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Background: Acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to substantial changes in pharmacy curricula, including the ability to provide in-person introductory experiential practice experiences (IPPEs) to University of Colorado’s International-Trained PharmD (ITPD) students. Methods: The IPPE course for ITPD students was redesigned to offer remote educational activities in the health system setting and simulated practice and communication activities in the community setting. Students were evaluated via surveys regarding the perceived value of these changes, and changes in knowledge, skills and abilities before and after activities. Results: A total of 6 students were enrolled in the revised IPPE course. Students agreed or strongly agreed that the overall distance-based IPPE experience, the remote health system activities, and the community activities were valuable. Students also strongly agreed that course design successfully met course outcomes and was relevant to pharmacy practice. In terms of knowledge, skills and abilities, numeric improvements were observed in remote health system activities and community-based simulated patient interactions, but results were not statistically significant. A high baseline level of knowledge led to minimal improvements in perceptions of improvement in community pharmacy skills regarding pharmacy simulation software. Conclusion: Implementation of distance-based IPPE activities may be an alternate educational modality.

Objective: To provide specific considerations for hosting non-U.S. pharmacy students at U.S.-based colleges/schools of pharmacy (C/SOP) for experiential clerkships and training. Findings: A literature review (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016) in PubMed, Google Scholar and IPA databases was conducted using specific keywords. Recommendations and future directions for development of experiential rotations for non-U.S. students in U.S. experiential rotations are presented for both the home and host country. Summary articles and best practices across the disciplines, as well as expert opinion, were found across U.S. models for hosting non-U.S. students in advanced practice rotations in the medical disciplines. Consistent themes regarding legal agreements, acculturation, standardized calendars and social and safety considerations were considered for inclusion in the final document. Conclusion: Development of a successful experiential rotation/training for non-U.S. students requires consideration for well-developed objectives, qualified preceptors, multitude of legal and cultural considerations and recommendations for longevity and sustainability.

Introduction Clinical capstone courses may improve skill sets across health care education. Effective implementation of a distance‐based clinical capstone course for practicing pharmacists across the globe has not been described. Objectives To evaluate whether a distance‐based clinical capstone course improves student confidence in key domains related to success on experiential rotations. Methods This was an educational cohort study with surveys at baseline, throughout the course, and after completion of advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). The distance‐based clinical capstone incorporated longitudinal case discussions, standardized patient interviews, drug information questions, increasingly complex case scenarios, and student‐driven learning. The primary outcome was the improvement in student confidence in critical thinking, evaluation and application of literature, clinical decision‐making, problem‐solving, and preparedness for APPEs. Student surveys (Likert scale) were conducted at baseline, midpoint, and course completion for the primary outcome. Key secondary outcomes included academic performance on student‐driven cases and performance compared with the face‐to‐face capstone course. Results Across 2 years, the course enrolled 46 students from 14 countries with a mean practice experience of 17 years. Compared with baseline, both midpoint and postcourse surveys revealed significant (P < .05) improvements in confidence regarding critical thinking, evaluation and application of literature, clinical decision‐making, problem‐solving, and preparedness for APPEs, which were maintained after completion of at least one APPE. Academic performance on student‐driven cases was not significantly different from faculty‐facilitated cases (88.6% vs 89.6%; P = .14) and overall performance was not significantly different between face‐to‐face and online iterations of the course (87% vs 88%; P = .52). Conclusions Implementation of a distance‐based clinical capstone course was effective in improving perceived student confidence in domains related to preparedness for experiential rotations and clinical practice.

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