Faculty Sponsor’s Department
Pharmacy Practice
Dr. Katelyn Alexander
Type
Poster: Competitive
Project's Category
Education or Instructional Programs, Other Healthcare
Abstract or Artist's Statement
As community pharmacy transitions from a fee-for-service model to a focus on value-based care, the desired skills of pharmacist graduates in contemporary practice is an evolving paradigm. Meanwhile, most student pharmacists pursuing a career in community pharmacy upon graduation rely solely upon their pharmacy school training as preparation for entering practice. Community pharmacy preceptors are stakeholders in a unique position to compare the dichotomy of the current climate of community practice with the preparedness of graduating students to enter this field. Therefore, these preceptors’ perceptions of contemporary practice services and skills essential for new graduates may be useful in identifying methods of educating and assessing PharmD candidates in their preparation to enter the evolving landscape of community practice. The objective of this research was to identify essential skills for new graduates in contemporary community pharmacy as perceived by these current practitioners. To accomplish this, researchers developed an anonymous web-based survey using REDCap which was emailed to active Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) community preceptors. The survey included 3 sections: (1) preceptor demographics; (2) perceptions of “contemporary” services and an evaluation of services offered at their sites; and (3) essential skills for graduates entering contemporary community practice. Following a 30-day window of the survey being open, 25% of preceptors responded (n = 42). Survey responses provided clarity in comparing the proportionality in services offered versus services viewed as contemporary. This information may be useful in identifying transformations that have already seen implementation in practice compared to emerging areas yet to be implemented. We also found broad consensus in the perceived importance of most skill areas offered in the survey with just a few showing broader discrepancies with a minority of respondents suggesting skills which held less importance. Monitoring fluctuations of these parameters over time may disclose trends in community pharmacy practice transformation, further delineating service areas that are trending toward adoption in contemporary practice. Therefore, continued use of preceptor surveys may offer insights on the incremental progression of community pharmacy curricula.
Preceptor Perceptions of Contemporary Practice Skills Amongst New Graduates Amid Community Pharmacy Transformation
As community pharmacy transitions from a fee-for-service model to a focus on value-based care, the desired skills of pharmacist graduates in contemporary practice is an evolving paradigm. Meanwhile, most student pharmacists pursuing a career in community pharmacy upon graduation rely solely upon their pharmacy school training as preparation for entering practice. Community pharmacy preceptors are stakeholders in a unique position to compare the dichotomy of the current climate of community practice with the preparedness of graduating students to enter this field. Therefore, these preceptors’ perceptions of contemporary practice services and skills essential for new graduates may be useful in identifying methods of educating and assessing PharmD candidates in their preparation to enter the evolving landscape of community practice. The objective of this research was to identify essential skills for new graduates in contemporary community pharmacy as perceived by these current practitioners. To accomplish this, researchers developed an anonymous web-based survey using REDCap which was emailed to active Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) community preceptors. The survey included 3 sections: (1) preceptor demographics; (2) perceptions of “contemporary” services and an evaluation of services offered at their sites; and (3) essential skills for graduates entering contemporary community practice. Following a 30-day window of the survey being open, 25% of preceptors responded (n = 42). Survey responses provided clarity in comparing the proportionality in services offered versus services viewed as contemporary. This information may be useful in identifying transformations that have already seen implementation in practice compared to emerging areas yet to be implemented. We also found broad consensus in the perceived importance of most skill areas offered in the survey with just a few showing broader discrepancies with a minority of respondents suggesting skills which held less importance. Monitoring fluctuations of these parameters over time may disclose trends in community pharmacy practice transformation, further delineating service areas that are trending toward adoption in contemporary practice. Therefore, continued use of preceptor surveys may offer insights on the incremental progression of community pharmacy curricula.