Mitigating Misinformation Toolkit: Online Simulation and Standardized Patient Cases for Interprofessional Students to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation.

Introduction: Medical misinformation, which contributes to vaccine hesitancy, poses challenges to health professionals. Health professions students, while capable of addressing and advocating for vaccination, may lack the confidence to engage with vaccine-hesitant individuals influenced by medical misinformation.

Methods: An interprofessional in-person simulation activity (90 minutes) using standardized patients was developed and instituted for students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health programs.

Impact of Collaborative Testing on Academic Performance in Pharmacy Education.

Objective: To determine the impact of 2-stage collaborative testing (CT) on academic performance of pharmacy students and to characterize pharmacy student perceptions of CT.

Methods: Two-stage CT was piloted in a 2-course patient assessment sequence within a Doctor of Pharmacy program. Students were randomly allocated into 2 groups and further divided into teams of 4 to 5 students.

A Mixed Methods Study of Resources Available for the Professional Development of Mid-Career Faculty.

Objective: To determine what resources are available and useful for the professional development of mid-career faculty (MCF) in pharmacy education to foster career advancement.

Methods: A 37-question survey was sent to 7236 members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, an estimated 4640 of whom represented the target population of associate professors, full professors, and administrators. Semi-structured focus groups involving these 3 groups of faculty were held to provide additional insight.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Residency Preparation Program for Fourth-Year Doctor of Pharmacy Students.

Objective: To describe the impact of a formal residency preparation program on student match rates, and to evaluate student-reported advisement activities and perceptions of the residency application process.

Methods: An optional, noncredit-bearing, residency preparation program was implemented in professional year 4 (PY4) of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. The program consisted of 4 residency preparation presentations and/or workshops: curriculum vitae writing, navigating the residency application process and American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy Midyear Clinical Meeting, letter of intent writing, and interview skills.

A Call to Action for the Professional Development of Mid-Career Faculty.

Despite taking on heavier teaching and service loads, an expanding research program, and serving as mentors to junior faculty, mid-career faculty often feel unsupported. Providing a solid foundation through resource allocation and sharing between and within institutions can facilitate establishment or improvement of faculty development initiatives, workload equity, transparent policies, routine performance evaluation, a process for faculty recognition, and a system of mentoring to create an environment where this essential group of faculty can continue to grow. The following discussion, which includes suggested methods to achieve these goals with a focus on mid-career faculty, serves as a call to action for pharmacy school administrators to assess the state of mid-career faculty at their institution, and if indicated, implement systems that promote success among this group.

Clinical and economic effectiveness of a pharmacy and primary care collaborative transition of care program.

Background: Primary care pharmacists are uniquely positioned to improve care quality by intervening within care transitions in the postdischarge period. However, additional evidence is required to demonstrate that pharmacist-led interventions can reduce health care utilization in a cost-effective manner. The study's objective was to evaluate the clinical and economic effectiveness of a pharmacy-led transition of care (TOC) program within a primary care setting.

Reviewing Promotion Dossiers as a Professional Responsibility.

Promotion is accompanied by additional responsibility, few more important than serving as a formal external reviewer of promotion dossiers. Promotion and tenure committees rely on external peer review to provide an outside perspective regarding the impact of the candidate's work and how they compare to peers with the same or higher academic rank. What the external reviewer writes and opines impacts the promotion and/or tenure decision.

The Five Most Important Lessons I Learned Along the Path to Clinical Professor.

Data from the Academy indicate that non-tenure track (NTT) faculty are not ascending academic ranks to the same extent as tenured/tenure-track faculty. The reasons for this are likely multifactorial but may include a lack of direction, purpose, and resources. While there is more than one way to arrive at a particular destination in academia, it seems wise to listen and learn from those who have traveled the path.

Transitions of care education in US colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Introduction: Pharmacist-led transitions of care (TOC) services have demonstrated a positive impact on patient care and professional pharmacy organizations recommend integration of TOC-related education into doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curricula. The objective of this study is to determine the extent to which TOC is taught in United States (US) colleges and schools of pharmacy and to characterize the educational content and the instructional methods used.

Methods: An 18-question electronic survey about TOC education was sent to US school of pharmacy faculty.

Remote Work in Pharmacy Academia and Implications for the New Normal.

To determine the extent to which pharmacy faculty engaged in remote work during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and, secondarily, to characterize pharmacy faculty and administrator perceptions of remote work. A 28-question online survey was sent to 6548 members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Questions centered on the extent of remote work and perceptions of its impact on productivity, effectiveness, and work-life balance.

Implementation and Assessment of a Heart Failure Virtual Patient Simulation in a Required Pharmacotherapy Course.

To assess second year Doctor of Pharmacy students' academic performance in and perceptions of a heart failure (HF) virtual patient simulation used in a required pharmacotherapy course. A heart failure virtual patient simulation was created to augment heart failure pharmacotherapy course material at the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the fall of 2019. This was a retrospective, pre-post observational cohort study.

Enhancing Pharmacy Faculty Well-Being and Productivity While Reducing Burnout.

To explore methods that pharmacy programs can use to redefine their work environment to reduce stress, improve well-being, and increase faculty productivity. To demonstrate a culture of support, organizations should consider a five-fold approach to enhancing and maintaining faculty well-being, including optimizing faculty and staff support, establishing a faculty development and mentoring program, permitting flexibility in work schedules, improving productivity of meetings, and managing communication tools. Individuals can also take measures to improve their well-being, including controlling email, giving attention to faculty citizenship, implementing stress reduction and coping techniques, and maintaining boundaries between work and home.

Ascending the Levels of Leadership in Pharmacy Academia.

The influence of a leader depends on their position, the quality of their relationships with those they are striving to lead, what they have done for the organization, what they have done for their colleagues, and who they are and what they represent. Strong academic leaders who continually refine their leadership style can advance through the levels of leadership: position, permission, production, people development, and ultimately, personhood. To do so, one must build relationships, invest in others, and center activities on serving the needs of the people, the organization, and key partners.

Health information technology utilization and impact on COVID-19 vaccination.

The use of health information technology (HIT) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly increased. During the pandemic, HIT has been used to provide telehealth services, education on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease, updates on epidemiology and treatments, and most recently, access to scheduling systems for the COVID-19 vaccines. Disparities and health equity, with higher rates of illness, hospitalization, and death, during the pandemic has been documented in Hispanic or Latinx, black, and Native American or Alaska Native persons.

Joint Statement on Pediatric Education at Schools of Pharmacy.

Providing health care for children is a unique specialty, and pediatric patients represent approximately 25% of the population. Education of pharmacy students on patients across the lifespan is required by current Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards and outcomes; thus, it is essential that pharmacy students gain a proficiency in caring for children. A collaborative panel of pediatric faculty members from schools and colleges of pharmacy was established to review the current literature regarding pediatric education in Doctor of Pharmacy curricula and establish updated recommendations for the provision of pediatric pharmacy education.

Assessment of a Scholars Program Designed to Enhance Pharmacy Students' Competitiveness for Postgraduate Residency Training.

To assess pharmacy residency match/placement rates and student perceptions of a program designed to enhance Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student competitiveness for postgraduate residency positions. The Scholars Program was developed to provide advanced training to select PharmD students who had an interest in postgraduate residency training and was completed during the third and fourth professional years. The program consisted of mentoring; elective coursework encompassing clinical practice, teaching, and leadership; modified experiential education; journal club meetings; teaching assistant duties; conducting research and/or scholarship; and delivering professional presentations.

Facilitating Wellbeing in a Turbulent Time.

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way we live, work, and study. As faculty members, staff members, and students attempt to create and maintain a new normal because of this pandemic, the preservation of wellbeing becomes the responsibility of each and every one of us. The pandemic has taught us not to presume the importance of wellbeing and has allowed us time to reflect on establishing new assumptions and beliefs about how and when we work and study; how to be more efficient in our work and home responsibilities; and above all, what is most important.

Facilitating Advancement of Clinical-Track Pharmacy Faculty Members.

Clinical faculty members in most pharmacy practice departments are expected to engage in practice, teaching, research and scholarship, and service. Although new clinical faculty members are typically well equipped to engage in the clinical practice aspect of their position, they generally lack experience in the other academic pillars and, depending on the institution, may not have dedicated time to engage in each area of effort, particularly research and scholarship. Consequently, achieving balance and realizing success in the tripartite mission of academia can be challenging.

Implementation of a Pharmacist-Led Transitions of Care Program within a Primary Care Practice: A Two-Phase Pilot Study.

Pharmacists in primary care settings have unique opportunities to address the causes of ineffective care transitions. The objective of this study is to describe the implementation of a multifaceted pharmacist transitions of care (TOC) intervention integrated into a primary care practice and evaluate the effectiveness of the program. This was a two-phase pilot study describing the development, testing, and evaluation of the TOC program.

Comparative Effectiveness of Vancomycin Versus Linezolid for the Treatment of Acute Pulmonary Exacerbations of Cystic Fibrosis.

Data are limited regarding the preferred antibiotics for treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations (APEs) of cystic fibrosis (CF), when methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is suspected. To compare the rate of return to baseline lung function among individuals with APEs of CF treated with either vancomycin or linezolid. This retrospective study included individuals hospitalized for APEs of CF from May 1, 2015, to April 30, 2017 who were infected with MRSA and treated with vancomycin or linezolid.

Immunization Education in US Pharmacy Colleges and Schools.

To determine the extent to which immunization is covered at US colleges and schools of pharmacy and to characterize what immunization- and vaccine-related content is taught. An invitation to complete a 23-question online survey instrument was sent to 128 accredited US pharmacy colleges and schools. Frequency and descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data, and the Fisher exact test was used to compare opportunities for students to engage in introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs and APPEs) at schools located in states that did or did not allow pharmacy students and interns to vaccinate.

Comparing Pharmacotherapy Instruction to the 2009 and 2016 ACCP Toolkit Recommendations.

To compare pharmacotherapy instruction in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs with the 2009 and 2016 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) pharmacotherapy toolkits. A survey was sent to representatives at US schools and colleges with PharmD programs. The survey consisted of questions pertaining to pharmacotherapy credit-hours, contact time spent for each therapeutic subject area, and pedagogical methods used.

Pharmacokinetic Monitoring of Vancomycin in Cystic Fibrosis: Is It Time to Move Past Trough Concentrations?

Background: A correlation between vancomycin (VAN) trough concentrations (VTC) and area under the curve (AUC) to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ratio (AUC/MIC) has not been established in children/adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF). The primary objective of this study was to determine the correlation between measured VTCs and AUC/MIC using population-based pharmacokinetics.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of children/adolescents diagnosed with CF, 6 to <18 years of age, treated with VAN for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection was conducted.

Vancomycin Versus Vancomycin Plus Rifampin for the Treatment of Acute Pulmonary Exacerbations of Cystic Fibrosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the change in pulmonary function in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) who were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) treated with either vancomycin (VAN) alone or vancomycin plus rifampin (VAN-RIF).

Methods: Included patients were ages 6 to 20 years; hospitalized for an acute pulmonary exacerbation (APE) of CF from May 1, 2012, to April 30, 2014; had a respiratory tract culture positive for MRSA within 1 month of index hospital admission; received at least 48 consecutive hours of VAN or VAN-RIF; and had admission and discharge pulmonary function tests. The primary end point was change in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV).

Characterization of Vaccination Policies for Attendance and Employment at Day/Summer Camps in New York State.

Introduction: New York state requires day/summer camps to keep immunization records for all enrolled campers and strongly recommends requiring vaccination for all campers and staff. The objective of this study was to characterize immunization requirements/recommendations for children/adolescents enrolled in and staff employed at day/summer camps in New York state.

Methods: An electronic hyperlink to a 9-question survey instrument was distributed via e-mail to 178 day/summer camps located in New York state cities with a population size greater than 100 000 people.