Student personality type and preferred rounding methods in an internal medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy students completing Internal Medicine rotations may be exposed to different stylistic approaches from providers on routine activities like patient rounds. This may be beneficial as students can learn in different ways. Conversely, extensive exposure to approaches that do not suit them may hinder student learning or lead students to feel they don't belong in a clinical setting. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: This study sought to assess how students of different personality types perceived benefits to their learning based on the rounding styles of two providers. One provider (Dr. Bedside) used a team-based, bedside rounding method with direct patient interaction, while the other (Dr. Table) used a tableside team-based discussion for each patient. In the final week of a 5-week Internal Medicine APPE rotation, a cohort of ten students completed a 12-item survey that collected details on two personality assessments and assessed perspectives of the two rounding styles. EVALUATION FINDINGS: Ten students completed the personality assessments and survey. Students represented a diverse set of StrengthsFinder strengths and DOPE personality types, with the highest concentration (60%) of students receiving the Executing strength. All students agreed or strongly agreed that the exposure to two different rounding styles was valuable to their learning, with 80% of students preferring Dr. Bedside's approach. ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: Overall, no trends were identified between preference of rounding style and results from personality assessments, which indicates the current approach of exposing students to two rounding styles does not negatively impact certain learners based on DOPE and StrengthsFinders personality types.

Evaluating a medication history-taking entrustable professional activity and its assessment tool - Survey of a statewide public hospital pharmacy service.

INTRODUCTION: Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are tasks that professionals within a field perform autonomously. EPAs are incorporated in workplace-based assessment tools to assist training and professional development. Few studies have evaluated medication history-taking EPAs use in pharmacy practice and none have sought stakeholder feedback on their use. This study evaluates the quality of the medication history-taking EPA utilized in South Australian public hospitals and the usability of its assessment tool. METHODS: A voluntary online questionnaire was conducted from July 15th to September 2nd 2021 to gather the opinions of stakeholders on the use of the medication history-taking EPA. The questionnaire was developed based on tools identified in the literature and utilized 14 open-text and five-point Likert scale questions. The questionnaire was distributed using Survey Monkey® to a purposive sample of staff and students. RESULTS: 82 responses were received from 218 surveys distributed, yielding a response rate of 38%. Respondents believed the EPA promotes learner development (90.6%) and the provision of useful feedback (83%). 94.3% considered the EPA to be easy to use but only 56.6% indicated that using it fits easily within their workday. Time constraints and the presence of context-specific descriptors were commonly perceived as limitations. Some stakeholders indicated a lack of understanding of entrustment decisions. CONCLUSION: The EPA and its assessment tool were perceived to have good quality and usability. Reducing the length of the tool, broadening its applicability across contexts, and improving user understanding of entrustment decision-making may support better use of the tool.

A novel experiential work-based learning model in paediatric secondary care using entrustable professional activities to develop clinical knowledge and communication skills.

BACKGROUND: Initial education and training standards for pharmacists in Great Britain require early clinical exposure to patients using experiential work-based learning. However, there is poor evidence of this approach in some settings, such as paediatric care. The aim of this study was therefore to explore a novel model of experiential work-based learning for student pharmacists in a paediatric setting. METHODS: Fourth-year student pharmacists enrolled on a Master of Pharmacy programme were allocated five three-hour placement sessions at a paediatric hospital. Sessions consisted of a briefing, ward activities, scaffolded consultations with children and their carers, followed by a debriefing session with a clinical supervisor. Data were collected relating to the ward, patient details, student reported activities, learning outcomes and if follow up was required by a member of the clinical team. Data were cleaned, quality checked, then descriptive statistical analysis and inductive content analysis were conducted. MAIN FINDINGS: Seventy-four students took part in 28 individual sessions and 233 consultations were recorded. Consultations included a best-possible medical history (76%, n = 177), a satisfactory drug history (45%, n = 104), or discussed hospital discharge (11%, n = 26). Students were exposed to patients with diagnosed acute conditions (41%, n = 96) and chronic conditions (33%, n = 76), as well as children awaiting diagnosis (13%, n = 30). Students reported learning about the pathology, diagnosis and symptoms of paediatric conditions (48%, n = 81), medicines used in children (24%, n = 41), patient experiences of recieving care (15%, n = 25), carer experiences (2%, n = 3), the hospital environment (2%, n = 4), career progression (2%, n = 4), and experiences of social care (11%, n = 18). Findings were synthesised with existing entrustable professional activities from the literature to generate novel EPAs specific to paediatric settings. CONCLUSIONS: A paediatric setting offers a suitable environment to host experiential work-based learning in pharmacy education. Standards of initial education and training which require pharmacists to prescribe in Great Britain must recognise the importance of exposure to the health needs and experiences of children, young people's and carers prior to graduation.

An active-learning laboratory on urinary incontinence products for pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To describe an active-learning laboratory on urinary incontinence (UI) and its effect on students' confidence and comfort in addressing UI. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Second year pharmacy students (n = 98) participated in an active-learning laboratory focused on UI with four components: catheter lecture and demonstration, UI product overview, hands-on practice with UI absorbent products, and a debrief on the activity focused on difficult conversations. Students completed an optional retrospective pre-post survey at the end of the laboratory including five confidence questions, ranking of activities in the laboratory, and open-ended responses on how to change the activity as well as what was one takeaway from the debrief. Descriptive statistics assessed survey responses. Changes in student confidence were assessed using paired t-tests. Thematic analysis was used for the open-ended debrief question. FINDINGS: Of the 101 students who participated in the laboratory, 98 students completed the pre/post-survey (response rate: 97%). Students demonstrated a significant increase in their confidence in all five areas assessed. The hands-on activity with the absorbent products was rated as the most useful activity. The themes from the debrief on difficult conversations included: self-awareness, expanding viewpoints, cultural sensitivity, and professional duty. Student feedback on the UI active-learning laboratory was largely positive, with most students suggesting no changes (n = 75) to the activity. SUMMARY: An active-learning laboratory on UI helped improve confidence and was well received by pharmacy students.

Developing Confidence Engaging in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Determinants of Health Topics Through Self-Authorship.

OBJECTIVE: This study used a self-authorship framework to explore if diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and social determinants of health (SDoH)-focused labs and learning activities increase student confidence in understanding aspects of implicit bias (IB) and SDoH and how these activities impact student comfort discussing and confidence initiating conversations on DEI/SDoH topics with colleagues, faculty, supervisors, and patients. METHODS: First year (P1) PharmD students engaged in three learning activities across two courses. Students were challenged to evaluate their biases and incorporate DEI/SDoH into their professional identity formation (PIF). This study utilized a mixed-method, embedded approach to analyze assessment data collected via a questionnaire and assignments administered at three points during the fall semester. Quantitative analysis used a quasi-experimental, between-subjects, pretest-posttest design. The qualitative component used open-ended questions to gain additional insight into participant experiences, gathered detail on perceptions, and provided context. RESULTS: A one-way ANOVA showed statistically significant increases between assessment points for all items related to confidence understanding IB and SDoH. Comfort discussing DEI/SDoH topics with supervisors/faculty and patients increased over time. Comfort discussing DEI/SDoH topics with colleagues did not increase. Three salient themes emerged from qualitative analyses (bias and privilege awareness, education, and professionalism). CONCLUSION: This study found students started evaluating their own knowledge, beliefs, and claims in social and professional settings as defined by the self-authorship framework. Student comfort and confidence discussing DEI/SDoH topics increased over time. Findings support engaging students in multimodal programming may support incorporation of DEI/SDoH into PIF.

Using Modern Learning Method to Teach Pharmacy Students Psychopharmacotherapy.

Background: Applying modern educational methods for digital native students seems necessary. Active learning strategies promote students' skills and knowledge. This study was conducted to design and evaluate active learning methods by teaching psychopharmacotherapy to pharmacy students. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with three randomized study groups (control, game, and multimedia), using a pre-and post-test design, conducted on 155 students of 5-year pharmacy in 2022 at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Overall, 18 clinical cases were designed for the basic structure of interventions. After teaching psychopharmacotherapy contents through lecturing, the pre-test was held. The next steps were playing the educational game, studying the multimedia case-based learning files, and then completing questionnaires, respectively. Then, a post-test was held. Results: 65.33% of participants were female and 34.66% were male. The pre-test and post-test scores comparison showed no difference in control group (P=0.409). However, in the serious game and multimedia groups, the average score of pre-test and post-test had a statistically significant difference (P<0.001, P=0.002 respectively), this difference was higher in the serious game group. Questionnaire evaluation showed substantial differences between game and multimedia groups. Conclusion: The educational interventions were able to improve student's knowledge and skills so they can better help patients and promote public health. In the sections of Confidence, Social Interactions, Fun, Focused attention, Learnability, Relevance, and Perceived Learning, the serious game far outweighed the multimedia case-based learning.

Evaluation of a dementia awareness game for health professions students in Northern Ireland: a pre-/post-test study.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a prevalent global health issue, necessitating comprehensive education for healthcare practitioners and students. Nursing and pharmacy students, provide support across healthcare settings often working as frontline caregivers. Therefore, it is imperative to equip these students with a profound understanding of dementia. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a serious dementia game co-designed with stakeholders, students, and people living with dementia improved the attitudes of nursing and pharmacy students. METHODS: A pretest-posttest design was used to assess the attitudes of health professions students (nursing and pharmacy) towards dementia. The Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ) was administered before and after playing a serious Dementia Game. The ADQ measured the total score, Hope subscale, and Recognition of Personhood subscale. Matched pairs t-test was used for analysis conducted with IBM SPSS statistics 27. RESULTS: A diverse cohort of 505 participants from one university in Northern Ireland participated, with 461 matched pairs used for analysis. Both nursing and pharmacy students demonstrated a significant increase in overall dementia attitudes post-gameplay, with nursing students showing an increase from 79.69 to 83.59 and pharmacy students from 75.55 to 79.86. Subscales for Hope (Nursing = 28.77 to 31.22, Pharmacy = 26.65 to 29.20). and Recognition of Personhood also exhibited significant improvement (Nursing = 50.93 to 52.38, Pharmacy = 48.89 to 50.67). Demographic data revealed predominantly female participants, a lack of personal connections to dementia, and varied training experiences. DISCUSSION: The study highlights the efficacy of the serious Dementia Game in enhancing attitudes to dementia amongst health professions students, indicating its potential as an educational tool. The study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting serious games and gamification in healthcare education.

The Medical Student Guide to Pharmacy: Piloting an Interactive Textbook on Basic Pharmacology Principles and Clinical Correlations.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the wide use of medications in clinical practice, graduating medical students often feel unprepared for the task of prescribing upon starting residency. With recent educational initiatives aiming to transform learning modalities, we sought to pilot an interactive textbook on basic pharmacology principles at our institution as a supplement to first-year lectures and assess its subjective impact on students' knowledge of content as well as confidence to apply material in the real world through pre- and post-intervention surveys. METHODS: First-year medical students were invited to complete non-validated, voluntary, anonymous, emailed, online surveys consisting of Likert scale and free-text response questions. Our investigation served as a pilot test for future iterations of this research. RESULTS: Response rates for the pre- and post-intervention surveys were 73/145 (50%) and 38/145 (26%), respectively, with the post-intervention survey further reduced to 13 individuals who indicated use of the interactive textbook. Questions regarding interactive textbook chapters that overlapped with course content were excluded from data analysis due to an inability to separate learning gains from lectures versus the interactive textbook. Post-intervention survey responses all showed significant changes in mean Likert scale scores on student-perceived knowledge and confidence to apply material with P < .001. Free-text response questions revealed limited exposure to the field of pharmacy and interactions with pharmacists prior to medical school. CONCLUSION: Our pilot study on the initial use of an interactive textbook titled The Medical Student Guide to Pharmacy presented us with valuable insight into providing first-year medical students with a clinically oriented supplemental resource within coursework on basic pharmacology. Challenges for the future include better integrating the interactive textbook into class lectures to facilitate increased use by students as well as developing more targeted, validated assessments of the impact it has on students' learning.

Perceived importance of emotional intelligence for clinical pharmacy practice and suggested improvements: a focus group study of postgraduate pharmacists.

BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical set of skills that impacts clinical pharmacists' well-being and positively influences high-level patient-centred care. Describing pharmacists' perceptions may support the integration of EI development approaches into their professional development continuum. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse pharmacists' perceptions of the characteristics of emotionally intelligent clinical pharmacists, the importance of EI in clinical practice, and educational models and approaches to enhancing EI. METHOD: A qualitative study with a focus group methodology was conducted with pharmacy practitioners using a semi-structured guide grounded in the EI competency framework and existing qualitative research methodology practices. Purposive sampling was conducted until information and meaning saturation occurred. The focus group recordings were transcribed and independently coded by two researchers. The conventional content analysis of qualitative data was applied with the inductive thematic approach at its core. RESULTS: According to the 17 focus group participants, emotionally intelligent clinical pharmacists are perceived as self-confident communicators who control and manage emotions, work well under pressure, and handle every situation effectively. Emotional self-control, self-awareness, awareness of others, tolerance, understanding, and empathy have emerged as key EI competencies required for challenges in clinical practice. EI lectures with reflections from clinical applications, behaviour modelling, and behaviour-changing methods were perceived to be of particular importance for pharmacist education and development programmes. CONCLUSION: Postgraduate pharmacy practitioners perceived EI competencies as necessary for their professional success and high-quality patient-centred care. They suggested that EI competencies be a focal point in pharmacy professional development programmes.

Evaluating the Need for Competency-Based Pharmacy Education (CBPE): The Report of the 2023-2024 Academic Affairs Standing Committee.

The 2023-2024 Academic Affairs Committee was charged to create a sense of urgency around the concept of Competency-Based Pharmacy Education and develop a "readiness for change" instrument that is based on the 5 essential elements that make up the definition of Competency-Based Pharmacy Education. This report describes the process undertaken by the committee to determine the societal needs of pharmacists and current state of pharmacy practice and pharmacy education. The practice gaps in pharmacy education and the key drivers needed to close these gaps are evaluated. To complete the charges, the committee conducted evidence-based literature reviews and completed a series of focus groups with stakeholders and thought leaders with experience in competency-based education.

Enhancing hypertension pharmacotherapeutics education by integrating social determinants of health.

OBJECTIVE: Social determinants of health (SDOHs) play a significant role in hypertension management. Pharmacy program accreditation standards include that students should understand SDOHs. However, there are limited data regarding approaches to incorporating SDOHs within pharmacotherapeutics courses. This study evaluated the changes in student knowledge, understanding, perceptions, beliefs, and confidence by integrating SDOH topics in hypertension pharmacotherapeutics lectures. METHODS: The study invited students enrolled in cardiovascular pharmacotherapeutics courses at 2 institutions to participate. Participation involved a preintervention questionnaire, a lecture on clinical management of hypertension incorporating SDOH concepts, an assignment involving reading a journal article and answering related questions, and a postintervention questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, with a predetermined α level of 0.05 for statistical significance. Mean composite questionnaire scores were calculated and compared with Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: Of 109 students, the response rate was 85.3 % (93 participants). The combined questionnaire results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in all questionnaire item composites. The open-ended knowledge assessment yielded a mean score of 5.75 (range 3-6). CONCLUSION: The study intervention enhanced student knowledge, understanding, perceptions, beliefs, and confidence regarding the impact of SDOHs on hypertension. This practical and reproducible approach offers a valuable method for incorporating SDOH concepts into pharmacotherapeutics courses.

Curricular addition of pharmacy robbery education.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pharmacy robberies are a common occurrence. From 2010 to 2019, there were over 7500 prescription drug-related armed robbery incidents in the United States. A lecture on pharmacy robbery was added to the pharmacy curriculum in 2017 at Butler University. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether the pharmacy robbery lecture given during the first year of the pharmacy program is adequate, with a secondary objective comparing the results of this survey to one conducted prior to the curricular addition. This information provides an opportunity for schools of pharmacy to consider adding or enhancing drug diversion content into their curriculum. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: A cross-sectional survey of all students enrolled in each professional year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program was conducted spring 2022 to collect information on pharmacy students' knowledge and experience regarding community pharmacy robberies and their perceptions of the pharmacy robbery education in the curriculum. FINDINGS: A total of 285 of 407 students responded for a 70% response rate. More than half (53.5%) feel the pharmacy robbery education received is adequate and 63.9% feel prepared to properly manage a pharmacy robbery situation. The survey asked two pharmacy robbery knowledge-based questions and most students selected the correct response to both (89.9% and 97.8%). More than one-fourth (27.1%) of the respondents reported that the pharmacy they work/worked at had been robbed. When asked if students considered changing their career path because of pharmacy robberies, 9% responded yes. SUMMARY: Pharmacy robbery still exists, and having proper education helps students prepare for and handle community pharmacy robbery situations.

How critical is it? Integrating critical care into the pharmacy didactic curriculum.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

Developing supervisory and precepting skills through simulation: Near peer teaching in a skills laboratory.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Near-peer teaching is an innovative approach to teaching the skills of supervising and precepting while benefiting students with different levels of experience and academic training. This study describes near-peer activities in skills-based laboratory courses that provided opportunities for one-on-one teaching to benefit learners in the introductory lab courses while simultaneously training more advanced students for future supervisory and precepting roles. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY & SETTING: Three community pharmacy near-peer teaching simulations were designed and implemented: 1) Patient Counseling and Medication Adherence, 2) Dispensing and Patient Counseling, and 3) Drug Utilization Review and Prescriber Calls. These activities took place over two semesters of a pharmacy skills lab with all first- and third-year Doctor of Pharmacy students. FINDINGS: In Autumn 2019, 80% (111/139) of P1s and 67% (80/119) of P3s responded to the course evaluation survey. In Spring 2020, 73% (100/137) of P1s and 68% (80/118) of P3s responded to the course evaluation survey. The P3s reported increased confidence in their ability to provide meaningful feedback, while P1s reported increased confidence in communicating with patients and healthcare providers. Performance data revealed that most P1s and P3s completed dispensing and communication activities accurately using a near-peer approach. Overall, the P1s and P3s felt the activities were valuable learning experiences. SUMMARY: The near-peer activities described in this study fill a gap in the training of pharmacy graduates for future precepting and supervisory roles. Evaluation of these near-peer activities suggest that both junior and senior learners benefit from simulated preceptor-intern interactions, supporting this innovative approach to address supervisory and precepting responsibilities.

Development of the entrustable professional activity 'medication reconciliation' for clinical pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are observable process descriptions of clinical work units. EPAs support learners and tutors in assessment within healthcare settings. For use amongst our pharmacy students as well as pre-registration pharmacists we wanted to develop and validate an EPA for use in a clinical pharmacy setting at LMU University Hospital. METHODS: The development of the clinical pharmacy EPA followed a set pathway. A rapid literature review informed the first draft, an interprofessional consensus group consisting of pharmacists, nurses, and medical doctors refined this draft. The refined version was then validated via online survey utilising clinical pharmacists from Germany. RESULTS: We designed, refined and validated an EPA regarding medication reconciliation for assessment of pharmacy students and trainees within the pharmacy department at LMU University Hospital in Munich. Along with the EPA description an associated checklist to support the entrustment decision was created. For validation an online survey with 27 clinical pharmacists from all over Germany was conducted. Quality testing with the EQual rubric showed a good EPA quality. CONCLUSIONS: We developed the first clinical pharmacy EPA for use in a German context. Medication reconciliation is a suitable EPA candidate as it describes a clinical activity performed by pharmacists in many clinical settings. The newly developed and validated EPA 'Medication Reconciliation' will be used to assess pharmacy students and trainees.

For the rural curious: mixed methods evaluation of a rural pharmacy practice elective.

BACKGROUND: As of 2020, 20% of people residing in the United States of America (U.S.) lived in rural communities. Despite rural residents tending to be older, poorer, and having greater disease burden than their urban counterparts, the number of rural primary care providers continues to decline. Nearly 66% of U.S. Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas are designated as rural. Pharmacists can help address this shortage of rural primary care providers, often serving as providers of first-contact care; however, only 12% of U.S. pharmacists practice in rural communities. To help address this gap, in 2022 an elective Rural Pharmacy course was created at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy by a faculty member who has rural practice experience. METHODS: The course combines formal lectures, guest presentations by rural pharmacists and student interviews with additional rural pharmacists. For the 42 students enrolled in the course in 2022 and 2023, non-parametric statistics were used to compare the percentage of students who were raised in rural communities or who otherwise had extensive exposure to rural, and compare student interest ratings (1 to 7) about practicing/living rural at the beginning and end of the course. Students also wrote end-of-course reflection papers, commenting on the course and their interviews with rural pharmacists. RESULTS: Across both years, 45% of the enrolled students had previous experience in rural communities. The net change in Rural Interest scores among students completing both questionnaires was + 5 in 2022 and + 2 in 2023, both non-significant differences. The largest shifts in student interest were from "Not Sure" at the start of the course to "Interested" or "Not Interested" at the end of the course, and from "Interested" to "Very Interested." In their reflection papers nearly 60% of students reported being most impressed by their interviews with rural pharmacists. CONCLUSIONS: A course addressing the benefits and challenges of practicing pharmacy in rural communities was well-received by pharmacy students. Even students who have little interest in living in a rural community can benefit from being introduced to rural culture, enabling them to provide more culturally-responsive care for patients from rural communities.

Exploring Feedback Mechanics during Experiential Learning in Pharmacy Education: A Scoping Review.

(1) Background: This scoping review aims to explore the literature on feedback for pharmacy students during experiential learning, with a focus on identifying the modes of delivery of feedback and the perceived impact of feedback on student learning outcomes. (2) Methods: The scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, ERIC, and ProQuest Central were searched electronically from their inception until the end of February 2023 using a combination of keywords and MeSH terms related to feedback, pharmacy education, and student learning outcomes. Data were synthesized narratively. (3) Results: This review included 13 studies published between 2008 and 2022. Almost half of the included studies were conducted in the USA (n = 6, 46%) and reported the perspective of undergraduate pharmacy students (n = 6, 46%). Verbal feedback was the most common mode of feedback delivery (n = 6, 46%). The enablers of effective feedback included timely feedback (n = 6, 46%), feedback provided in a goal-oriented and objective manner (n = 5, 40%), and student-specific feedback (n = 4, 30%). On the other hand, the most common impediments to feedback efficacy were providing extremely positive feedback and lack of constructive criticism. (4) Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of feedback model implementation in pharmacy education and preceptor training programs to ensure effective and quality feedback to pharmacy students.

Understanding Pharmacy Students' Preparedness towards Counseling over Cannabis Use Disorder.

The rise in cannabis use prompts significant concerns regarding pharmacy students' abilities to counsel patients over cannabis use disorder. This study aims to understand pharmacy students' preparedness to counsel patients with cannabis use disorder (CUD) and evaluate the relationship between knowledge, attitudes towards medical cannabis (MC) and recreational cannabis (RC), and behavior intention (BI) to counsel over CUD. A cross-sectional survey was administered to pharmacy students. Descriptive analyses of sample characteristics were assessed with the t-test and one-way ANOVA test. Pearson correlation and linear regression were conducted, measuring the strength and direction of relationships. The average scores for knowledge, attitudes towards MC use and RC, and behavioral intention were 81% (SD 16%), 4.13 (SD 0.75), 3.28 (0.80), and 2.74 (1.00). Significant correlations were observed between knowledge-attitudes toward MC, knowledge-attitudes towards RC, and attitudes towards RC-behavioral intentions. Linear regression indicated attitudes towards MC use and RC, academic year, awareness of MC use legality, obtained knowledge, and past patient interaction were significantly associated with behavioral intention on confidence in counseling over CUD. There is a gap in students' behavioral intention to counsel. These findings emphasize the importance of ample preparation that enables student pharmacists to address patient needs related to cannabis use confidently.

Perspectives of Pharmacy Students on Ethical Issues Related to Artificial Intelligence: A Comprehensive Survey Study.

Background: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into pharmacy education and practice holds the potential to advance learning experiences and prepare future pharmacists for evolving healthcare practice. However, it also raises ethical considerations that need to be addressed carefully. This study aimed to explore pharmacy students' attitudes regarding AI integration into pharmacy education and practice. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing a validated online questionnaire administered to 702 pharmacy students from diverse demographic backgrounds. The questionnaire gathered data on participants' attitudes and concerns regarding AI integration, as well as demographic information and factors influencing their attitudes. Results: Most participants were female students (72.8%), from public universities (55.6%) and not working (64.2%). Participants expressed a generally negative attitude toward AI integration, citing concerns and barriers such as patient data privacy (62.0%), susceptibility to hacking (56.2%), potential job displacement (69.3%), cost limitations (66.8%), access (69.1%) and the absence of regulations (48.1% agree), training (70.4%), physicians' reluctance (65.1%) and patient apprehension (70.8%). Factors including country of residence, academic year, cumulative GPA, work status, technology literacy, and AI understanding significantly influenced participants' attitudes (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights the need for comprehensive AI education in pharmacy curricula including related ethical concerns. Addressing students' concerns is crucial to ensuring ethical, equitable, and beneficial AI integration in pharmacy education and practice.

Evaluating the Strengths and Barriers of Competency-Based Education in the Health Professions.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to define competency-based education (CBE) for pharmacy education and describe how strengths and barriers of CBE can support or hinder implementation. FINDINGS: Sixty-five studies were included from a variety of health professions in order to define competency based pharmacy education (CBPE) and identify barriers and benefits from the learner, faculty, institution, and society perspectives. From the 7 identified thematic categories, a CBPE definition was developed: "Competency-based pharmacy education is an outcomes-based curricular model of an organized framework of competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes) for pharmacists to meet health care and societal needs. This learner-centered curricular model aligns authentic teaching and learning strategies and assessment (emphasizing workplace assessment and quality feedback) while deemphasizing time." SUMMARY: This article provides a definition of CBE for its application within pharmacy education. The strengths and barriers for CBE were elucidated from other health professions' education literature. Identified implementation strengths and barriers aid in the discussions on what will support or hinder the implementation of CBE in pharmacy education.