The catalyst for change in teaching and assessing virtual laboratory skills

Skills laboratory faculty job satisfaction: Effects of high-contact teaching and the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study is to describe the workload responsibilities and job satisfaction of skills laboratory faculty, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

School of pharmacy (SOP) skills laboratory faculty were surveyed in fall 2021 to gather information on workload responsibilities and job satisfaction, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative data were reported using descriptive statistics and, when appropriate, student t-tests were used to compare responses from before and during COVID-19. Qualitative data were coded for themes by two investigators with a third investigator used to reach consensus.

RESULTS

A total of 45 skills laboratory faculty from 44 of 142 SOP responded to the survey. Faculty reported an average percent effort of 43.9% laboratory teaching, 13.9% non-laboratory teaching, 12.8% service, 6.5% administration, 12.5% patient care, and 10.4% scholarship. Overall job satisfaction decreased from before COVID-19 to during COVID-19, and faculty members' satisfaction specifically with their laboratory role decreased from 7.5 to 6.6 (P = .003). Several themes were identified when respondents described what they loved most about teaching in the laboratory as well as the challenges associated, the majority of which were personnel, resources, and time.

CONCLUSIONS

Skills laboratory faculty reported a high number of laboratory courses coordinated each year along with many hours dedicated each week to prepare and conduct skills laboratory activities. While the pandemic is over, the unique aspects of coordinating student-centered courses likely requires more support for skills laboratory faculty members to avoid burnout and improve job satisfaction.

Transition from in-person to telehealth standardized patient encounters: A retrospective analysis of 18 cases

INTRODUCTION

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many pedagogical activities shifted from in-person to virtual modalities, including standardized patient (SP) encounters. While many academic institutions may not have previously been conducting SP encounters virtually, this change provided student pharmacists with new opportunities to learn and practice telehealth techniques, which are important with the continuously evolving healthcare landscape.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed pharmacy student performance on and perceptions of SP cases in fall 2019 (in-person) and fall 2020 (telehealth) semesters. The primary objective was to compare average total scores on SP cases from fall 2019 (in-person) and fall 2020 (telehealth) for first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students (P1, P2, and P3, respectively). Secondary objectives were to compare average scores from case-specific and relationship and communication (R&C) checklists, as well as to describe student perceptions of the pedagogy.

RESULTS

Total scores on SP cases decreased from in-person to telehealth for the average of all P1 SP cases, but not for P2 or P3 cases. Case-specific scores did not change, but R&C scores decreased significantly across all three years. Student survey data revealed difficulty with communicating effectively and building rapport via telehealth.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, student performance on in-person vs. telehealth SP encounters was similar, though P1 students performed more poorly on SP cases conducted via telehealth compared to P2 or P3 students. Thus, faculty could consider focusing on in-person encounters for early learners before introducing virtual encounters. This study also highlights the difficulty in establishing rapport when communicating with patients via telehealth.