Objective. To determine if GritS scores correlate with academic success in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, as well as the pursuit and attainment of pharmacy postgraduate (residency or fellowship) training. Methods. A 28-item survey was administered to third-and fourth-year (P3 and P4) pharmacy students. Variables queried included GritS score, demographics, pharmacy experience prior to the PharmD program, and factors that may affect academic performance during didactic coursework. Didactic coursework GPA was used as a surrogate for academic success. Information about pursuit and attainment of a postgraduate training position was also documented and used in the analyses. Results. There was no significant correlation between GritS scores and variables related to academic success. However, students were more likely to pursue postgraduate training with higher academic success and higher GritS. Lastly, students with higher GritS were also more likely to obtain a postgraduate training position. Conclusion. GritS scores correlated with the pursuit and successful attainment of postgraduate training, but not with academic success during the didactic years of a PharmD program.

Objective: To identify differences among faculty members in various health professional training programs in perceived benefits and challenges of implementing interprofessional education (IPE). Methods: A 19-item survey using a 5-point Likert scale was administered to faculty members across different health disciplines at a west coast, multicollege university with osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and physician assistant programs. Results: Sixty-two of 103 surveys (60.2%) were included in the study. Faculty members generally agreed that there were benefits of IPE on patient outcomes and that implementing IPE was feasible. However, group differences existed in belief that IPE improves care efficiency (p50.001) and promotes team-based learning (p50.001). Program divergence was also seen in frequency of stressing importance of IPE (p50.009), preference for more IPE opportunities (p50.041), and support (p50.002) within respective college for IPE. Conclusions: Despite consensus among faculty members from 3 disciplines that IPE is invaluable to their curricula and training of health care students, important program level differences existed that would likely need to be addressed in advance IPE initiatives.

Objectives. To determine whether students' previous pharmacy-related work experience was associated with their pharmacy school performance (academic and clinical). Methods. The following measures of student academic performance were examined: pharmacy grade point average (GPA), scores on cumulative high-stakes examinations, and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) grades. The quantity and type of pharmacy-related work experience each student performed prior to matriculation was solicited through a student survey instrument. Survey responses were correlated with academic measures, and demographic-based stratified analyses were conducted. Results. No significant difference in academic or clinical performance between those students with prior pharmacy experience and those without was identified. Subanalyses by work setting, position type, and substantial pharmacy work experience did not reveal any association with student performance. A relationship was found, however, between age and work experience, ie, older students tended to have more work experience than younger students. Conclusions. Prior pharmacy work experience did not affect students' overall academic or clinical performance in pharmacy school. The lack of significant findings may have been due to the inherent practice limitations of nonpharmacist positions, changes in pharmacy education, and the limitations of survey responses.

Patient understanding of acetaminophen is important for its safe and appropriate self-use. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area to determine the impact of educational level, patient health literacy score, and other demographic characteristics on acetaminophen knowledge. A 17-item, in-person, paper-and-pen questionnaire containing questions about demographics and acetaminophen knowledge was administered to 311 adults outside 5 local grocery stores in varying socioeconomic communities. Knowledge assessed was whether Tylenol-McNeil contains acetaminophen, maximum daily dose, and primary organ affected by toxicity. Participant health literacy was evaluated using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Short Form (REALM-SF) test. Of the 300 who successfully completed the study, only 3.8% of all subjects were able to answer all 3 acetaminophen knowledge questions correctly regardless of educational level or health literacy score. This reaffirms that a lack of appropriate acetaminophen knowledge remains present in the general population, and further efforts to educate patients will be needed to prevent adverse events.

PGY1 residents generally felt prepared for time management and organization, foundational knowledge, and communication residency training competencies. This was significant for those who completed 1 or more academic APPEs, 5 or more clinical rotations, or a bachelors degree. Study results may assist pharmacy schools in preparing students for residency training, prospective resident applicants in becoming more competitive candidates for residency programs, and residency program directors in resident selection.