Description and Evaluation of an MPharm Practice-based Experience Pilot Program

Abstract

Objective. To determine the level of support among pharmacists in central Scotland to serve as mentors and provide practice-based experience to students enrolled in a master of pharmacy degree program. Methods. A study was conducted during the 2011-2012 academic year in which first-year MPharm students in Scotland were paired with practicing pharmacists for 2 half-day visits per month. The students were integrated into the pharmacy workflow and engaged in activities ranging from date checking to counseling patients. The pharmacists and students who participated were asked to complete a survey in spring 2012 regarding their experiences and, in addition, the students were asked to maintain diary entries describing their experiences. Results. Thirty-nine students were paired successfully with 38 pharmacists. Every pharmacist stated their student was welcome to return in the 2012-2013 academic year and 29 agreed to accept a second student. Nine of 12 participating chain community pharmacies asked for program expansion and 11 chain community pharmacies and one other community pharmacy that did not participate in 2011-2012 asked to join in 2012-2013. Conclusion. Large numbers of pharmacists in central Scotland are willing to mentor and provide practice-based pharmacy education for students in a manner consistent with General Pharmaceutical Council accreditation standards for the master of pharmacy degree curriculum.

Qualitative Evaluation of a Practice-based Experience Pilot Program for Master of Pharmacy Students in Scotland

“…The participants were pharmacists practicing in central Scotland (within a reasonable travelling distance from SIPBS for students) who participated in our previous study. 4 They were contacted by the authors of that study to explain the purpose of the qualitative evaluation, to provide assurance of the voluntary and confidential nature of the evaluation, and to ask permission for them to be contacted by a researcher serving as an external investigator from the University of Strathclyde School of Psychological Sciences and Health (USSPSH) under the supervision of her USSPSH faculty supervisor. The interviews with pharmacists who agreed to participate were recorded and subsequently transcribed into a written format.…”

“…The pharmacists agreed that the students made obvious progress over the course of their two 3-hour visits per month and that, in their minds, was the primary proof of the educational value of the visits (please see our previous paper for further information on the number of student visits). 4 The concept of confidence was raised by all the pharmacists interviewed, with all indicating that developing confidence is an important part of the educational process (Appendix 1; quotation 3).…”

“…Encouragingly, all those interviewed agreed that they would be happy to continue with the project; however, the pharmacists interviewed only represented approximately a quarter of the pharmacists involved in the pilot program. 4 While they would be happy to continue, some pharmacists stated they would not be able to contribute or accept anything more (such as more students or more placements) because of time constraints. No one said they had any intention of withdrawing from the project, not even those who reported less positive experiences with their students.…”

“…We reported in a previous paper that there is substantial support for MPharm experiential education from pharmacists, particularly community pharmacists, in central Scotland. 4 In brief, 39 volunteer first-year MPharm students in the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS) were paired with 38 volunteer pharmacists in the 2011-2012 academic year for two 3-hour practice-site visits per month. The pharmacists were asked to establish mentor/mentee relationships with their students, to integrate their students into the pharmacy workflow, and to use their best judgment in giving students a steadily increasing breadth and depth of workplace experience.…”

“…The list of supervised responsibilities given to students is reported in our previous paper but ranged from simple tasks such as stock control to more complex tasks including dispensing-related activities, follow-up telephone calls to patients, completing diabetes and blood pressure checks, and advising patients on self-care issues. 4 Surveyed in spring 2012, every pharmacist stated their student was welcome to return in the 2012-2013 academic year and 29 agreed to accept a second student. Nine of 12 participating chain community pharmacy companies asked for program expansion and 12 community pharmacy companies that did not participate in 2011-2012 asked to join in 2012-2013.…”