Do You Have Any ID? Exploring Opinions and Understanding of Year 4 MPharm Students on Professional Identity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate Year 4 Master of Pharmacy students' understanding and sense of professional identity (PI) and explore the factors that positively and negatively impact PI formation in the undergraduate program. METHODS: Three focus groups were conducted in January 2022 with 5-8 participants per group. Audio from the focus groups was recorded and recordings were transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to construct themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Four themes, with associated subthemes, were generated. The themes were 'Understanding PI', 'Experience of Master of Pharmacy degree', 'Interaction and comparison with others,' and 'Development of self'. CONCLUSION: Participant understanding of PI reflected the wider literature, including ambiguity as to what it means to a pharmacist in training. The lens of legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice was used to reflect on curricular and educational approaches to support undergraduate PI formation. Participants expressed that patient-focused learning experiences and opportunities to participate in authentic professional activities alongside peers and more experienced members of the pharmacy community positively contribute to PI formation. This suggests that a sociocultural perspective where learning is viewed as legitimate peripheral participation in a community of practice provides a valid theoretical basis to underpin curriculum design.

Aortoenteric fistula: a diagnostic dilemma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of aortoenteric fistula (AEF) and to determine the most accurate CT signs of the disease. METHODS: Hospital records were reviewed over a 20-year period. Twenty-three patients in whom a final diagnosis of AEF was made at laparotomy or autopsy were identified. Ten of these had CT performed. Twelve control cases were also collected. The 22 cases, (10 cases of AEF and 12 controls), were reviewed retrospectively by two independent readers, who were blinded to the clinical features and outcome. Each case was examined for six specific radiological findings. The outcome of other adopted investigative modalities was also examined. RESULTS: The presence of peri-aortic ectopic gas (>2 weeks following surgery) in the context of gastrointestinal (GI) blood loss was 100% specific for AEF. If AEF was considered to be present where signs of peri-aortic infection were present in a patient with GI bleeding, CT had an overall specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval = 1.0-1.0) and sensitivity of 50%. CONCLUSION: CT can rule in the diagnosis of AEF but cannot rule it out. CT is recommended as the first-line investigation in a stable patient with suspected AEF.