Pharmacy and Physician Assistant Dual Degree: An Analysis of Its Value and Implications on the Profession.

The pharmacy and physician assistant dual degree is one of the newest programs offered and has been predicted to have a high likelihood of growth in the future. With only an additional year of education, the PharmD-PA dual degree holder will have prescriptive authority upon graduation to expand their clinical roles. Additionally, by combining both medical and pharmacotherapeutics education, these mid-level practitioners could potentially improve healthcare shortages and allow for improvements in patient care. While there are established PharmD-PA dual degree programs, there is low enrollment coupled by rigorous curriculums and financial burdens that students must endure. Despite its limitations, this novel dual degree program offers pharmacy students another method to provide clinical care apart from the post-graduate opportunities. Schools of Pharmacy should look into the development of PharmD-PA dual degree programs as a unique marketing opportunity for admissions and as a non-traditional method of career advancement.

Pharmacist perceptions of and views on postgraduate year 3 training.

PURPOSE: To determine the attitudes and perceptions of pharmacy residency program participants regarding proposed expansion of postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) residency training opportunities. METHODS: An online questionnaire was emailed to all directors of ASHP-accredited residency programs with a request to distribute the survey among program participants, including residents, preceptors, coordinators, and other pharmacists working with residents. Survey questions assessed participants' views and attitudes about PGY3 programs vs other avenues of career advancement, including potential benefits and limitations, program structure, and ramifications for the profession. RESULTS: Eight hundred forty-five individuals participated in the survey, for a 22.47% response rate. Only 288 pharmacists (34.4%) were familiar with the PGY3 residency training concept. Perceived benefits of PGY3 training, by percentage of respondents citing them, included job specialization (34.41%), an additional year of training (19.93%), and obtaining research skills (5.44%). The main perceived limiting factors included personal finances (21.62%), lack of justification for PGY3 training (13.83%), and time commitments (12.94%). As alternatives to PGY3 training for career advancement, board certifications (49.5%), scholarly activity (19.8%), and leadership in pharmacy organizations (19.2%) were the 3 highest-rated areas. A majority of respondents were opposed to ASHP standardization of PGY3 residency programs (74.3%) and/or had negative preconceptions of the potential impact of expanded PGY3 training initiatives on the job market (80.94%). CONCLUSION: Overall, surveyed pharmacy residency program participants were opposed to the concept of expanded PGY3 training initiatives and indicated their view that PGY3 training offers limited benefits in terms of professional development. Participants favored on-the-job training and other avenues of career advancement over PGY3 residency training.

Synthesis of Novel Thermostable Polyamideimides from Bis(2-aminoethyl)terephthalamide and Dianhydrides.

Bis(2-aminoethyl)terephthalamide, an amide-containing diamine, was obtained from the aminolysis of waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) bottles. This diamine reacts with various aromatic dianhydrides to form novel polyamideimides (PAIs). The formation of amic acid or ammonium carboxylate salt intermediates depends strongly on the substituents of the dianhydrides. The electron-withdrawing substituents promote the creation of an ammonium carboxylate salt, whereas the electron donors assist with the amic acid intermediate formation. These salts and amic acids were further converted into polyimides by thermal treatment. The structures of the intermediates and PAIs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and 13C NMR spectroscopies, and their thermal properties were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry. X-ray diffraction patterns and inherent viscosity values of these PAIs were also reported. By using these chemical transformations, waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) bottles were converted into high-performance PAIs. These PAIs can be used as membrane-modifying agents for industrial separation applications.

Attitudes and Perceptions of Tobacco-Related Products in College Students.

BACKGROUND: Despite the highly publicized health consequences, some college students do not perceive tobacco consumption as harmful. Historically-Black College and Universities (HBCUs) have the lowest rates of tobacco-free policies compared to other colleges, universities, and minority-serving institutions, making their students at higher risk for tobacco abuse. A campus Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Committee (ATDP) was formed and led by a pharmacist to develop all tobacco cessation policies at the HBCU. OBJECTIVES: (1) To determine the knowledge and attitudes of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and hookah among college students in a rural area with high tobacco usage; (2) To assess perceptions on the effectiveness of smoking cessation resources on the college campus led by the ATDP committee. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 99 students between 18 - 26 years attending a HBCU in Maryland. The online survey was disseminated to assess student's health behaviors and attitudes towards tobacco products and their successfulness in abstinence using campus resources with the Health Belief Model. RESULTS: Participants had more perceived harms with smoking tobacco (cigarettes and cigars) and smokeless tobacco, and greater perceived benefits with using electronic cigarettes and hookah (P < 0.001). Most students had limited knowledge of the four tobacco categories (5.8 ± 2.6 on a 10-point Likert scale). Self-efficacy to quit was 4.2 ± 1.7 on a 10-point Likert scale despite the current resources at the HBCU. CONCLUSION: Students had a perceived benefits sequential rank order with hookah, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, followed by smoking tobacco. Campuses should investigate barriers for abstinence, raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco, and create programs that enhance self-efficacy when quitting. INNOVATION AND PRACTICE IMPLICATION: This is the first study of its kind that compares all major tobacco products head-to-head in a rural and underrepresented population. Additionally, the development of a campus-wide tobacco policy was novel as it was pharmacist-led. The results show this population has limited knowledge of tobacco products with more perceived benefits among newer nicotine delivery systems. Targeted education and public health programs should be implemented to prevent this susceptible group from initiating and continuing tobacco products.

Good Literacy to Enhance Response in Diabetes Mellitus (GLITTER-DM).

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of individualized communication strategies and self-management action plans to improve A1c control at 3 months in patients with low health literacy. METHODS: A prospective, open-labeled, pilot study was conducted on 23 patients with diabetes mellitus in a pharmacist-led ambulatory care clinic. Patients who had a Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine- Revised (REALM-R) score of 6 or less and an A1c greater than 7% upon study entry were included. The first group received the teach-back method, personalized actions, and follow-up phone calls to assess comprehension (N = 12). The second group was assigned to usual care (N = 11). RESULTS: Patients receiving literacy-appropriate interventions had greater A1c percent reduction (A1c difference of -2.0 ± 1.3 vs -1.0 ± 2.2; P = 0.02) and less hyperglycemic events per week (0.1 vs. 2.1; P = 0.04). There were no differences in the number of hypoglycemic events, testing frequency, medication-adherence rates, or hospitalizations and emergency room visits related to diabetes. CONCLUSION: Literacy-appropriate methods such as the teach-back method, personalized action plans, and telephone follow-ups may improve glycemic control in low health literate patients with diabetes. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS AND INNOVATIONS: The findings from this study suggest that pharmacists may improve diabetes outcomes when managing patients who possess low health literacy using simplified teaching methods.

Using simplistic simulations to enhance learning in a nephrology pharmacotherapeutics module.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a simplistic simulation exercise in a nephrology module on pharmacy students' learning in a three-year concentrated curriculum. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Second year pharmacy students participated in a two-part simulation on electrolyte imbalances and dialysis in a nephrology pharmacotherapeutics module. Students completed a seven-item anonymous survey at the end of the simulation on a five-point Likert scale to examine the effect of the simulation and their attitudes to the exercise. Additionally, exam scores were assessed at the end of the module to measure learning. FINDINGS: A total of 65 students completed the activity. Seventy-eight percent of students agreed that the simulation was a valuable learning experience and 76.9% reported that the simulations gave them real-world knowledge. Exam scores in the group who performed the simulations were higher on the assessment compared to those without the experience (p < 0.01) DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY: Participation in the simulation had positive effects on students' attitudes, learning, and exam scores. This experience was a successful active-learning method for enhancing learning in pharmacy education.

Academic-Community Partnership for Medical Missions: Lessons Learned and Practical Guidance for Global Health Service-Learning Experiences.

To facilitate an academic-community partnership for sustainable medical mis-sions, a 12-step process was created for an interprofessional, global health educational, and service-learning experience for students and faculty in a school of pharmacy and health professions. Lessons learned and practical guidance are provided to implement similar global health opportunities.