Pharmacy Training Research Articles

Effect of different formats for information on side effects regarding medicine users’ understanding: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveThe objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of presenting information on the risks of side effects from a medicine, presented in different formats. MethodsA randomized, parallel-group, single-center controlled trial was conducted among adult users of a training pharmacy. The information was categorized into the following groups: verbal descriptors+percentage range, percentage range and absolute percentage. The main outcomes were gist understanding and verbatim understanding, classified either as adequate or inadequate. The analyses were performed using ANOVA and Pearson’s chi-square test. ResultsA total of 393 participants were recruited from June to October 2015. Adequate levels of gist understanding and verbatim understanding were respectively 65.6% and 53.9% for the verbal descriptors+percentage range (n=128), 63.4% and 44.3% for percentage range (n=131), and 62.3% and 48.5% for absolute percentage (n=131), with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.852 and p=0.299, respectively). ConclusionThe understanding of the information was similar in all three formats, but the percentages of adequate understanding were low. Practical implicationsThe percentage of inadequate understanding demonstrated in this study indicates that alternative formats for reporting adverse reactions need to be evaluated.

Engaging Pharmacy Students in Research Through Near-Peer Training

Objective. To describe the implementation of a near-peer training model within a student research program. Methods. A near-peer training model was implemented in a pharmacy student research program to promote development of effective teaching skills and research competencies. Under the supervision of a research mentor, senior learners precepted junior learners in various aspects of translational research. A three-step teaching process was employed throughout the experience in which junior learners performed an assigned task, senior learners provided guidance and mentorship, and research mentors provided feedback for improvement. Results. A total of 43 pharmacy trainees have participated in the student research program; each year of involvement now averages 15 to 18 students. The program has been responsible for almost 100 poster presentations at national meetings and more than 20 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. Funding through intramural grants and scholarships to compensate for conference expenses and other functions has also been awarded. Conclusion. Near-peer teaching supports a tiered-research model under the supervision of a research mentor. For health care systems and colleges of pharmacy with established research programs or those seeking to implement new programs, near-peer teaching appears to be a promising strategy to promote the development of research competencies in pharmacist trainees.

Pharmacy Practice and Education in the Czech Republic.

The PHARMINE (“Pharmacy Education in Europe”) project studied the organisation of pharmacy education, practice and legislation in the European Union (EU) with the objectives of evaluating to what degree harmonisation had taken place with the EU, and producing documents on each individual EU member state. Part of this work was in the form of a survey of pharmacy education, practice, and legislation in the various member states. We will publish the individual member state surveys as reference documents. This paper presents the results of the PHARMINE survey on pharmacy education, training, and practice in the Czech Republic. Czech community pharmacies sell and provide advice on Rx and Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines; they also provide diagnostic services (e.g., blood pressure measurement). Pharmacists (lékárník in Czech) study for five years and graduate with a Magister (Mgr., equivalent to M.Pharm.) degree. The Mgr. diploma is the only requirement for registration as a pharmacist. Pharmacists can own and manage community pharmacies, or work as responsible pharmacists in pharmacies. All practising pharmacists must be registered with the Czech Chamber of Pharmacists. The ownership of a community pharmacy is not restricted to members of the pharmacy profession; the majority of pharmacies are organised into various pharmacy chains. There are two universities providing higher education in pharmacy in the Czech Republic: the Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, which was established in 1969, and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, which was established in 1991. The pharmacy curriculum is organized as a seamless, fully integrated, five-year master degree course. There is a six-month traineeship supervised by the university, which usually takes place during the fifth year. Thus, the pharmacy curriculum is organised in accordance with the EU directive on sectoral professions that lays down the imperatives for pharmacy education, training, and practice in the various member states of the EU. Currently, no specialisation courses are available at the university level. Specialisation is organised in the form of postgraduate, continuing professional development by the Czech Chamber of Pharmacists, and delivered by the Institute of Postgraduate Education for Health Professions.

Should Pharmacy Technicians Administer Immunizations?

Purpose. To describe the potential role for pharmacy technicians in administering immunizations – limited for this discussion to specifically inserting the needle into the patient’s arm and pressing down on the plunger – at the discretion of a supervising pharmacist as a way to enhance patient care and workflow efficiency.
 Summary. Pharmacy technicians currently play an important role in facilitating pharmacy-based immunization programs. Technicians routinely perform non-clinical tasks related to pharmacy-based immunizations, though nearly all states prohibit technicians from administering vaccines. Several studies demonstrate that untrained laypersons can safely administer intranasal or intradermal vaccines, and laypersons routinely administer medications through intramuscular or subcutaneous routes (e.g., patients with diabetes or rheumatic conditions). It stands to reason that a trained pharmacy technician could perform comparably on these techniques that laypersons have mastered. One state has adopted rules to allow pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations if the technician has completed specific training on administration techniques and on basic life support. This task is performed at the discretion of the supervising pharmacist, and the pharmacist would still be responsible for clinical aspects of immunizing such as prescribing the right vaccine to the right patient. Additional considerations factoring into the decision as to whether or not to involve pharmacy technicians in immunization administration are also summarized.
 Conclusion. If safety can be reasonably assured through training and supervision, it may be appropriate to delegate vaccine administration to appropriately trained pharmacy technicians. Such delegation may enhance workflow efficiency, which may confer added value for patient care and potentially improve access to community pharmacy-based immunizations.
 
 Type: Commentary

Evaluation of a Process Monitoring Method for Compounding Parenteral Nutrition with the Baxter EM2400 in a Hospital Pharmacy Department

AbstractBackgroundA method for process monitoring of the Baxter ACD, Exactamix EM2400, by chemically analyzing the concentrations of the ingredients in parenteral nutrition test preparations was evaluated.MethodsIn the study, three different test preparations were developed consisting of four ingredients varying in volume and concentration, which simulated actual PN products. Each test preparation was produced in triplicate by a trained pharmacy technician using the Exactamix EM2400 from Baxter (Baxter International Inc.). The process was repeated on three consecutive days using the same conditions. The amount of each ingredient in the test preparation was measured in an external contract laboratory using European Pharmacopoeia methods. Based on USP monographies and the Guidelines on the Safe Use of Automated Compounding Devices for the Preparation of Parenteral Nutrition from the ASHP the device was tested to be accurate to deliver within 5 % of the amount programmed.ResultsThe study showed that in most cases the ingredient delivery of the automated compounder deviated less than 3 % from the expected concentrations. For certain ingredients out of specification results were detected and analyzed. By resetting the flow factor, it was possible to optimize the performance of the ACD.ConclusionThe study emphasizes the need for process monitoring of the Exactamix EM2400 during the initial installation and on a regular basis for each ingredient to ensure the accurate delivery of ingredients. Further methods need to be analyzed to determine the most feasible method to regularly conduct process monitoring tests on an ACD in a hospital pharmacy setting.

Tracing the prescription journey: a qualitative evaluation of an interprofessional simulation-based learning activity

BackgroundIn many countries across the world, the majority of prescribing occurs within the community setting. Close collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists is required to ensure effective therapeutic treatment of patients, whilst minimising prescribing and dispensing errors. Despite the need to work collaboratively, medical and pharmacy training is often unilateral. Interprofessional education (IPE) and simulation-based education (SBE) are teaching approaches widely used by healthcare professionals to foster collaborative practice. At Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), an innovative IPE activity was developed for medical and pharmacy undergraduate students that aimed to develop a greater understanding of their roles and duties in community prescribing and dispensing. This study set out to evaluate the impact of such a SBE activity on students’ attitudes towards collaborative practice in prescribing and dispensing medication in the community.MethodsInterprofessional groups of year 3 pharmacy (n = 10) and year 4 medical (n = 9) students took part in a SBE activity. This focused on the IPE team clinically assessing, diagnosing, writing prescriptions, dispensing medication(s) and counselling a simulated patient (in a simulated practice and pharmacy setting). Using a questioning guide, four focus groups of medical and pharmacy students were used to evaluate their attitudes towards the simulated IPE activity. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed iteratively using thematic analysis.ResultsFour main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) IPE simulation activity: creating a broader learning experience; (2) patient-centred practice: a shared understanding; (3) professional skills: explored and shared; and (4) professional roles: a journey of discovery, respect and stereotypes.ConclusionsStudents broadened their knowledge of each other’s expertise in skills and clinical roles whilst working together. Furthermore, students valued the opportunity to strengthen cooperation with their future colleagues with the shared goal of improving patient-centred care.

CLINICAL PHARMACY IN GALLE SRI LANKA, COLLABORATION AND FRIENDSHIP

Pharmacy undergraduate courses in Ruhuna, while is more practice focus than many of the other courses in Sri Lanka, it is still missing clinical pharmacy elements. Collaboration between academic staff from Ruhuna University and two international clinical pharmacy academics was established in 2014. The aim of this paper is to report on a clinical pharmacy training program, delivered by the international academics and supported by the Sri Lankan academics to pharmacy students in 2015-2016. After short conceptualisation lecture on each topic, there was a workshop which was structured as team case-based learning progressive case studies. Topics included mental health, pharmacokinetics, interpreting laboratory results, parenteral drug compatibility, special hospital compounding and medication review, of which all were assessed in the final examination. Student found team based learning to be engaging and enabled them to independently and critically think in a safe environment and preferable over the traditional lectures.

Management of common ailments requiring referral in the pharmacy: a mystery shopping intervention study.

Background Pharmacists can play a key role in managing ailments through their primary roles of supplying over-the-counter (non-prescription) medicines and advice-giving. It must be ensured that pharmacy staff practise in an evidence-based, guideline-compliant manner. To achieve this, mystery shopping can be used as an intervention to assess and train pharmacy staff. Objective To determine if repeated student pharmacist mystery shopping with immediate feedback affected the outcome of scenarios requiring referral to a medical practitioner. To determine what, if any, factors may influence whether referral occurred. Setting Thirteen community pharmacies across metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Methods Sixty-one student pharmacist mystery shoppers visited 13 community pharmacies across metropolitan Sydney once weekly over nine weeks between March-October 2015 to conduct audio-recorded mystery shopping visits with assigned scenarios (asthma, dyspepsia, diarrhoea). Students returned to the pharmacy immediately to provide staff members with feedback. Pharmacy staff were scored by mystery shoppers according to a standardised scoresheet. Score data and other characteristics, such as the assigned scenario, were analysed via correlation and logistic regression modelling. Main outcome measure Whether a student mystery shopper was appropriately referred to a medical practitioner based on the presenting symptoms. Results 158 visits were eligible for analysis. Referral to a medical practitioner was appropriately made in 66% of visits. The regression model provided an R2 value of 0.73; the questioning score of the interaction and if a pharmacist was involved in the interaction were significant predictor of appropriate outcome (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 respectively). Statistically significant differences were found between median questioning and total scores of interactions involving a pharmacist compared to those that did not (p < 0.001). No statistically significant correlation was found between the number of visits and appropriate outcome (p > 0.05). Conclusions Mystery shopping with feedback did not improve pharmacy staff performance over time. Increased questioning and involvement of a pharmacist in the interaction were significant predictors of referral to a medical practitioner occurring.

A qualitative case study of ehealth and digital literacy experiences of pharmacy staff.

eHealth's many forms are benchmarked by the World Health Organization. Scotland is considered an advanced adopter of ehealth. The third global survey on ehealth includes pharmacy-related ehealth indicators. Advances in ehealth place an obligation on pharmacy staff to demonstrate proficiency, or digital literacy, in using ehealth technologies. The aim of this study was to provide an indepth exploration of the ehealth and digital literacy experiences of pharmacy staff in the North East of Scotland. A qualitative local case study approach was adopted for observational and interview activities in community and hospital pharmacies. Interview and observational data were collated and analysed using a framework approach. This study gained management approval from the local health board following ethical review by the sponsor university. Nineteen pharmacies and staff (n=94) participated including two hospitals. Most participants were female (n=82), aged 29 years and younger (n=34) with less than 5 years pharmacy experience (n=49). Participants identified their own digital literacy as basic. Most of the pharmacies had minimum levels of technology implemented (n=15). Four themes (technology, training, usability, processes) were inducted from the data, coded and modelled with illustrative quotes. Scotland is aspirational in seeking to support the developing role of pharmacy practice with ehealth, however, evidence to date shows most pharmacy staff work with minimum levels of technology. The self-reported lack of digital literacy and often mentioned lack of confidence in using IT suggest pharmacy staff need support and training. Informal work based digital literacy development of the pharmacy team is self-limiting. Usability of ehealth technology could be a key element of its' acceptability. There is potential to better engage with ehealth process efficiencies in both hospital and community pharmacy. As Scotland increasingly invests in ehealth pharmacy technology, it is important that it also invests in pharmacy staff training.

Use of an Innovative Interprofessional Mini-Series Movie to Train Preceptors

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the innovative “Preceptor Mini-Series: Adventures in Interprofessional Precepting” movie program in training pharmacy preceptors on interprofessional competencies and to determine pharmacy preceptors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the Mini-Series format.&#x0D; Methods: Chronicled by two preceptor experts, the Mini-Series movie follows the challenges of pharmacy, nursing, and medicine students and their preceptor during six-week experiential rotations. Pharmacy preceptors were invited to events held at movie theatres or local classrooms in three different cities. Participants were asked to provide basic demographic information and answer four “pre-program” and “post-program” survey questions focused on working in an interprofessional environment on a 5 point scale, 1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree. The post-program survey also included six additional questions to assess participant’s attitudes toward the effectiveness of this medium.&#x0D; Results: Fifty-eight (58) individuals attended the movie events. The majority had more than ten years of preceptor experience (n = 21, 36.2%), were female preceptors (n = 40, 69.0%), and practiced in an interprofessional environment (n = 48, 82.8%). The participants’ scores on all four interprofessional confidence level questions were significantly increased after viewing the Mini-Series movie and the overall mean increased from 4.47 (pre-confidence level) to 4.79 (post-confidence level, p &lt; 0.001). There were no significant differences of confidence levels based on gender, location, or number of students a preceptor took on rotation each year. However, participants with fewer years of preceptor experience (0-10 years) had a significantly higher perceived learning score than those with more preceptor experience (&gt;10 years) (4.89 vs. 4.63, p = 0.020). The mean for satisfaction (4.9, 3 questions) was slightly higher than the means for perceived learning (4.8, 1 question), and instructional approach (4.87, 3 questions).&#x0D; Implications: After program completion, pharmacy preceptors indicated an increase in confidence level for precepting in an interprofessional environment. The Mini-Series movie program also yielded positive feedback on its delivery format and suggests the medium may be effective to use for similar future training initiatives.&#x0D; Conflict of Interest&#x0D; The authors report no conflicts of interest or financial incentives to disclose related to this project. Dr. Craig D. Cox conceptualized, developed, and directed the Mini-Seriesprogram described in the manuscript. All funding for and all income generated by the program studied is the property of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy.&#x0D; &#x0D; Type: Original Research

Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Consultation Visits at Ministry of Health Hospitals in Saudi Arabia: Clinical Pharmacy Services and Pharmacy Workforce

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background</strong>: Pharmacy practice residency program (PPRG) is one of a major professional degree in Saudi Arabia. The residency is very high demand in the pharmacy market. The clinical pharmacist required to visit hospitals to improve the services and start the program. <strong>Objective:</strong> The goal of this study to explore the value of clinical pharmacist consultation visit with emphasis on clinical pharmacy services (CPS) and pharmacy education and training (PET) at Ministry of Health hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. <strong>Methods:</strong> It is a twelve months cohort study of a regular visit to three major hospitals included public, pediatrics with maternity and emergency specialties at Riyadh region. The assessment used based on Saudi hospital pharmacy standards, MOH pharmacy strategic plan, and the 6-points Likert assessment scale system before the study and by the end of the study. The total number of finished projects were eighteen projects divided between CPS (twelve projects) and PET (six projects). <strong>Results:</strong> The improvements range changes in CPS from 16.7% to 100% with average positive improvement 48%. In the PET the improvements range changes were 32.8% to 100% with average positive changes was 85%. The highest score of the projects of CPS was an assessment of pharmacy services, assessment of emergency pharmacy services, and assessment of critical pharmacy services. The maximum score of the projects of PET was doing an interview with hiring a new pharmacist, train drug Information for staff pharmacist, and apply on the job training for the new pharmacist. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The pharmacist showed practical significance impact on the clinical pharmacy services and pharmacy education and training in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. The increasing number of consultation visit with regular evaluation is necessary to keep continues pharmacy improvement at all hospital pharmacies. <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Key words:</strong> Impact, Clinical Pharmacist, Hospital Pharmacy, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.

Patient Safety Interprofessional Training for Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Students.

Patient safety education is required in medical, nursing, and pharmacy training, and interprofessional education offers an ideal format for teaching the core concepts of patient safety. This training activity was developed to fulfill interprofessional education core competencies for communication and teamwork and was nested within a required patient safety course taught at a medical school. However, the activity can easily be adapted as a stand-alone offering that can be included in a preclinical doctoring course, offered as an elective, or hosted at a college of nursing or pharmacy. Our goal was to prepare learners for the clinical environment by providing a context for patient safety, communication, and teamwork. Students participate in a 1.5-hour large-group activity that explores a case from the perspectives of each discipline. Faculty from all three disciplines sequentially present and debrief the case using focused questions to guide students' reflections and interactions between team members. We have presented this activity for 4 consecutive years. Students complete a questionnaire with retrospective pre-post ratings of their perspectives on the activity and its impact on their awareness of disciplinary roles and responsibilities, communication errors, and strategies for addressing interdisciplinary conflicts. Results show statistically significant increases in the items of interest. This interprofessional education offering is effective in terms of increasing awareness and knowledge among members of three health care disciplines, improving awareness of potential kinds of communication errors, and helping students consider the role of interdisciplinary interactions.

Interprofessional objective structured teaching exercise (iOSTE) to train preceptors

Background and purposeInterprofessional education (IPE) is important in the education of all health care students, yet limited IPE training has been provided to preceptors who train these students in the clinical setting. Simulation using the standardized student model has been used to train health care preceptors in medicine. To our knowledge, there are no reports utilizing interprofessional objective structured teaching exercises (iOSTE) to train pharmacy preceptors. The primary objectives of this pilot study were to evaluate the effects of iOSTE on the pharmacy preceptors’ perceived importance of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies and confidence in precepting interprofessional students. Additionally, data were collected regarding pharmacy preceptors' prior experiences in simulation and debriefing. Educational activity and settingPreceptors (n=23) participated in an iOSTE and debriefed with trained standardized nursing and pharmacy students caring for a trained standardized asthma patient. FindingsPre- versus post-iOSTE survey data showed statistically significant improvements in all self-confidence related items, including the following abilities: precept students from different disciplines (p=0.004), facilitate a simulation activity (p=0.001), conduct the debriefing process (p<0.001), and discuss with students the IPE core competencies (p=0.001). Additionally, responses to post-iOSTE survey questions assessing the learning activity showed high ratings (median=5, interquartile range=4 to 5). Pharmacy preceptors increased their teaching ability and confidence level in communicating with students from other health care professions. SummaryThese findings indicate that iOSTE is a useful and well-received method for preceptor development.

Point-of-Care Testing for Anemia, Diabetes, and Hypertension: A Pharmacy-Based Model in Lima, Peru

BackgroundPrevention and control of chronic diseases is a high priority for many low- and middle-income countries. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of training pharmacy workers to provide point-of-care testing for 3 chronic diseases—hypertension, diabetes, and anemia—to improve disease detection and awareness through private pharmacies. MethodsWe developed a multiphase training curriculum for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to build capacity for identification of risk factors, patient education, point-of-care testing, and referral for abnormal results. We conducted a pre-post evaluation with participants and evaluated results using Student t test for proportions. We conducted point-of-care testing with pharmacy clients and evaluated acceptability by patient characteristics (age, gender, and type of patient) using multiple logistic regression. ResultsIn total, 72 pharmacy workers (66%) completed the full training curriculum. Pretest scores indicated that pharmacists had more knowledge and skills in chronic disease risk factors, patient education, and testing than pharmacy technicians. All participants improved their knowledge and skills after the training, and post-test scores indicated that pharmacy technicians achieved the same level of competency as pharmacists (P < .01). Additionally, 698 clients received at least 1 test during the study; 53% completed the acceptability survey. Nearly 100% thought the pharmacy could provide faster results, faster and better attention, and better access to basic screening for hypertension, diabetes, and anemia than a traditional health center. Fast service was very important: 41% ranked faster results and 30% ranked faster attention as the most important factor for receiving diagnostic testing in the pharmacy. DiscussionWe found that it is both feasible for pharmacies and acceptable to clients to train pharmacy workers to provide point-of-care testing for anemia, diabetes, and hypertension. This innovative approach holds potential to increase early detection of risk factors and bolster disease prevention and management efforts in Peru and other low- and middle-income settings.

Perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists toward professional ethics and ethical dilemmas in the workplace.

Formal training in pharmacy ethics is relatively new in Croatia, and the professional code of ethics is more than 20 years old. Very little is known about how practicing pharmacists implement ethical considerations and relevant professional guidelines in their work. This study aimed to provide the first description of the perceptions and attitudes of Croatian community pharmacists toward ethics in pharmacy practice, how often they face certain ethical dilemmas and how they resolve them. A cross-sectional survey of 252 community pharmacists, including community pharmacists and pre-licensing trainees, was conducted in Zagreb, Croatia. This group accounts for 18% of licensed pharmacists in Croatia. The survey questions included four sections: general sociodemographic information, multiple-choice questions, pre-defined ethical scenarios, and ethical scenarios filled in by respondents. More than half of pharmacists (62.7%) face ethical dilemmas in everyday work. Nearly all (94.4%) are familiar with the current professional code of ethics in Croatia, but only 47.6% think that the code reflects the changes that the pharmacy profession faces today. Most pharmacists (83.3%) solve ethical dilemmas on their own, while nearly the same proportion (75.4%) think that they are not adequately trained to deal with ethical dilemmas. The pre-defined ethical scenarios experienced by the largest proportion of pharmacists are being asked to dispense a drug to someone other than the patient (93.3%), an unnecessary over-the-counter medicine (84.3%), a generic medicine clinically equivalent to the prescribed one (79.4%), or hormonal contraception over the counter (70.4%). The results demonstrate a need to improve formal pharmacy ethics education and training in how to assess ethical issues and make appropriate decisions, which implies the need for stronger collaboration between pharmacists and their professional association. Our results also highlight an urgent need to revise and update the Croatian code of ethics for pharmacists.

Making the most of advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

Colleges of pharmacy are asked to produce graduates who are prepared to contribute to patient care directly through collaborations with other healthcare providers.1 Advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) provide student pharmacists with opportunities to grow their knowledge, develop professionally, and apply skills acquired throughout their pharmacy training. Education in experiential environments facilitates the development of a “practice-ready” and “team-ready” individual through increased exposure to new areas of pharmacy, often alongside other healthcare professionals, while solidifying the foundation in areas of practice and knowledge already experienced. APPEs challenge students to grow in areas such as patient care, literature evaluation, oral presentations, and dissemination of written work. Each new experience provides a multitude of opportunities for students, and it is our hope that this guide will assist students along their journey. How APPEs can differ. Qualities and components of APPEs may vary among colleges of pharmacy. Two differences are the duration of the APPEs (e.g., 1 calendar month or 4–6 weeks) and the duration of APPEs in the college’s curriculum (e.g., 9–16 months). Other factors students may consider when requesting APPEs are the location and the variety of practice sites available. APPEs at academic medical centers may provide a greater breadth and depth of clinical, direct patient care opportunities and unique cases compared with other practice sites. In addition, the number of preceptors qualified and available to precept students may vary among colleges and may include residents as preceptors or copreceptors. Some colleges of pharmacy have a “track” or “block” program that allows a student to spend a significant portion or all of his or her APPEs at a single site. These programs help reduce the time the student and practice site must spend acclimating to each other and allow for efficiency in student learning and productivity. Students in these programs may be able to receive more individualized, longitudinal mentor-ship but often accept that the quality or quantity of their performance and assignments are met with higher expectations from preceptors. Some institutions view these programs as “mini-residencies” because of the clinical practice, service, and research components that many contain. This format may be attractive to students who are considering postgraduate training or who may be unable to complete postgraduate training but desire a challenging APPE year in preparation for their entry into the job market.2

Workshop: Doctoral training in social pharmacy – Enhancing networking and sharing resources to improve quality of social pharmacy research

Workshop: Doctoral training in social pharmacy – Enhancing networking and sharing resources to improve quality of social pharmacy research

Teaching health-care trainees empathy and homelessness IQ through service learning, reflective practice, and altruistic attribution.

This article describes a novel inter-professional curriculum designed to address the needs of homeless patients in a Midwestern region of the United States which has high rates of poverty. The curriculum is intended for healthcare trainees coming from undergraduate pre-medical programs, nursing, pharmacy, social work, clinical psychology, medical school and post-graduate medical training in family medicine, medicine-pediatrics, and psychiatry. The clinical component is specifically designed to reach destitute patients and the curriculum is structured to reverse commonly held myths about homelessness among the trainees, thereby improving their Homelessness Information Quotient, the ability to more fully understand homelessness. Participants across all disciplines and specialties have shown greater empathy and helper behavior as determined by qualitative measures. Learners have also developed a greater understanding of health-care systems allowing them to more consistently address social determinants of health identified by the authors as their Disparity Information Quotient. This article outlines the process of initiating a homeless service program, a curriculum for addressing common myths about homelessness and the effective use of narrative methods, relational connections, and reflective practice to enable trainees to process their experience and decrease burnout by focusing on the value of altruism and finding meaning in their work.

Reformation and construction of pharmacotherapeutics curriculum

In order to cultivate clinical pharmacy undergraduates to have better quality, Chongqing Medical University collaborated with The University of Chicago and University of Cincinnati in the reform of the course of pharmacotherapeutics. We build pharmacotherapeutics series curriculum with the center of disease, construct department of clinical pharmacy for transnational departments, build course leader and teaching team of pharmacotherapeutics series curriculum, compile teaching program and its material of pharmacotherapeutics series curriculum, build pharmacotherapeutics series curriculum and teaching model in line with the current direction of China’s education system of clinical pharmacy training, reform teaching methods, and strengthen clinical pharmacy practice and community clinical pharmacy education. Key words: Pharmacotherapeutics; Curriculum; Reformation; Construction; Clinical pharmacy

Criteria for evaluating global health partnerships in colleges of pharmacy and health sciences

Background and purposeThe demand for international experiences as part of education and training for healthcare providers continues to increase. As schools/colleges of pharmacy increase training opportunities in global health, there is a demand for a strategic way to evaluate opportunities. Evaluation tools can be utilized to facilitate this type of assessment. Educational activity and settingThe purpose of this article is to highlight two different international experiential education site evaluation tools, discuss lessons learned when applying these tools in the field, and outline steps for a college of pharmacy to create their own tool to meet institution specific needs. FindingsThe involvement of key stakeholders is important to developing an evaluation tool. Identification and prioritization of key criteria for assessing partnerships is essential. There are many criteria and each institution may consider a unique set of criteria, the most appropriate way to evaluate these, and who should be completing this evaluation. Discussion and summaryAn evaluation tool may serve as a framework of discussion for new and existing international partnerships. The use of a global partnership evaluation tool allows for a more consistent discussion when deciding if the partnership is appropriate for both parties, helps the involved faculty know what criteria are required to be evaluated and outlines what resources should be considered.