Pharmacy residency directors' concerns with implementing in‐training examinations in pharmacy residencies

Abstract

IntroductionThe use of in‐training examinations as formative assessment in graduate medical education is commonplace and performance has varying degrees of positive correlation with physician performance on future board certification examinations. Such a formative tool does not exist in graduate pharmacy education and may be a useful tool to consider developing and implementing into pharmacy residency programming.ObjectivesTo evaluate the concerns of residency program directors (RPDs) should they be faced with implementing an in‐training examination into their postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program.MethodsThe concerns‐based adoption model framework was used to conduct a mixed‐methods evaluation of RPDs' concerns about in‐training examinations in pharmacy residency training. RPDs from the eastern United States were invited to participate in a 35‐item survey, followed by a scripted interview to learn about their concerns with the idea of examination integration.ResultsTwenty‐four program directors completed the stages of concern (SOC) quantitative survey and seven continued on to complete the levels of use qualitative interview. Survey data identified that program directors were in the informational stage, requiring more information and understanding before implementing such an assessment tool. The qualification of their survey responses contained themes of equality and equity between participating programs, the difference between summative and formative assessment, and curriculum changes that would accompany such a programmatic change. All participants were in the early SOC and had not actively sought information about this practice before being part of this research.ConclusionSignificant efforts will be required to inform RPDs about in‐training examinations and formative assessment practices leading up to the implementation of such a practice in graduate pharmacy education.