To compare stress levels of pharmacy students in high-stakes, performance-based assessments (PBAs) administered during skills-based laboratory courses in normal classroom environments versus pandemic classroom environments impacted by COVID-19. Methods. In 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student stress levels were assessed via a voluntary, paper-based survey before and after PBAs. Students were given a modified version of this survey in 2020 during the pandemic. The 2019 and 2020 survey responses were compared utilizing Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests.Results. Pharmacy students reported higher perceived stress levels before PBAs (3.78 vs. 3.45) and after PBAs (2.84 vs. 2.52) prior to the pandemic compared to amid pandemic. Students identified stress as negatively impacting their PBA performance in both years (3.42 vs. 3.1). Students had similar interest in wellness activities in both phases.
Conclusion.Colleges of Pharmacy should consider implementing stress relief programs around high-stakes assessments as well as prioritizing wellness initiatives within curricula.
Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have been used for nearly three decades. Pharmacists use EMRs on a daily basis, but EMRs have only recently been incorporated into pharmacy education. Some pharmacy programs have implemented teaching electronic medical records (tEMRs), but best practices for incorporating tEMRs into pharmacy education remain unknown. The objectives of this study were to 1) assess pharmacy students' views and experiences with a tEMR; and 2) identify current learning activities and future priorities for tEMR use in pharmacy education.Methods: We used a mixed-methods approach, including three, two-hour student focus groups and a 42-item web-based survey to examine student perspectives of the tEMR. All first, second, and third year professional pharmacy students were eligible to participate in the survey and a focus group. Web-based survey items were measured on a 7-point Likert scale, and quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics. Two researchers independently coded transcripts using both deductive and inductive approaches to identify emergent themes. These analysts met and resolved any coding discrepancies via consensus.Results: Focus groups were conducted with 22 total students, with 6-8 students represented from each year of pharmacy training. The survey was completed by 156 students: 47 first year, 55 second year, and 54 third year. Overall, 48.7% of survey respondents altogether agreed or strongly agreed that using the tEMR enhanced their learning in pharmacy classes and laboratories. Qualitative data were organized into four major themes regarding tEMR adoption: current priorities for use within the pharmacy curriculum; tEMR benefits; tEMR barriers; and future priorities for tEMR use to prepare students for pharmacy practice.
Objective. To determine pharmacy students' preferences and perceptions of in-person and video evaluations. The relationship between student perceptions and academic achievement has been established, but little research on student perceptions of evaluation methods exists. Methods. A mixed methods survey was administered to 447 first-, second-, and third-professional year pharmacy students enrolled in one public United States Doctor of Pharmacy program. Fourteen 5-point Likert-type scale quantitative items and four qualitative items measured student perceptions. Eight response choice items measured preferences. Paired t-tests compared perceptions; independent t-tests compared perceptions between students exposed and not exposed to video evaluations. Two researchers performed thematic content analysis of the qualitative responses. Results. Students (n=444, 99.3% response rate) perceived in-person and video evaluations as significantly different, with in-person evaluations being perceived more positively on all items except for nervousness. Students exposed to video felt significantly more positive towards video evaluations than video-naïve students on nine items but felt significantly less positive towards video evaluations in terms of quality (Δ=1.24 vs. 0.83) and amount (Δ=1.14 vs 0.77) of written feedback. Students valued interactions with a more diverse pool of evaluators afforded by video evaluations but did not view the video technology as applicable to future practice.
Conclusion.Students viewed in-person evaluations significantly more positively than video evaluations. This effect is mitigated by exposure to video, suggesting that concerns regarding video evaluations are based on conjecture rather than experience. This study highlights the need to reduce technological issues and improve written feedback associated with video evaluations.
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