method of students' critically reflecting upon expert's readings, followed by instructor feedback to reinforce the learning, offers a streamlined and easily implemented modality to enable students PIF development during their didactic curriculum.

The Impact of Pharmacy Student Participation in the White Coat Ceremony on Professionalization.

Objective. To assess the impact of participation in a formal white coat ceremony on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students' professionalization by analyzing students' reflective writing. Methods. First-year PharmD students participated in the college's white coat ceremony following orientation. During the Foundations of Pharmacy course in the first semester, students were instructed to reflect on and write about the impact the white coat ceremony had on them as a graded assignment. A grading rubric was developed to standardize assessment of the reflections and to differentiate critical reflection (which cites future behavioral change) from other forms of reflection that are less impactful, such as non-critical reflection, general understanding, and non-reflection. Thematic analysis was conducted and prevalent themes were identified. Each reflection was then reviewed to identify up to three themes. Results. Of the 225 students in the incoming class of 2020, 218 submitted valid reflection assignments. Of these, 92% met critical reflection criteria. Four percent offered "negative connotation," while 75% described an eye-opening experience or realization. Of 483 thematic classifications, six student professionalization themes were identified, as follows: personal achievement (26%), professionalism (21%), welcome to pharmacy (18%), patient care (16.8%), life-long learning (12.8%), and code of ethics (5.2%). Conclusion. For the majority of PharmD students, the white coat ceremony held during first-year orientation had a positive impact on their professionalization. All pharmacy schools should conduct a white coat ceremony that includes recitation of the Pledge of Professionalism as an impactful first step toward student professionalization.

Electronic reflective student portfolios to demonstrate achievement of ability-based outcomes during advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate achievement of ability-based outcomes through a structured review of electronic student portfolios in an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) program. DESIGN: One hundred thirty-eight students produced electronic portfolios containing select work products from APPEs, including a self-assessment reflective essay that demonstrated achievement of course manual-specified ability-based outcomes. ASSESSMENT: Through portfolio submissions, all students demonstrated the achievement of ability-based outcomes for providing pharmaceutical care, evaluating the literature, and managing the medication use system with patient case reports most frequently submitted. The rubric review of self-reflective essays addressed student learning through APPEs and continuing professional development plans. CONCLUSION: The electronic portfolio with reflective essay proved to be a useful vehicle to demonstrate achievement of ability-based outcomes.

Effectiveness of a medication reconciliation project conducted by PharmD students.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a medication reconciliation program conducted by doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students during an advanced pharmacy practice experience. METHODS: Patients admitted to medicine or surgery units at 3 hospitals were included. Students were instructed to interview each patient to obtain a medication history, reconcile this list with the medical chart, and identify and solve drug-related problems. RESULTS: Eleven students reconciled medications for 330 patients over 10 months and identified 922 discrepancies. The median number of discrepancies found per patient was 2, and no discrepancies were found in 25% of the cases. In cases in which discrepancies were identified, a greater number of medications had been prescribed for the patient (7.9 +/- 4.0 medications compared to 5.4 +/- 3.9 medications; p < 0.05). The students completed 59 interventions. Differences were found in the numbers of discrepancies and drug-related problems that different students at different sites identified (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy students provided a valuable service to 3 community hospitals. The students improved the quality of patient care by identifying and solving significant drug-related problems, identifying drug allergy information, and resolving home and admission medication discrepancies.

Resolution of drug-related problems in home care patients through a pharmacy referral service.

A referral-based, pharmacist-conducted medication management program designed to identify, categorize, and resolve drug-related problems (DRPs) in a home health care (HHC) population was studied. A clinical pharmacy service model was developed to identify patients at high risk for adverse health events resulting from DRPs. Policies and procedures were developed for this service model, including explicit referral criteria, patient-consent documentation, and physician orders. All identified DRPs were categorized, and pharmacist activities relating to the discovery and resolution of DRPs were tabulated. From July 1, 2001, through March 29, 2002, 80 patients were referred for and received clinical pharmacy services, and pharmacists identified 271 DRPs. Every patient referred had a DRP, and 32% of DRPs were identified by a visit to the patient's home. Nearly 65% of pharmacist recommendations were implemented. Using a referral-based practice model in an HHC setting, pharmacists were able to identify and resolve DRPs for every patient referred.

Writing tasks performed by doctor of pharmacy students during clerkship rotations.

The range of writing tasks undertaken by students during doctor of pharmacy clerkship rotations was studied. Data collection involved a review between August and November 1998 of writing samples selected by postbaccalaureate Pharm. D. students at Albany College of Pharmacy for inclusion in their required writing portfolios. The first 200 samples (accounted for by 35 students each submitting two documents for each of three clerkship rotations) were reviewed. Of these, 198 were coded to identify the four rhetorical components of clerkship location, document type, intended audience, and rhetorical purpose. Institutional sites served as the clerkship location for 164 (82.8%) of the 198 documents analyzed. The documents were placed in 28 categories; 5 of these accounted for 126 (63.6%) of the documents: 45 inservice presentations, 32 summaries, 18 patient case write-ups, 16 formulary reviews, and 15 newsletters. Students wrote most frequently to health care providers (34.8%), other pharmacists (32.3%), and teachers (16.7%), with the most frequent rhetorical purposes being informing (73.2%) and demonstrating (14.6%). Analysis of writing samples prepared by pharmacy students during clerkship rotations revealed a variety of clerkship sites, document types, audiences, and rhetorical purposes.

On-the-job writing tasks of clerkship preceptors.

The frequency with which various types of documents were written on-the-job by Pharm. D. clerkship preceptors was studied, along with the value that these documents added to their professional practice. A survey was mailed in April 1999 to 129 practicing pharmacists serving as preceptors for Albany College of Pharmacy Pharm. D. clerkship rotations. The survey asked recipients to indicate the frequency with which they wrote each of 23 types of documents and how valuable it was to their practice. In addition, participants were invited to identify documents they wrote that were not on the list. Sixty-six preceptors returned usable surveys (response rate, 51%). Sixty-four (97%) had either direct or indirect patient care responsibilities. Four types of documents (memorandum or letter, pharmacy care plan, progress notes, and patient consultation notes) were written daily, weekly, or monthly. Sixteen of the 23 document types were rated as highly valuable; of these, most were written at least quarterly and 1 was written daily. The respondents indicated 15 additional types of documents they generated in their practice; 11 of these were rated as being of high or highest value. Clerkship preceptors reported writing numerous types of documents. Document types that were written most often were generally considered valuable to the respondents' practice.