advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) availability and needs for 4 colleges and schools of pharmacy in Georgia and Alabama and to examine barriers and offer potential solutions to increase APPE site and preceptor availability. Methods. Data on APPE needs and availability were gathered prospectively and evaluated relative to current and projected enrollment and planned programmatic changes. Results. Combined 2006-2007 non-community APPE needs and availabilities were 3,590 and 4,427, respectively, with a surplus availability of 837. Combined projected 2010-2011 non-community APPEs were estimated at 4,309. Assuming 2006-2007 non-community availability remained unchanged, the surplus availability declined to 118. Conclusions. The need for quality experiential education represents a significant barrier and rate-limiting step to the matriculation of the increased numbers of pharmacists. Barriers to expanding APPE availability include: introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and APPE expansion, growth of new and existing pharmacy programs, financial instability of acute care facilities, and lack of preceptor development resources. Regional experiential education consortiums can provide a constructive approach to improve access to quality sites and preceptors through standardizing processes and leveraging resources.

Objective. To describe the implementation process of a consortium-based preceptor development program and to review completion and assessment data over the first 27 months. Design. Five 1-hour, Web-based preceptor development modules were developed using streaming media technologies. Modules were released using a password-protected Internet site and were free to consortium-affiliated preceptors. Preceptor's institutional affiliation, module completion dates, module assessments, and continuing education credits were recorded and made available to each institution. Assessment. Three hundred eighty-two preceptors completed 1489 modules. Fifty-six percent of preceptors were affiliated with more than 1 consortium institution. The number of participating preceptors per institution varied from 72 to 204. Sixty-five percent of preceptors completed all 5 modules. Preceptor satisfaction was high, with 93% agreeing with each course evaluation statement. Program cost per institution ranged from $12 to $35 per preceptor. Conclusions. A consortium-based approach to preceptor development is a convenient and effective means of providing required training.

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Objective. To describe students' experiences and learning outcomes of an academic advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) elective provided via videoconference. Faculty preceptor and experiential administration's perspectives also are described. Methods. This 5-week APPE was developed using backward design and delivered starting in 2015 via videoconferencing, with the faculty preceptor and students physically located in different locations throughout the state. After the APPE, students completed a retrospective survey comparing their perspectives and learning outcomes before and after the rotation. They also provided feedback on the experience. Students completed the standard APPE evaluation. Faculty preceptor's self-reflections and experiential administration's perspectives were documented. Results. Six students completed this unique APPE over three academic years. After the rotation, five students (83%) stated that their interest in a full-time academic career increased, while one student's (17%) interest stayed the same. All students stated there was "no hindrance" with this rotation being conducted via videoconference or with the geographical distance between the faculty preceptor and them. Student ratings of nine learning outcomes increased after completing the APPE, demonstrating their perception of their knowledge improved in all topic areas. Conclusion. Students, the faculty preceptor, and experiential administration deemed this videoconference academic APPE effective and successful. This experience affords students, without regard for physical location, the opportunity to pursue interests in academia, adds to the variety of APPEs offered by the school, and allows students to learn about careers in academic pharmacy, an area of growing need in the pharmacy profession.

Objective. To document the annual number of advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) placement changes for students across 5 colleges and schools of pharmacy, identify and compare initiating reasons, and estimate the associated administrative workload. Methods. Data collection occurred from finalization of the 2008-2009 APPE assignments throughout the last date of the APPE schedule. Internet-based customized tracking forms were used to categorize the initiating reason for the placement change and the administrative time required per change (0 to 120 minutes). Results. APPE placement changes per institution varied from 14% to 53% of total assignments. Reasons for changes were: administrator initiated (20%), student initiated (23%), and site/preceptor initiated (57%) Total administrative time required per change varied across institutions from 3,130 to 22,750 minutes, while the average time per reassignment was 42.5 minutes. Conclusion. APPE placements are subject to high instability. Significant differences exist between public and private colleges and schools of pharmacy as to the number and type of APPE reassignments made and associated workload estimates.