Perceptions of Pharmacy Educators Regarding the NAPLEX Pass Rate Puzzle.

Objective: Identify perceptions from pharmacy faculty across the Academy concerning factors that may be influencing North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) first-time pass rates to highlight potential focused areas of further research based on common experiences.

Methods: An anonymous 43-item Qualtrics questionnaire was distributed to faculty members from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Questions were predominantly 5-point Likert scale items (5 = very large impact) and encompassed 6 domains: pharmacy school factors, COVID-19 educational modifications, testing factors, standardized testing, applicant preparedness, and student factors.

The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) Pass Rate Conundrum.

As first-time pass rates on the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) continue to decrease, pharmacy educators are left questioning the dynamics causing the decline and how to respond. Institutional and student factors both influence first-time NAPLEX pass rates. Pharmacy schools established before 2000, those housed within an academic medical center, and public rather than private schools have been associated with tendencies toward higher first-time NAPLEX pass rates.

The Complicated Middle of the Academic Deanery.

The complicated and ever-growing roles of assistant and associate deans (A-deans) can often be compared to those of middle managers. With responsibilities that are rapidly expanding and often unclear or overlapping with other personnel, A-deans may face identity crises. Additionally, because they are often not at the full professor level, they may experience difficulty achieving promotion.

Re-examining the Entry-to-Practice PharmD Experiment.

Since 2000, the Doctor of Pharmacy degree has served as the entry-level credential for pharmacy practice in the United States, Some 20-plus years following the complete transition to an entry-level clinical doctorate in pharmacy, a re-examination of the outcomes of this move and the trajectory of the profession is merited. Particular attention might be given to the increasing diversity within pharmacy and the myriad of practice types. Regardless of the path forward, intentional and critical appraisals of both the pros and cons of the entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy, as well as the future of pharmacy practice, are warranted.

Pharmacists and the next generation of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has curtailed transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in most industrialized nations. Despite the availability of PrEP, HIV infections continue to occur. Access and adherence are major limitations to PrEP.

Deficiencies of Traditional Grading Systems and Recommendations for the Future.

To review issues surrounding the use of grades in the educational process and provide evidence-based recommendations for how to redesign grading practices for optimal value. Traditional tiered grading systems (ie, A, B, C, etc) have historically been a major component of the formal educational process. The way grades are used and interpreted are typically based on some commonly held assumptions, including that they are accurate measures of learning, that they motivate students to learn, and that they provide feedback to learners.

Long-Term Survival of Older Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19. Do Clinical Characteristics upon Admission Matter?

Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk of death. To compare clinical differences between older COVID-19 hospitalized survivors and non-survivors, we investigated variables influencing mortality in all older adults with COVID-19 hospitalized in Poznań, Poland, through the end of June 2020 ( = 322). In-hospital, post-discharge, and overall 180-day mortality were analyzed.

Continuing to Challenge the Paradigm of What Is Possible in Pharmacy Education and Practice Post-COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused boundless disruptions to every element of life. It has also brought with it lessons from the past that will likely extend into the future as humans continue to interface with the ever-increasing threats of zoonotic diseases. The pandemic has challenged the profession and the Academy to adjust, modify, and adapt.

The Nostalgia of Pencils, Chalk, and Typewriters.

Nostalgia is characterized by feelings of sentimentality and wistfulness. Once considered pathologic, nostalgia is now recognized as a normal and perhaps essential part of the human condition. Closely related to but distinct from nostalgia is a phenomenon known as "rosy retrospection.

The Accuracy of Health Professions Students' Self-Assessments Compared to Objective Measures of Competence.

To review the literature related to potential associations between self-assessed perceptions of knowledge and/or confidence with actual competence. Twenty-two articles involving a variety of disciplines, including undergraduate studies, dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy were included following the screening process. Most studies focused on student self-reported confidence rather than competency assessed by a formative examination.

A Recent Pharmacy Graduate's Perspectives on Faculty and Course Evaluations.

Written primarily by a recent pharmacy school graduate, this commentary aims to express the perceptions about pharmacy faculty members and course evaluations that students often hold. Colleges and schools of pharmacy use many different systems to administer and assess evaluations. While there are numerous published articles regarding these forms of evaluation, almost no literature exists that reflects the opinions of those actually completing the evaluations, ie, students.

COVID-19 Test Strategy to Guide Quarantine Interval in University Student.

Background: Following COVID-19 exposure, the CDC recommends a 10-14 day quarantine for asymptomatic individuals and more recently a 7 day quarantine with a negative PCR test. We performed a university-based prospective student cohort study to determine if early PCR negativity predicts day 14 negativity.

Methods: We enrolled 101 asymptomatic, quarantining, students, performed nasopharyngeal swabs for viral testing on days 3 or 4, 5, 7, 10 and 14 and determined the proportion of concordant negative results for each day versus day 14 with a two-sided 95% exact binomial confidence interval.

Pharmacy Education Crosses the Rubicon.

The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in seismic changes throughout society. Accordingly, academia has been forced to adapt. Changes across all aspects of teaching and instruction have occurred.

Making Diagnostic Instruction Explicit in US Pharmacy Education.

The profession of pharmacy and standards directing the education of student pharmacists are constantly evolving. The profession continues to emphasize patient-centered practice as a model for the future. The US health care system is faced with an impending shortage of primary care providers, which will affect the ability of patients to access the health care system.

Curricular Hoarding.

As practice evolves and scientific advancements are achieved the natural inclination for educators and administrators is to add new content to existing curricula. Often pre-existing curricula that may be outdated or no longer relevant may go un-checked leading to excessive coursework and program completion times. Faculty may also have emotional or other attachments to certain topics or content and that may serve as an additional or independent barrier to removing extraneous material.

Prospective Health Professions Students' Misperceptions About Pharmacists.

Public misperceptions about the pharmacy profession have the potential to impact pharmacy education, practice, and the health of those who pharmacists serve. Student misperceptions of the profession can lead to fewer applicants to pharmacy schools and frustration among pharmacy students and faculty members. With the recent decline in applicants to Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs, professional pharmacy organizations, colleges and schools of pharmacy, and individual pharmacists must implement strategies that mitigate these misperceptions.

How Faculty Recognized for Teaching Excellence Interpret and Respond to Student Ratings of Teaching.

To determine how experienced pharmacy educators who have been recognized for teaching excellence interpret and respond to end-of-course student ratings of their teaching. An expert sampling technique was used to identify pharmacy faculty members who had been recognized by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) for teaching excellence as potential participants in the study. Sixteen of these faculty members were independently identified by two or more of the researchers as trusted candidates for the study, and 10 of these were randomly selected and invited to be interviewed via a web-conferencing platform.

Impact of Novel Active-Learning Approaches Through iBooks and Gamification in a Reformatted Pharmacy Course.

To compare pharmacy students' assessment and evaluation ratings of a newly formatted nonprescription products course that used innovative technology and gaming to that for a traditional nonprescription products course. Examination scores and course evaluations of students who completed the traditional course on nonprescription products were analyzed and compared with those of students who completed a revised course on nonprescription products that used teaching techniques in educational technology. Students in the traditional course significantly outperformed those in the comparator group in eight nonprescription categories on examinations, while students in the new course significantly outperformed those in the comparator group in four categories.