Patient-oriented Personality Traits of First-year Pharmacy Students

Abstract

Objective. To determine, using the Gordon Personal Profile-Inventory (GPP-I), if the personality traits of first-year pharmacy students match the traits required for patient-centered practice. Methods. The GPP-I, which measures the personality traits of ascendency, responsibility, emotional stability, sociability, cautiousness, original thinking, personal relations, and vigor, was administered to incoming pharmacy students at the beginning of their first semester. Results. The pharmacy school had attracted students with strong traits of original thinking, followed by personal relations, and vigor. The students, however, were limited in emotional stability and ascendency. Conclusion. The pharmacy profession needs to be more proactive in projecting the desired image and communicate its increasingly challenging and patient-oriented practice to attract individuals whose personalities are conducive to current practice models.

Using the big five inventory to evaluate the personality traits of Australian pharmacists

“…The authors broadly suggest that studying personality may help in understanding why pharmacists take up advanced pharmacy practice roles and may facilitate the design of interventions to foster innovation and practice change to promote activation of these traits . In the context of pharmacy students, personality traits have also been suggested as a tool for admission criteria for entry into pharmacy schools or targets for enhancement through appropriate academic learning and professional socialisation . In the medical profession, personality traits have been proposed as a tool for the recruitment and retainment of rural doctors, the design of environments to enhance patient satisfaction, the selection of surgical versus non‐surgical residents and as a way to predict job satisfaction in trauma surgeons,…”

Personality traits of pharmacy and medical students throughout their course of studies

“…10 The GPP-I has been used in various other papers related to personality traits of pharmacists, pharmacy and medical students. 15 , 25 , 26 , 27…”

“…14 Previous studies by the authors found that first year pharmacy students were characterised by strong traits of Original Thinking, Personal Relations and Vigor, however they had low scores on assertiveness. 15 …”

Guiding Principles for Student Leadership Development in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program to Assist Administrators and Faculty Members in Implementing or Refining Curricula

“…12 The pharmacy education literature has highlighted work that focuses on the self-development of students related to discovery of personality, emotional intelligence, talents, and strengths. 9,[37][38][39] Disciplines outside the profession have described personal growth projects and other mechanisms to encourage a student's focus on their own self-development. 40 Guiding Principle 4: Leadership development should take place in a wide variety of settings including didactic curriculum, experiential curriculum, and extracurricular involvement.…”