Exploring Multiple Perspectives on Pharmacy Students’ Readiness for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Abstract

Methods. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study of APPE readiness using workplace learning as a guiding conceptual framework. We collected data between March and September 2019 through semi-structured focus groups and interviews with students (5 groups), preceptors (4 groups), and faculty site directors (1 group, 2 individual interviews). We analyzed these data using directed content analysis. Results. Participants described APPE readiness as a multifaceted construct comprised of four themes: learner characteristics, participation in workplace activities, relationship-building, and workplace practices to orient and support students. While all participant groups collectively addressed each category, faculty site directors and preceptors tended to focus on learner characteristics, whereas students placed emphasis on their participation in the workplace and relationship-building. Conclusion. Knowledge is widely recognized as a requirement for APPE readiness. Our study identified learner characteristics, workplace participation, and relational skills as additional requirements. Some of these components are challenging to assess prior to APPEs, which makes orienting both prior to and at the start of APPEs particularly important to support readiness. Thus, a comprehensive view of APPE readiness might also include assessing the readiness of workplaces, administrators, and preceptors for APPE students.

Mapping Course Assessments to Canadian Pharmacy Educational Outcomes to Ensure Pharmacy Students’ Practice Readiness

“…There is value in considering both students' and instructors' perceptions of assessments, as they can differ, and our next steps should triangulate student feedback as well as their confidence related to practice readiness with that of faculty perspectives. 8,10,[24][25][26] Third, although no student failed more than two assessments in this cohort, the possibility remains that this may be the case in future cohorts which is why continuous monitoring of student performance in each assessment, and careful blueprinting of assessments (adequately plan how assessments align and overlap with intended objectives) is required to ensure effective learning towards practice readiness. Finally, as we only considered one course, mapping all assessments across the program may provide further evidence of student practice readiness.…”

“…A growing body of research has shown the importance of a preparatory experiential rotation course to optimize pharmacy student learning through successful demonstration of practice readiness. [8][9][10] This half-credit course was implemented in 2014, as part of the new PharmD program curriculum, to prepare students for culminating fourth year experiential rotations through consolidation of knowledge, skills and attitudes learned throughout the curriculum. The positionality of this course made it particularly apt to examine whether course assessments were purposeful in assessing EOs and associated competencies.…”

Transition to practice in pharmacy: An ill-defined concept?

“…Transition wise, this raises the issue of successful transition and the criteria to evaluate it (Gruenberg et al, 2021). The academic community tends to approach transition in a broader way, including notions like work culture, organisational language, work relationship, patient care, among others.…”

Exploring the Effect of Virtual Education on Student Pharmacists’ Confidence toward APPE Readiness

“…Researchers who studied APPE readiness have found that beyond the requisite of knowledge and skills-based abilities, students’ APPE readiness also consisted of learner characteristics, workplace participation, and relationship-building skills [ 4 ]. Learner characteristics included a student’s personal qualities, such as self-awareness, adaptability, and professionalism, in addition to their clinical foundational knowledge, skills and experiences.…”

“…Learner characteristics included a student’s personal qualities, such as self-awareness, adaptability, and professionalism, in addition to their clinical foundational knowledge, skills and experiences. Workplace participation was noted to be important for a student’s ability to quickly integrate themselves to the new APPE workplace environment, facilitated by the alignment and adoption of core entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in the IPPE and APPE curricula by specifying students’ roles and responsibilities at the start of APPEs [ 4 , 5 ]. Relationship-building skills were also reported as a key factor for interprofessional practice readiness during APPEs [ 4 ].…”