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Purpose: A new pharmacotherapeutics course sequence with significant changes to the workshop component was implemented in Fall 2009. The redesigned workshops incorporated learning techniques focusing on the development of clinical skills rather than reapplication of lecture-based knowledge. The investigators hypothesize that the new workshops will improve the students’ ability to perform these skills on advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). The aim of the current investigation is to describe graduating students’ perceptions of whether workshops prepared them to perform specific pharmacy practice skills on advanced pharmacy practice experiences.
Methods: Graduating pharmacy students (n=193) received an e-mailed survey with instructions to return to the Dean’s office. The survey asked the students’ perception on whether participation in the new pharmacotherapeutics workshops prepared them to perform specific clinical skills (n=15) on their APPEs. A 4-point Likert scale was utilized. In an open-ended question, students were asked what other skills needed for APPEs could be incorporated in workshops. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the data.
Results: An 89.6% response rate was obtained. More than 80% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that workshops prepared them to perform 14 of the 15 pharmacy practice skills listed in the survey. The three skills that received the highest level of agreement included formulate a drug therapy plan (97.7%); evaluate a medical chart to retrieve and monitor data (94.2%); and critique a primary research article (93.6%). Only 39.3% of students agreed or strongly agreed that workshops prepared them to justify the cost of using tests/procedures ordered. Approximately one- third of respondents provided written feedback on additional skills that would be helpful on APPEs if taught in workshops.
Conclusion: Overall, the students perceive that the newly implemented pharmacotherapeutics workshops prepare them to perform a number of different pharmacy practice skills on APPEs.