Learning Styles and Teaching Perspectives of Canadian Pharmacy Practice Residents and Faculty Preceptors

Abstract

Objective. To characterize and compare learning styles of pharmacy practice residents and their faculty preceptors, and identify teaching perspectives of faculty preceptors. Methods. Twenty-nine pharmacy residents and 306 pharmacy faculty members in British Columbia were invited to complete the Pharmacists' Inventory of Learning Styles (PILS). Faculty preceptors also were asked to complete the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI). Results. One hundred percent of residents and 61% of faculty members completed the PILS, and 31% of faculty members completed the TPI. The most common dominant learning style among residents and faculty preceptors was assimilator, and 93% were assimilators, convergers, or both. The distribution of dominant learning styles between residents and faculty members was not different ( p50.77). The most common dominant teaching perspective among faculty members was apprenticeship. Conclusion. Residents and preceptors mostly exhibited learning styles associated with abstract over concrete thinking or watching over doing. Residency programs should steer residents more toward active learning and doing, and maximize interactions with patients and other caregivers.

The Effect of Transitioning from Residency to Pharmacy Practice on Learning Style

“…This resembles results from our previous study, which showed the distribution of learning style was identical between residents and their preceptors, who were both dominated by passive/abstract learning styles. 12 Our results contrast with those of medical residents, whose learning style shifted toward the more active assimilator or converger styles during the course of their training. 13 While most former residents found their learning style assessment to be useful, few adjusted their learning or practice habits as a result.…”

“…12 Clearly, learning style does change in this period, but likely within the bounds of behaviors and preferences demonstrated by peers, preceptors, colleagues, and mentors. The demonstrated early-career lability of learning preferences may indicate an opportunity for residency programs and mentors to focus on coaxing learning preferences toward the active and concrete.…”

“…They all also participated in our previously published study, which characterized their learning style at the beginning of their residency. 12 Participants were invited by e-mail to repeat the Pharmacists' Inventory of Learning Styles (PILS), which has a high degree of reliability and a moderate to high degree of validity in the context of pharmacy education.…”

“…11 We recently demonstrated that pharmacy residents, when assessed near the beginning of their program, were predominantly assimilators, and to a lesser extent, convergers. 12 Studies have shown that the learning styles of medical students change over time, moving towards more active learning preferences like converger and accommodator. 13 There has been no research on whether or how learning styles evolve along the continuum of training for pharmacy students and residents, or as residents transition into practice.…”

Learning styles and approaches: Can reflective strategies encourage deep learning?

“…23,24,[128][129][130][131] Research in pharmacy students or residents has derived from limited studies: seven American cohorts, 23,130,128,129,[131][132][133] one Canadian, 134 and one Australian cohort. 24 Furthermore, one of the American studies involved research from more than 30 years ago.…”