Looking Ahead to 2030: Survey of Evolving Needs in Pharmacy Education

Qualitative Analysis of Mental Health Stressors Among Pharmacy and Medical Students Between 2009 and 2020

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to identify and compare stressors between pharmacy and medical students that may lead to poor mental health outcomes and decreased quality of professional medical care.

METHODS

We used an inductive reflexive thematic analysis to interpret free-text responses from a stress and depression survey administered to pharmacy and medical students between 2009 and 2020 at a single public university. The inductive process involved several steps, including data familiarization, coding, and theme development. Two of the authors independently coded the data and presented their findings to the research team. After reaching a consensus, the data were recoded according to the new interpretation. Theme generation involved grouping codes into overarching ideas that provided a narrative.

RESULTS

Five major themes emerged among both cohorts: constant overwhelming pressure, stressors of an interpersonal relationship, internal battle with oneself, financial burden, and postgraduation anxiety and uncertainty. Constant overwhelming pressure, stresses of an interpersonal relationship, and internal battle with oneself were the 3 most frequent themes identified. One notable stressor observed only among pharmacy students was having an internship during their training years.

CONCLUSION

Addressing the well-being of pharmacy and medical students early in training is crucial. Despite the different pharmacy and medical school curricula, it was evident that both cohorts faced similar stressors. This study identified specific stressors among pharmacy and medical students that can help health professional programs develop initiatives to support student well-being.

A longitudinal exploration of perceptions of pharmacy practice preparedness among graduating pharmacy students and preceptors

Graduating student pharmacists who are practice-ready is an essential responsibility of pharmacy programs and heavily emphasized by Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE), pharmacy education's accrediting body. Although several studies have examined students' readiness to engage in advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE), few studies examine graduating students' readiness to practice. The objective of this study was to examine national trends in graduating pharmacy students' and preceptors' perceptions of students' pharmacy practice preparedness across a six-year time frame (2016-2021) and trends in graduating students' overall impressions of their program and the pharmacy profession across the same time period. A longitudinal descriptive study to examine trends in graduating student and preceptor perception was conducted utilizing data from the 2016-2021 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Graduating Student Surveys (GSS) (n = 65,461) and Preceptor Surveys (PS) (n = 41,951). Over six years of survey data analyzed, a large percentage of students at both public and private institutions reported they felt prepared for practice (96.5% vs 95.5% respectively, p < 0.001). There was overall agreement (>90%) among preceptors that graduating students were prepared to enter pharmacy practice based on responses, although preceptors had lower levels of agreement compared to students on most statements. Based on the findings, both graduating pharmacy students and preceptors feel that graduates are prepared to practice pharmacy, with consistent trends in perceptions over the last six years. However, results also indicate that a consistent downward trend in students' willingness to pursue pharmacy again, indicating decreased optimism of graduating students for the profession.

An Artificial Intelligence-Supported Medicinal Chemistry Project: An Example for Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Within the Pharmacy Curriculum

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to integrate and use AI to teach core concepts in a medicinal chemistry course and to increase the familiarity of pharmacy students with AI in pharmacy practice and drug development. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a multidisciplinary science that aims to build software tools that mimic human intelligence. AI is revolutionizing pharmaceutical research and patient care. Hence, it is important to include AI in pharmacy education to prepare a competent workforce of pharmacists with skills in this area.

METHODS

AI principles were introduced in a required medicinal chemistry course for first-year pharmacy students. An AI software, KNIME, was used to examine structure-activity relationships for 5 drugs. Students completed a data sheet that required comprehension of molecular structures and drug-protein interactions. These data were then used to make predictions for molecules with novel substituents using AI. The familiarity of students with AI was surveyed before and after this activity.

RESULTS

There was an increase in the number of students indicating familiarity with use of AI in pharmacy (before vs after: 25.3% vs 74.5%). The introduction of AI stimulated interest in the course content (> 60% of students indicated increased interest in medicinal chemistry) without compromising the learning outcomes. Almost 70% of students agreed that more AI should be taught in the PharmD curriculum.

CONCLUSION

This is a successful and transferable example of integrating AI in pharmacy education without changing the main learning objectives of a course. This approach is likely to stimulate student interest in AI applications in pharmacy.

Analysis of Laboratory Skills Curricula Surrounding Professional Identity Formation in Doctor of Pharmacy Students

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe how laboratory curricula in 6 pharmacy programs provides student pharmacist experiences to develop professional identity formation and explore personal identities.

METHODS

Learning objectives for courses with laboratory components were independently reviewed and then reconciled to identify the associated historical professional identities, professional domains, and associated with personal identity from 6 pharmacy programs. Counts and frequencies for historical professional identities, domains, and personal identity associations were obtained by program and overall.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight (2.0%) unique objectives were associated with personal identity. The most identified historical professional identity was healthcare provider (42.9%), followed by dispenser (21.7%). The highest professional domain identified was prepare/dispense/provide medications (28.8%) followed by communicate/counsel/educate (17.5%).

CONCLUSION

Discordance between the historical identities and professional domains covered in the laboratory curricula was identified in this analysis. The prevalence of the "health care provider" professional identity in the laboratory curricula likely mimics what is currently seen in practice, but most lab activities fell under the domain of preparing and dispensing medication which may not be considered a component of healthcare provider professional identity. Going forward, educators must be intentional in the experiences we provide to students to help foster their professional and personal identity. Future research is needed to identify if this discordance is present in other classes along with research to identify intentional activities that can be incorporated to foster professional identity formation.

Pharmacy undergraduate programs: Development of an adaptive curriculum for student success

Objectives

Applicants for graduate work in Pharmacy on paper appear competitive, but upon entering a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program many students struggle with course work, course load, and pharmacologic topics in their first-year studies. In addition to math and science, undergraduate candidates need to have skills that enable them to be adaptable and creative learners. The Pharmacy Undergraduate Program (PUP) at the University of Southern California (USC) has been attentive to these educational needs. In this manuscript we will show how our program has been successful in generating well-prepared and successful candidates for graduate programs (pharmaceutical, clinical, medical, and other) and employment in pharmaceutical fields.

Methods

A review of current student enrollments (N = 121), graduated student annual survey data (N = 50), student research data (N = 68), and ongoing course surveys have been used to detail information related to PUP.

Results

Students who have graduated from PUP have been successful post-graduation. Graduates of PUP have gone on to PharmD programs 44% (22/50); medical school 16% (8/50); PhD programs 24% (12/50); full-time employment 6% (3/50); internship/volunteer positions 10% (5/50); taken a gap year 4% (2/50); and MS/MA program 2% (1/50).

Conclusions

PUP has been successful in helping the admission of our students into graduate degree programs related to pharmaceutical sciences and medicine. This success can be attributed to the dynamic nature of the course offerings and the creativity of the teaching faculty, which leads to students being well-prepared to tackle the rigors of their graduate studies after leaving the program.

Need for Expansion of Pharmacy Education Globally for the Growing Field of Nanomedicine

The emerging landscape of nanomedicine includes a wide variety of active pharmaceutical ingredients and drug formulations. Their design provides nanomedicines with unique features leading to improved pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. They are manufactured using conventional or biotechnological manufacturing processes. Their physical characteristics are vastly different from traditional small-molecule drugs. Pharmacists are important members of the multi-disciplinary team of scientists involved in their development and clinical application. Consequently, their training should lead to an understanding of the complexities associated with the production and evaluation of nanomedicines. Therefore, student pharmacists, post-doctoral researchers, and trainees should be given more exposure to this rapidly evolving class of therapeutics. This commentary will provide an overview of nanomedicine education within the selection of pharmacy programs globally, discuss the current regulatory challenges, and describe different approaches to incorporate nanomedicine science in pharmacy programs around the world.

Pharmacists' Perceptions of Handling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

Saudi Arabia is one of the countries facing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The pharmacist is an important stakeholder in the healthcare system who plays a crucial role in avoiding AMR and implementing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS).

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used in this study. The online questionnaire collected data regarding the enablers that have helped in preparing pharmacists to handle AMR and the barriers faced by pharmacy personnel in handling AMR, as well as the strategies used to overcome the identified barriers.

Results

A total of 109 participants were included in the study. Just under two thirds (62.4%) of participants were female and the majority (70.6%) worked as pharmacists. Just under half (41.7%) had between 6 and 10 years of work experience. Three quarters (74.3%) had antimicrobial stewardship in place and around the same number (73.4%) were involved in handling infectious disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacists have found that preparatory items/tasks, pharmacy college curriculum, pharmacy rotation, years of experience and self-education related to AMR handling to be natural, with a mean of 3.2. The participants found all the barriers - insufficient background, in site education and training, limited time, limited CPD activities, limited educational tools and no free access to relevant clinical journals - to be relevant, with a mean of 4.05. The participants found all the enablers - CPD activities, funded educational programs, allowing time for self-education, accessible educational resources and tools, annual evolution of competencies - to be relevant, with a mean of 4.12.

Conclusion

The study concluded that the barriers preventing the handling of AMR could be overcome through allowing pharmacists more time for self-directed continuous education, providing access to tools and online educational resources, and offering pharmacists funded courses to equip them with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to handle AMR.