Within their first-year skills-based laboratory courses, two pharmacy colleges applied the specifications grading system. For each course, instructors defined the necessary skills and minimum performance benchmarks for each grade level (A, B, C, etc.). Every college's assessment of skills was informed by the course's learning objectives.
Assignments and assessments were more effectively linked to course learning objectives thanks to the introduction of specifications grading. Rigor in the course, instructors contended, was bolstered by the implementation of grading criteria based on specifications. The implementation of specifications grading unveiled four difficulties: (1) the lack of system integration, (2) initial student confusion, (3) modifications required by unpredictable issues, and (4) practical obstacles in the token exchange process. Proactive tracking of student submissions, periodic reinforcement of grading guidelines, and adaptable course design, especially during initial implementations, can address many of these obstacles.
Successfully, specifications grading was integrated into the curriculum of two skill-based courses. The challenge of implementing specifications grading and subsequent difficulties encountered will be a subject of ongoing evaluation and responsive improvement. The transferability of specifications grading to other educational delivery methods, like electives or didactic formats, could require alterations and further evaluation procedures.
Successfully, two skill-focused courses utilized specifications grading. Challenges associated with specifications grading implementation will receive consistent attention and resolution. Specifications-based grading methodologies, when applied to alternative course structures (e.g., electives, didactic), might necessitate modifications and further evaluation.
This study's focus was on investigating the influence of transitioning in-hospital clinical training entirely to virtual platforms on student academic performance and on evaluating student perspectives concerning the comprehensive experience.
Two consecutive weeks of in-hospital clinical training for 350 final-year pharmacy students were delivered remotely using synchronous videoconferences held daily. Trainees at Cairo University's Faculty of Pharmacy (VFOPCU) were able to virtually and interactively browse patient files, providing a realistic simulation of a typical clinical rounding process alongside their instructors. To assess pre- and post-training academic performance, identical 20-question tests were employed. Data on perceptions were obtained by means of an online survey.
A 79% pretest response rate was recorded, which decreased to 64% post-test. Following virtual training, the median score demonstrably improved, rising from 7 out of 20 (range 6-9) on the pretest to 18 out of 20 (range 11-20) on the posttest (P<.001). The training evaluations highlighted significant satisfaction among participants, showing an average rating above 3.5 out of 5. A noteworthy 27% of respondents voiced complete satisfaction with the overall experience, presenting no recommendations for adjustments. Nonetheless, the timing of the training, which was deemed inappropriate (274%), and the characterization of the training as condensed and tiresome (162%), were the primary reported drawbacks.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the VFOPCU platform's ability to facilitate distance learning for clinical experiences, instead of physical hospital interaction, proved to be an effective and beneficial solution. Post-pandemic, fresh and improved virtual clinical skill delivery methods can be developed by thoughtfully incorporating student ideas and enhancing resource allocation.
Utilizing the VFOPCU platform for distance learning of clinical experiences proved a practical and beneficial alternative to traditional hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. By thoughtfully incorporating student input and enhancing the utilization of available resources, virtual clinical skill delivery can be further enhanced, enduring even after the pandemic concludes.
To ascertain the efficacy of a specialty pharmacy workshop, this study combined it with pharmacy management and skills lab courses.
Following meticulous design, a specialty pharmacy workshop was executed. The lecture cohort of fall 2019 featured a 90-minute lecture on pharmacy management strategies. The structure of the fall 2020 lecture/lab cohort was made up of a lecture, a 30-minute pre-lab video assignment, and a two-hour laboratory component. Students presented their lab results virtually to the specialty pharmacists, marking the completion of the lab. Using pre- and post-surveys, the study examined knowledge (10 items), self-belief (9 items), and perspectives (11 items).
From the 123 students enrolled, a significant 88 students participated by completing both the pre- and post-course surveys, yielding a substantial completion rate of 715%. A ten-point scale measurement of knowledge revealed an improvement from 56 (SD=15) to 65 (SD=20) in the lecture cohort and from 60 (SD=16) to 73 (SD=20) in the lecture/lab cohort. Statistically significant improvement was observed in the lecture/lab group. For the lecture group, confidence improved for five items out of a total of nine; in contrast, the lecture/lab group saw significant improvement across all nine elements. Both groups expressed generally favorable attitudes towards the subject of specialty pharmacy.
Students were exposed to the various aspects of workflow management and medication access procedures during the specialty pharmacy workshop. Regarding the workshop's relevance and meaningfulness, students felt empowered to confidently develop their knowledge and comprehension of specialty pharmacy subjects. Pharmaceutical educational institutions can amplify this workshop's impact by replicating it on a larger scale, utilizing the integration of lecture-based and laboratory-based instruction.
During the specialty pharmacy workshop, students were introduced to the management of workflows and medication access processes. immune recovery Students recognized the workshop's relevance and significance, empowering them to confidently develop their knowledge and comprehension of specialty pharmacy areas. The workshop's implementation across a wider spectrum of pharmacy schools is achievable by incorporating didactic and laboratory instruction seamlessly.
The utilization of simulation in healthcare has become widespread, providing practical experience crucial to preparation before working directly with patients. Similar biotherapeutic product Despite the educational benefits of simulations within academic settings, they can unfortunately serve as a platform to reveal and possibly amplify ingrained cultural stereotypes. see more This study sought to determine the prevalence and impact of gender stereotypes in the simulated counseling practice of pharmacy students.
Across various groups of pharmacy students, completed simulated counseling sessions were examined. Manually reviewing a video database of these counseling sessions retrospectively aimed to pinpoint instances where students or actors portraying the roles of pharmacists and patients, respectively, assigned providers a gender without prior prompting. The secondary analysis procedure included measuring the time it took for providers to assign and acknowledge gender.
A comprehensive review was undertaken of 73 individual and unique counseling sessions. In the course of 65 sessions, gender was preferentially assigned. Each of the 65 cases involved a male provider assignment. A substantial portion (45 out of 65) of gender assignments were determined by the actors involved.
Preconceived gender stereotypes are consistently present within simulated counseling sessions. Ongoing review and monitoring are crucial for simulations to avoid promoting or reinforcing cultural stereotypes. To enhance healthcare professionals' abilities to function effectively in diverse workplaces, cultural competency should be incorporated into counseling simulations.
Predetermined gender biases are frequently evident in simulated counseling scenarios. The reinforcement of cultural stereotypes in simulations necessitates continuous monitoring and evaluation. A significant opportunity exists to improve the training of healthcare professionals for diverse work environments through the integration of cultural competency in counseling simulations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a study aimed to explore the prevalence of generalized anxiety (GA) among doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students within an academic institution, while leveraging Alderfer's ERG theory to determine which unmet existence, relatedness, and growth needs predict more pronounced GA symptoms.
A single-site, cross-sectional survey was administered to PharmD students in years one through four, from October 2020 to January 2021. Along with the survey's demographic inquiries, the validated Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62, and nine extra questions, designed to assess Alderfer's ERG theory of needs, were featured. An evaluation of GA symptom predictors was performed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, correlation analysis, and multivariable analysis techniques.
A significant 214 students out of 513 completed the survey, translating into a 42% response rate. Of the student population, 4901% displayed no clinical signs of GA, 3131% showed low clinical GA symptoms, and 1963% exhibited high clinical GA symptoms. The needs for relatedness, encompassing feelings of dislike, social isolation, and a sense of being misunderstood, exhibited the strongest correlation (65%) with generalized anxiety symptoms, and were most strongly linked to these symptoms (r=0.56, p<.001). Students who avoided exercise demonstrated a heightened prevalence of GA symptoms, as statistically indicated (P = .008).
More than half of PharmD students surpassed the clinical thresholds for generalized anxiety (GA) symptoms, and the perceived need for relatedness emerged as the strongest predictor of these symptoms among the student body. Opportunities for future students must be structured to improve social bonds, build resilience, and provide essential psychosocial support systems.