Objectives.To determine what influenced pharmacy students to pursue a career in pharmacy and how those influences varied among different racial groups. Methods. A 30-question survey instrument was developed and administered to doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at the University of Georgia and Florida A&M University. Data were analyzed to identify differences between students at different institutions and of different racial groups. Results. Most students were encouraged by someone to pursue pharmacy. Students cited encouragement by family members, pharmacists, and students as important influences. Work and volunteer experiences were also important influences. Few students were influenced by ''career day'' events. Conclusions. Influences for pursuing a degree in pharmacy were remarkably similar across student groups. Public awareness campaigns that emphasize the benefits of the profession and programs that are designed to bring students into contact with the profession may be effective recruiting methods/ strategies.

advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) availability and needs for 4 colleges and schools of pharmacy in Georgia and Alabama and to examine barriers and offer potential solutions to increase APPE site and preceptor availability. Methods. Data on APPE needs and availability were gathered prospectively and evaluated relative to current and projected enrollment and planned programmatic changes. Results. Combined 2006-2007 non-community APPE needs and availabilities were 3,590 and 4,427, respectively, with a surplus availability of 837. Combined projected 2010-2011 non-community APPEs were estimated at 4,309. Assuming 2006-2007 non-community availability remained unchanged, the surplus availability declined to 118. Conclusions. The need for quality experiential education represents a significant barrier and rate-limiting step to the matriculation of the increased numbers of pharmacists. Barriers to expanding APPE availability include: introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and APPE expansion, growth of new and existing pharmacy programs, financial instability of acute care facilities, and lack of preceptor development resources. Regional experiential education consortiums can provide a constructive approach to improve access to quality sites and preceptors through standardizing processes and leveraging resources.

Objective. To describe the implementation process of a consortium-based preceptor development program and to review completion and assessment data over the first 27 months. Design. Five 1-hour, Web-based preceptor development modules were developed using streaming media technologies. Modules were released using a password-protected Internet site and were free to consortium-affiliated preceptors. Preceptor's institutional affiliation, module completion dates, module assessments, and continuing education credits were recorded and made available to each institution. Assessment. Three hundred eighty-two preceptors completed 1489 modules. Fifty-six percent of preceptors were affiliated with more than 1 consortium institution. The number of participating preceptors per institution varied from 72 to 204. Sixty-five percent of preceptors completed all 5 modules. Preceptor satisfaction was high, with 93% agreeing with each course evaluation statement. Program cost per institution ranged from $12 to $35 per preceptor. Conclusions. A consortium-based approach to preceptor development is a convenient and effective means of providing required training.

Objectives. To determine student agreement with objectives in our college professionalism curricular competency statement and to identify student perceptions about professional behavior within the college of pharmacy. Methods. Two hundred forty students (60 per curricular year) were randomly selected to participate in a cross-sectional survey. A 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) was used to rate 42 survey items.Results. Survey response rates by professional year (1 to 4) were 43 (71.1%), 47 (78.3%), 47 (78.3%), and 40 (66.7%). Agreement rates for survey items related to the college professional competency objectives varied from 79% to 100%. Third-year students had lower agreement rates than first-year students for 5 of 8 statements related to professionalism within the College. Conclusion. Students agreed that objectives listed in the college professional curricular competency reflected behaviors consistent with pharmacy professionals. Students agreed that the College should and did teach professionalism, and that the words and actions of faculty members' and themselves conveyed professionalism. In comparison, students, particularly those in their third year, believed that their classmates' words and actions less often conveyed professionalism.

Objective. To implement and assess a Web-based patient care portfolio system for development of pharmaceutical care plans by students completing advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) throughout a statewide preceptor network. Design. Using a Web database, students in APPEs documented 6 patient cases within 5 disease state categories. Through discussion of the disease states and inclusion of patient information such as problems, desired outcomes, and interventions, a complete pharmaceutical care plan was developed for each patient. Assessment. Student interventions were compared by geographical regions to assess continuity of patient care activities by students. Additionally, students completed an evaluation of the portfolio course to provide feedback on the portfolio process. Students documented an average of 1.8 therapeutic interventions per patient case and documented interventions in all geographical regions. The majority of students indicated that the portfolio process improved their ability to develop a pharmaceutical care plan. Conclusion. The Web-based patient care portfolio process assisted with documentation of compliance with Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) standards and College of Pharmacy Competency Statements. Students indicated the portfolio process was beneficial in developing skills needed for creating pharmaceutical care plans.

Objective. To document the annual number of advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) placement changes for students across 5 colleges and schools of pharmacy, identify and compare initiating reasons, and estimate the associated administrative workload. Methods. Data collection occurred from finalization of the 2008-2009 APPE assignments throughout the last date of the APPE schedule. Internet-based customized tracking forms were used to categorize the initiating reason for the placement change and the administrative time required per change (0 to 120 minutes). Results. APPE placement changes per institution varied from 14% to 53% of total assignments. Reasons for changes were: administrator initiated (20%), student initiated (23%), and site/preceptor initiated (57%) Total administrative time required per change varied across institutions from 3,130 to 22,750 minutes, while the average time per reassignment was 42.5 minutes. Conclusion. APPE placements are subject to high instability. Significant differences exist between public and private colleges and schools of pharmacy as to the number and type of APPE reassignments made and associated workload estimates.

Routine administration of correctional insulin is no longer recommended as a primary strategy to treat hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients. Studies have demonstrated significant improvement in glycemic control in patients treated with basal and correctional insulin (B+C) versus correctional insulin alone (C). However, the effect of C or B+C on hypoglycemic events is not well understood. : The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of B+C versus C on hypoglycemic events in hospitalized elderly patients.: A single-center retrospective review of patients at least 65 years old that were admitted between April and July 2016, who were prescribed any type of insulin. Exclusion criteria included admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) on hospital admission, history of hypersensitivity to insulin, or insulin use for the management of hyperkalemia. Patients were divided based on the insulin regimen prescribed, B+C or C. The primary outcome of the study was the incidence of hypoglycemic episodes between groups. Secondary outcomes included severity of hypoglycemia, hospital length of stay (LOS), hospital mortality, and ICU transfer. Hypoglycemia was defined as a blood glucose level less than 70 mg/dL. A total of 709 patients were included, with 144 (20.3%) prescribed B+C and 565 (79.7%) prescribed C. Incidence of hypoglycemia was greater in the B+C group than C (29.1% vs 12.6%,). The average blood glucose readings during hypoglycemic episodes between B+C and C were 50 mg/dL and 52.5 mg/dL, respectively (). There was no difference observed in hospital LOS. No patients required ICU admission within 24 hours of a hypoglycemic event or died during the index hospitalization. There is a higher incidence of hypoglycemia in elderly patients prescribed basal plus correctional insulin than correctional insulin alone.

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