Identifying and Mapping Skill Development Opportunities Through Pharmacy Student Organization Involvement

Abstract

Objective. To describe a process for identifying skills that students can gain through co-curricular involvement and to map these skills to curricular outcomes. Methods. This pilot study used a mixed-methods approach involving document reviews, student involvement surveys, and focus groups/interviews to evaluate skill development opportunities in three pharmacy student organizations. Investigators reviewed key documents (eg, student organization websites, annual review forms) to identify skills emphasized by the organization. Student participants completed modified Extracurricular Involvement Inventory surveys to measure the intensity of their student organization involvement. Two student focus groups, one student leader focus group and one general student member focus group, were held for each student organization. Interviews were conducted with each student organization's faculty advisor. Data sources were triangulated to identify and map skill development opportunities to program core competencies. Results. Six of nine core competencies were identified as skills pharmacy students can develop through involvement in the pilot student organizations. All three organizations provided opportunities for members to develop communication skills and in-depth knowledge and proficient skills of the discipline of pharmacy. Two organizations provided opportunities for students to develop collaboration skills. Conclusion. A mixed-methods approach can be used to identify and map skills that students can develop through co-curricular involvement. This approach provides several advantages: objective evaluation and triangulation of skill development opportunities, evaluation of students' involvement, and identification of linkages between the co-curriculum and curriculum in the context of curricular outcomes.

Evaluation of a Council Structure and Meeting Format for Pharmacy Student Government in the Co-Curriculum

“…Student government is important in academia and plays a vital role in helping to facilitate co-curricular activities and initiatives important to the student experience. [1][2][3][4] Although literature discussing the general importance of student government exists, [1][2][3] best practices for pharmacy student governance are lacking. This pilot outlines a model to enhance pharmacy student government.…”

“…2,3 Additionally, student government represents the student voice and facilitates studentled co-curricular initiatives, which play a key role in student leadership and professional skill development. 4 However, a gap exists in identifying effective student government infrastructures. This pilot is one of the first to describe such and results suggest a Council structure and meeting format may effectively support several fundamental tenets of a governing institution representing the interests of othersnamely inter-organization relations, communication, collaboration, and efficiencies.…”

“…1 These initiatives are central to the school/college's culture and aid in developing leadership, professionalism, and other skills important in pharmacy practitioners. 4 Recognizing the value of these important skills, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016 place emphasis on the co-curriculum and posit that co-curricular activities should serve to augment or complement the skills, knowledge, and attitudes developed in the formal curriculum. 5 As schools/colleges of pharmacy develop co-curricula to comply with these standards, many consider developing new co-curricular programs or enhancing previous extracurricular opportunities, such as student organization involvement.…”

Identifying Priority Student Leadership and Professionalism Attributes Among Faculty, Preceptors, and Students via Modified Delphi

“…13 Also new within Standards 2016 was the inclusion of a co-curriculum requirement. 6 While co-curricular activities, such as service learning, student organizations, and community outreach are not new to pharmacy programs, [16][17][18][19][20] the requirement to document student involvement in these activities and demonstrate how these experiences assist students in developing competency in the affective domains (eg, leadership, professionalism) was a new expectation. Notably, planning of co-curricular activities are often student-driven with oversight support provided by faculty.…”

“…Notably, planning of co-curricular activities are often student-driven with oversight support provided by faculty. [16][17][18][19][20] At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy, leadership and professionalism have been taught and evaluated throughout didactic courses, experiential education, and the cocurriculum. However, how faculty, preceptors, and others defined leadership and professionalism were not consistently aligned, leading to varied instruction and assessment of student competency.…”