Educating Students for Practice: Educational Outcomes and Community Experience

Abstract

The education of pharmacists in the United States integrates classroom and experiential learning. Two organizations played a key role in determining the current education of pharmacy students. They are the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The curriculum offered today provides opportunities for students to learn and achieve ability-based outcomes in both didactic and experiential courses. This review of pharmacy education focuses generally on the national leadership of pharmacy education both past and present and specifically on outcomes of practice that students are expected to achieve. Included in the discussion are recommendations for how preceptors in a community practice model can build on the college curriculum by recognizing and incorporating ability-based outcomes into their activities of the introductory and advanced practice courses.

An Enhanced Community Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Model to Improve Patient Care

“…One of the greatest challenges has been recruitment of preceptors and sites within the community pharmacy setting that are able and willing to provide students with opportunities to hone skills, knowledge, and attitudes related to patient-centered care/pharmaceutical care. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Despite the formidable work done to move practice education forward, in most situations, student activities continue to focus on the technical aspect of medication dispensing and less on designing/implementing drug therapy plans with patients and providing continuity of care through follow-up. 1,6 Community-based experiential sites face a number of challenges that make attaining the desired educational outcomes difficult.…”

Report of the 2014-2015 Professional Affairs Standing Committee: Producing Practice-Ready Pharmacy Graduates in an Era of Value-Based Health Care

“…18 A Value Proposition for pharmacy education and pharmacy practice has been discussed in the past but not coherently operationalized. 19,20 This report seeks to emphasize the value of student pharmacists within the existing education paradigm while revealing opportunities to further enhance the value proposition.…”

Development and Implementation of a Novel Lifestyle Medicine Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Elective

“…7 The 2004 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) educational outcomes include, as a major outcome, "promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention." 10 In order to reach these goals, schools and colleges of pharmacy should provide didactic and experiential opportunities for students to advance their knowledge and skills in providing preventive care to patients.…”