Initial Employment Plans of PharmD Graduates from Ten Public Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy, 2018-2022.

Objective: Since 2009, the Big Ten Pharmacy Assessment Collaborative has surveyed their Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates regarding their first employment plans. The current study updates the results from 2013-2017, since which the nationwide demand for pharmacists decreased, then increased again due to COVID-19.

Methods: Quantitative first-position employment data from 2018-2022 were tracked among 6687 Big Ten PharmD graduates.

NAPLEX Preparation Program Characteristics and Resources Associated With First-Time Exam Pass Rates.

Objective: Pharmacy colleges and schools invest substantial faculty effort and financial resources in North America Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) preparation, including vendor products purported to improve NAPLEX pass rates. The objective of this project was to examine NAPLEX preparation program characteristics associated with first-time pass rates.

Methods: A national survey investigated which pharmacy schools provided a formal NAPLEX preparation program in the 2021/2022 academic year, and what resources students were required to use.

A Description of NAPLEX and MPJE Preparation Strategies Among US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the different strategies used to supplement North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) preparation in the US pharmacy programs.

Methods: An online survey was developed to gather information from 141 accredited schools/colleges of pharmacy about the preparation methods used during the 2021-22 academic year. The questionnaire contained 19 NAPLEX- and 10 MPJE-specific questions related to timing, content, use of commercial products and programs, faculty involvement, and whether these activities were required or recommended.

Detection of Academic Early Warning Signs and Effective Intervention "Takes a Village".

Early intervention for students at risk of academic difficulty can be more effectively accomplished using a team-based approach that capitalizes on the expertise of many in a pharmacy education community. Authored by members of the Big Ten Alliance Pharmacy Assessment Collaborative, this commentary advocates for better integration of assessment professionals, pharmacy faculty, and student support services to capture academic, accountability, and behavior-related data that might signal student intellectual and/or behavioral challenges and manifest as marginal academic performance. Assessment professionals can assist with creating data dashboards/monitoring systems, recognizing trends within the data, refining formulas to identify at-risk students, and measuring the impact of interventions to determine which approaches positively and significantly influence outcomes.

Leveraging a required e-portfolio course to meet multiple needs: Student assessment, curriculum improvement, and accreditation.

Background: Learning portfolios enable student pharmacists to connect program outcomes and related learning experiences to future practice as healthcare providers. Assessment programs also require data to inform decisions regarding curriculum quality and maintain program accreditation. Our goal was to create a portfolio meeting multiple needs, including learning improvement, curricular assessment, and accreditation.

Considerations for the incorporation of mindfulness into pharmacy education.

Introduction: A range of approaches are needed to bolster the mental health and well-being of pharmacists and student pharmacists.

Commentary: In recent years, medical and nursing educators have been training students to use mindfulness-oriented meditation (MOM) techniques such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for mental health, wellness, and greater attention and presence. MOM training should be considered for incorporation into pharmacy education.

Identifying High-Impact and Managing Low-Impact Assessment Practices.

Those in pharmacy education who are tasked with assessment may be overwhelmed by deadlines, data collection, and reporting, leaving little time to pause and examine the effectiveness of their efforts. However, assessment practices must be evaluated for their impact, including their ability to answer important questions, use resources effectively, and contribute to meaningful educational change. Often assessments are implemented, but then attention is diverted to another assessment before the data from the former assessment can be fully interpreted or used.

Best Practices Related to Examination Item Construction and Post-hoc Review.

To provide a practical guide to examination item writing, item statistics, and score adjustment for use by pharmacy and other health professions educators. Each examination item type possesses advantages and disadvantages. Whereas selected response items allow for efficient assessment of student recall and understanding of content, constructed response items appear better suited for assessment of higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy.

Quantitative and Qualitative Factors Associated with Social Isolation Among Graduate and Professional Health Science Students.

To determine the prevalence of social isolation and associated factors in graduate and professional health science students. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered via an online survey from graduate and professional students in the colleges of dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health at a Midwestern university. Questions assessed students' demographics, weekly activity hours, support systems, and financial concerns, and included the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale.

Incorporating LGBTQ health into the curriculum: Assessment of student pharmacists' knowledge and comfort level in caring for transgender patients.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to measure the effects of instruction regarding transgender health in second-year student pharmacists and provide qualitative insight regarding their impressions of the educational experience.

Educational Activity And Setting: Students completed a pre- and post-survey assessing knowledge regarding transgender therapeutics, the pharmacist's role, level of comfort providing care, and impression of exposure to the topic. McNemar's test and paired t-tests compared respondent data before and after the activity.

Best Practices on Examination Construction, Administration, and Feedback.

Examinations are typically used in higher education to objectively assess student learning, and they are also used as a frequent assessment tool in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. This paper describes best practices and provides examples for faculty to build reliable and valid examinations, ensure examination security and deter academic misconduct, and enhance student learning and achievement of course objectives. Colleges and schools of pharmacy can incorporate these concepts into comprehensive examination policies and focus faculty development efforts on improving the examination purpose, design, and experience for both faculty and students.