The OAK test is a brief, valid, and reliable knowledge assessment instrument that may be a useful tool for research and clinical practice to augment patient education programs.

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Objective. To assess the impact of participation in a formal white coat ceremony on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students' professionalization by analyzing students' reflective writing. Methods. First-year PharmD students participated in the college's white coat ceremony following orientation. During the Foundations of Pharmacy course in the first semester, students were instructed to reflect on and write about the impact the white coat ceremony had on them as a graded assignment. A grading rubric was developed to standardize assessment of the reflections and to differentiate critical reflection (which cites future behavioral change) from other forms of reflection that are less impactful, such as non-critical reflection, general understanding, and non-reflection. Thematic analysis was conducted and prevalent themes were identified. Each reflection was then reviewed to identify up to three themes. Results. Of the 225 students in the incoming class of 2020, 218 submitted valid reflection assignments. Of these, 92% met critical reflection criteria. Four percent offered "negative connotation," while 75% described an eye-opening experience or realization. Of 483 thematic classifications, six student professionalization themes were identified, as follows: personal achievement (26%), professionalism (21%), welcome to pharmacy (18%), patient care (16.8%), lifelong learning (12.8%), and code of ethics (5.2%). Conclusion. For the majority of PharmD students, the white coat ceremony held during first-year orientation had a positive impact on their professionalization. All pharmacy schools should conduct a white coat ceremony that includes recitation of the Pledge of Professionalism as an impactful first step toward student professionalization.

Differences in service preferences between patrons of supermarket and chain pharmacies were determined. Subjects fell into two groups: patrons of a supermarket chain's pharmacies and patrons of the same supermarket chain who patronized other community chain pharmacies for prescription drug purchases. Subjects were asked to prioritize services in terms of convenience and impact on pharmacy selection. Differences in service preferences emerged. Community pharmacy patrons were more likely to rate easy navigation through a pharmacy and 24 X 7 hours of operation as key services. Supermarket pharmacy patrons were more likely to rate one-stop shopping and adequate hours of operation as priorities. Both groups rated basic services such as maintenance of prescription and insurance information as priorities. Pharmacies should stress the delivery of basic services when trying to attract customers.

In preparation for an on-site evaluation and accreditation by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE), the Albany College of Pharmacy employed project management techniques to complete a comprehensive self-study. A project lifecycle approach, including planning, production, and turnover phases, was used by the project's Self-Study Steering Committee. This approach, with minimal disruption to college operations, resulted in the completion of the self-study process on schedule. Throughout the project, the Steering Committee maintained a log of functions that either were executed successfully or in hindsight, could have been improved. To assess the effectiveness of the project management approach to the the self-study process, feedback was obtained from the College community through a poststudy survey. This feedback, coupled with the Steering Committee's data on possible improvements, form the basis for the lessons learned during this self-study process.

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