Assessing outcomes and perceived benefits of a professional development seminar series

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the outcomes of alumni who were enrolled in a professional development seminar series during their doctor of pharmacy program.

DESIGN

A weekly development seminar series was administered over 5 semesters with the goal of bringing academic advisees together to help develop performance-based abilities, prepare them for entry into the profession after graduation, and provide exposure to different career opportunities.

ASSESSMENT

A survey instrument containing 39 Likert-type scale items, 2 open-ended questions, and a 10-item demographic survey was created and content-validated to assess the effect of the seminar series on alumni advisees' perceived outcomes and professional development since their graduation. The survey was electronically forwarded to advisees from the graduating classes of 2005 to 2012, and response data was collected with Qualtrics, a web-based survey service. A total of 36 percent of alumni responded to the survey. Respondents cited exposure to career alternatives and opportunities, development of presentation and communication skills, networking, and the importance of advisor/mentor relationships as benefits of the seminar series.

CONCLUSION

The professional development seminar series has demonstrated a positive impact on alumni advisees' career development and professional outcomes, most notably relating to career path exposure, communication skills, and advisor/mentor relationships.

Guest speakers in a professional development seminar series

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact guest speakers have on student development in a professional development seminar series.

DESIGN

Over a 5-semester period, presentations were given by 18 guest speakers as part of a professional development seminar series.

ASSESSMENT

A 28-item survey instrument was constructed and administered to 68 students to assess the impact of the guest speakers on the students' professional development. Forty-six (68%) students completed the survey instrument, and the results demonstrated the value of the guest speakers, most notably in the areas of career development and professional responsibility.

CONCLUSION

Exposing pharmacy students to guest speakers from varied pharmacy career paths positively impacted students' knowledge of career options and professional development.

A microteaching exercise to develop performance-based abilities in pharmacy students

OBJECTIVE

To create, implement, and evaluate a microteaching exercise to enhance student development of communication skills, critical-thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities.

METHODS

A microteaching exercise was developed and implemented in 2 semesters of a professional development series. Advisees from 3 classes developed 7-minute presentations for classmates, followed by a brief question-and-answer session. EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT: Presenters received peer evaluations and a DVD of their presentation and then wrote a reflective essay on their performance. A 33-item survey instrument was administered to assess student impressions of the microteaching exercise. Survey results demonstrated students valued the microteaching exercise in terms of overall impression of the exercise, the class experience, personal outcomes, and the evaluation process.

CONCLUSION

A microteaching exercise is a valuable tool to help students develop communication, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. Further, it helps increase student learning, helps students to "think on their feet" and be reflective, provides an opportunity to have students analyze their own and fellow classmates' presentation methods and develops their skill in the provision of constructive feedback through peer assessment.

Differential effects of clonidine analogs on food intake in rabbits and monkeys

The present study examined the effect of structural analogs of clonidine on feeding in both rabbits and monkeys. In rabbits, lofexidine and tizanidine either did not influence or decreased food intake in contrast to clonidine, which stimulated food intake. Lofexidine elicited easily observed decreases in motor behavior with several of the doses used in the study. Changes in motor behavior induced by tizanidine were more subtle. Conversely, lofexidine and tizanidine significantly increased feeding behavior in Stumptail macaque monkeys, as did clonidine. The results suggest that, in contrast to rabbits, Stumptail monkeys are more useful in searching for an 'orectic' effect of clonidine analogs.

Absence of clonidine-induced food intake in hamsters

Previous studies support an interaction between noradrenergic and opiate systems in the control of food intake. For example, in both rats and rabbits, food intake stimulated by the noradrenergic agent clonidine is reduced by opiate antagonists. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether or not clonidine stimulated the food intake of non-food-deprived hamsters, a species which appears to lack an opiate-sensitive feeding system. Hamsters fed a chow diet did not increase their food intake when injected with clonidine in doses ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 mg/kg. Furthermore, the animals did not increase their intake of sunflower seeds, a preferred diet for hamsters.

Stereospecific reduction by narcotic antagonists of clonidine-induced food intake

The present study examined the effect of opiate antagonists on clonidine-induced feeding in rabbits. The change in food intake induced by clonidine was blocked by naltrexone. The active (-)-isomer of the antagonist 5,9 alpha-diethyl-2-(3-furylmethyl)-2'-hydroxy-6,7-benzomorphan had an effect similar to naltrexone. Similar doses of the (+)-isomer were inactive, except at the highest dose used in the study. The results suggest that opiate antagonists block feeding elicited by a specific noradrenoreceptor agonist and that this inhibition is due to a direct interaction with opiate systems.

Potentiation of lethality in mice by combinations of pentazocine and tripelennamine

Quantal dose-response curves were generated to determine the median lethal doses (LD50S) for pentazocine and tripelennamine, either alone or in combination. LD50S of the drug combinations in mice demonstrated significant potentiation when compared with either drug administered alone. Attempts to antagonize the lethality of such combinations have, to date, been unsuccessful.

Effects of several 'membrane stabilizing' agents on frog neuromuscular junction

The effect of several "membrane stabilizing" agents was examined on spontaneously occurring frog miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs). No consistent parallel was observed between the ability of agents to act as "membrane stabilizers" and their ability to alter MEPP frequency, Vinblastine, chlorpromazine and haloperidol increased MEPP frequency; the concentration of haloperidol which increased MEPP frequency consistently reduced the magnitude of the muscle resting membrane potential. Strychnine, methoxyflurane and practolol decreased MEPP frequency. Similarly, there was no consistent pattern of drug effects on the mean quantal content m of the end-plate potential. Chlorpromazine did not change m, and it is known that vinblastine does not influence m. Strychnine, methoxyflurane, haloperidol and practolol brought about a decline in m.

Effect of colchicine and vinblastine on crayfish neuromuscular junction

1. The effect of the microtubule disrupting agents colchicine and vinblastine was studied on crayfish excitatory neuromuscular transmission. 2. Colchicine, in concentrations of 1-3 mM, brought about a decrease in the amplitudes of intracellularly recorded excitatory junctional potentials (ejps). Vinblastine, in concentrations of 0.08-0.32 mM, increased the amplitudes of ejps. 3. Drug-induced alterations in ejp amplitude resulted from changes in quantal content of the excitattory nerve as determined by extracellular recording. The effect could not be explained by changes in quantal size. 4. The effect of colchicine and vinblastine does not appear to be related to an action on microtubules.