Association of Emotional Intelligence With Pharmacy Students' Leadership and Academic Performance.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between emotional intelligence, leadership involvement, and academic performance among student pharmacists.

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study that included all second-year student pharmacists in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years. Emotional intelligence was assessed using the emotional quotient (EQ) inventory, version 2.

Impact of adherence on the cost-effectiveness of apixaban and rivaroxaban in stroke prevention among patients with atrial fibrillation in the United States.

Objective: Despite the beneficial effects of DOACs, suboptimal adherence is widely documented, and real-world adherence is lower than in clinical trials. The objective of this study is to compare the cost-effectiveness of apixaban versus rivaroxaban for stroke prevention by incorporating real-world adherence from the US payer's perspective.

Methods: We developed a Markov model with three health states to evaluate the total costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) at a willingness to pay threshold of $100,000.

Group-based trajectory modeling to identify adherence patterns for direct oral anticoagulants in Medicare beneficiaries with atrial fibrillation: a real-world study on medication adherence.

Background: Suboptimal adherence to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains currently a major concern due to the increased risk of cardiac and thromboembolic events.

Aim: To identify longitudinal distinct trajectories of DOAC adherence and sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with each trajectory.

Method: Patients with AF who were prescribed with DOAC from July 2016-December 2017 were identified among patients enrolled in the Medicare Advantage Plan.

The importance of coaching pharmacy students beyond their emotional intelligence assessment scores.

The teaching of emotional intelligence (EI) in pharmacy curriculums is an important part of a pharmacy learners' professional development and is crucial to improving interactions with health care providers and patients. However, the coaching of students to understand strengths and weaknesses related to their EI scores and how to facilitate these opportunities for personal growth is often the missing link from the teaching process. This commentary explores a college of pharmacy's experience with the incorporation of EI into the curriculum, with a focus on coaching students beyond the assessment numbers they receive.

Impact of automated alerts on discharge opioid overprescribing after general surgery.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to identify the most performed surgical procedures associated with the highest rates of discharge opioid overprescribing and to implement an electronic health record (EHR) alert to reduce discharge opioid overprescribing.

Methods: This quality improvement, before-and-after study included patients undergoing one of the identified target procedures-laparoscopic cholecystectomy, unilateral open inguinal hernia repair, and laparoscopic appendectomy-at an academic medical center. The alert notified providers when the prescribed opioid quantity exceeded guideline recommendations.

Characterising incident opioid use among incident users of prescription sedative hypnotics: A national cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate co-prescribing of sedatives hypnotics and opioids.

Design: Retrospective study evaluating the association of patient characteristics and comorbidities with coprescribing.

Setting And Participants: Using the national Merative MarketScan Database between 2005 and 2018, we identified patients who received an incident sedative prescription with or without subsequent, incident opioid prescriptions within a year of the sedative prescription in the USA.

Physician perspective on the implementation of risk mitigation strategies when prescribing opioid medications: a qualitative analysis.

Objective: To understand the physician perspective on the barriers and facilitators of implementing nine different opioid risk mitigation strategies (RMS) when prescribing opioid medications.

Methods: We created and dispersed a cross-sectional online survey through the Qualtrics© data collection platform among a nationwide sample of physicians licensed to practice medicine in the United States who have prescribed an opioid medication within the past year. The responses were analyzed using a deductive thematic analysis approach based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to ensure a holistic approach to identifying the barriers and facilitators for each RMS assessed.

Student-led podcasts to enhance literature evaluation skills.

Background And Purpose: Critical evaluation and understanding of primary literature is essential to pharmacy practice. This project evaluated student confidence and learning outcomes in a critical care elective course where podcasts were used as an active learning assignment for literature evaluation.

Educational Activity And Setting: Third-year pharmacy students created a 15- to 20-min podcast episode that reviewed a landmark critical care trial.

Evaluation of student emotional intelligence at various points in a pharmacy curriculum.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to evaluate emotional intelligence in doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at various points in the curriculum.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, single site, observational study that included first- through fourth-year PharmD students, conducted from December 2021 to April 2022. The study used the Emotional Quotient Inventory, version 2.

Academic Pharmacy Fellowship Programs are an Innovative Solution to Improve the Faculty Pipeline.

Academic pharmacy fellowship programs can offer an innovative training solution to help prepare pharmacists for successful careers as clinical faculty members. However, there is no well-defined program blueprint or recommendations for what a successful program should include. This commentary describes the program overview for the academic pharmacy fellowship at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and discusses the implications of incorporating a similar program at a college of pharmacy.

Patients prefer free drug disposal options delivered by pharmacists at the point of care: Results of a decision tree analysis of a national factorial vignette panel survey.

Background: Unused opioid medication in the home increases risk of medication diversion, misuse, and unintended harm. The United States Federal Food and Drug Administration is currently considering the implementation of a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program that would require US pharmacists to provide drug disposal products with opioid prescriptions. Still, little is known about consumer preference for drug disposal method.

Impact of diversity/life experience scores on the demographic makeup of pharmacy students.

Introduction: The University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP) implemented a diversity and lifestyle experience score for use in its admission process. The goal of this research was to evaluate changes in the demographic makeup of individuals that interviewed, matriculated, and progressed before and after implementation of this diversity scoring tool.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of student data from UHCOP in academic years 2016/2017 (pre-tool) and 2018/2019 (post-tool).

The impact of the mainstreaming addiction treatment act and associated legislative action on pharmacy practice.

The recent passage of the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act will expand access to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) by eliminating prescriber registration requirements introduced as part of the Drug Abuse Treatment Act (DATA) of 2000. Without the X-Waiver, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registered prescriber can now prescribe buprenorphine. Eliminating DATA-2000 registration is the first step in improving access to buprenorphine, but additional barriers, including unclear restrictions on wholesale buprenorphine supply and insurance coverage, remain.

Evaluating the feasibility of implementing a prescription drug misuse prevention intervention in the community: a mixed methods study.

Background: This study is part of a state-wide effort to promote the safe disposal of prescription medications and mitigate prescription drug misuse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a two-component prevention intervention through Community Prevention Organizations (CPOs) in Texas. The first component involved the distribution of in-home disposal products (IHDP) and the second focused on providing education of the risks of prescription drug misuse.

Identifying predictors of generalized anxiety among student pharmacists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: To explore the prevalence of generalized anxiety (GA) among doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at an academic institution during the COVID-19 pandemic and use Alderfer's existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) theory to elucidate which unsatisfied needs are predictive of higher levels of GA symptoms.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, single-site survey administered to first- through fourth-year PharmD students from October 2020 to January 2021. The survey tool included demographic information, the validated Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 tool, and nine additional questions developed to assess Alderfer's ERG theory of needs.

Mitigating the impact of adolescence isolation on the development of social anxiety: A potential role for oxytocin.

Exposure to isolation can lead to the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD), which affects 13% of Americans. There are sex differences in the prevalence of anxiety disorders, as women experience higher rates of SAD relative to men. Importantly, isolation experienced during adolescence increases the likelihood of developing SAD in adulthood.

Review of Best Practices for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees Within Colleges of Pharmacy.

To provide a review of best practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committees at United States colleges of pharmacy. In colleges of pharmacy, DEI committees can play a crucial role in promoting a culture change to ensure pharmacy graduates are equipped to provide equitable and representative care for the patients they serve. There is limited literature available on DEI committee composition, roles, and responsibilities, and their place within a college of pharmacy's organizational structure.

Optimization of Opioid Discharge Prescriptions Following Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a quality improvement bundle on opioid discharge prescribing following thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy.

Methods: This before-and-after study included patients undergoing thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy at an academic medical center. The quality improvement bundle included a patient education flyer, electronic health record order sets with multimodal analgesia regimens, and provider education.

Critical periods when dopamine controls behavioral responding during Pavlovian learning.

Rationale: Learning the association between rewards and predictive cues is critical for appetitive behavioral responding. The mesolimbic dopamine system is thought to play an integral role in establishing these cue-reward associations. The dopamine response to cues can signal differences in reward value, though this emerges only after significant training.

Comparing Two Databases to Identify Access to Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the differences in buprenorphine prescribers from a county level in the state of Texas by comparing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Buprenorphine Practitioner Locator to the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Controlled Substance Act (CSA) database.

Methods: County-level counts of buprenorphine prescribers were calculated from both the publicly available SAMHSA buprenorphine practitioner locator list and the DEA CSA database. These were then used to estimate the number of providers per 100,000 residents in each county.

Evaluation of Discharge Opioid Prescribing in Coronary Artery Bypass Patients Following an Opioid Stewardship Intervention for Providers.

Opioid stewardship efforts can promote safe and effective use of opioids to optimize pain control and minimize unintended consequences. The purpose of this study is to assess the difference in post-operative opioid discharge prescribing in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery following implementation of a tripartite opioid stewardship intervention. This was a single-center, quality improvement study at a large, quaternary academic medical center.

Sex Differences in Behavioral Responding and Dopamine Release during Pavlovian Learning.

Learning associations between cues and rewards require the mesolimbic dopamine system. The dopamine response to cues signals differences in reward value in well trained animals. However, these value-related dopamine responses are absent during early training sessions when cues signal differences in the reward rate.

Completing the Academic Leadership Fellows Program During the Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Academic Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP) of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy to shift to a virtual format for Cohort 17. Major differences compared to previous years included changes in networking strategies among fellows, lack of in-person team-building activities, and adjustments to the preparation and delivery of the team debates. Adaptations in fellow peer interactions and the learning approach proved that strong relationships and collaborations can be formed in a virtual setting.