Pharmapreneur – Defining a Framework for Entrepreneurship in Pharmacy Education

Abstract

Objective. To determine the role of entrepreneurism within the broader missions of schools of pharmacy and develop an educational framework to produce pharmacist entrepreneurs. Methods. Following a systematic review and six semi-structured interviews, a three-round Delphi process was conducted with an expert panel comprised of successful entrepreneurs, pharmacy faculty members and administrators, students, and community members. Participants were asked about the role of entrepreneurship in a pharmacy school's mission, how they would define a pharmacist entrepreneur, and to identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) expected to be successful as a pharmacist entrepreneur. A model for entrepreneur education was also developed in accordance with Bloom's taxonomy. Participant agreement and rankings were reported. Results. Based on the semi-structured interviews and the results from the Delphi process, the following framework for a pharmacist entrepreneur was proposed along with a list of KSAs: identifies, creates, and pursues new opportunities; successfully implements new ideas into practice; is willing to take risks; fills unmet needs; creates new value through innovation; is responsive to change; makes sacrifices; includes social and intrapreneurship; leverages existing knowledge, skills, and resources; goes beyond traditional roles for pharmacists; and improves patient care. Recommendations for entrepreneurship instruction, guided by Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive processes, were created. Conclusion. According to our expert panel, a pharmacist entrepreneur combines several characteristics identified with a more traditional entrepreneur construct with the characteristics of an individual devoted to achieving outcomes beyond one's personal gain. Additional research to inform implementation and assessment of entrepreneurship within pharmacy curricula would provide more specific guidance for instructional design and accreditation evaluations.