Objective. To characterize the impact of COVID-19 transitions on first professional year (P1) students’ domain-specific and overall well-being. Methods. All P1 students (N=74) enrolled at one college of pharmacy self-reported their career, community, financial, physical, social, and overall well-being on a weekly basis from January 6 through April 27, 2020. Parametric statistical tests and effect sizes were used to compare well-being scores pre-transition and post-transition and to compare well-being scores to a previous cohort of P1 students. Results. Mean well-being scores decreased when comparing pre-transition vs post-transition scores, with effect sizes ranging from dav=.16 for financial well-being to dav=.84 for social well-being. The average percent of students that reported struggling increased by 86.1% (16.8% vs 31.2%) post-tran-sition, and the average percent of students that reported suffering post-transition was 351% higher (1.3% vs 6%) than pre-transition. Conclusion. Pharmacy students’ domain specific and overall well-being significantly decreased with COVID-19-related transitions. The percentage of students reporting struggling or suffering significantly increased post-transition.

Objective. To examine the extent to which theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs and demographic characteristics explain pharmacy students’ dispensing intentions in ethically or legally gray areas involving potential substance misuse or abuse. Methods. Two cohorts of third-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students (n5159) were provided with five written cases describing common “gray area” dispensing scenarios in community practice involving medications and devices with potential for misuse or abuse (eg, long-term buprenorphine maintenance prescription without evidence of tapering, early refill of a narcotic for an out-of-town patient, non-prescription sale of pseudoephedrine). Students completed a 12-item survey instrument for each case. Items assessed whether the student would dispense the medication or device in the given scenario, how many times in 10 similar scenarios the student would dispense the medication or device, attitudes regarding dispensing, and subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs. Results. Wide variation in the percentages of students who would dispense the medications or devices was noted across the five scenarios (14% in the buprenorphine scenario to 61% in the pseudoephedrine scenario). Attitude scores significantly predicted dispensing decisions in all scenarios (p,.001), whereas subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs were significant predictors of dispensing only in select case scenarios. Gender and community pharmacy work experience did not consistently predict dispensing intentions. Conclusion. Student attitudes consistently predicted intent to dispense across five gray practice scenarios. These findings can be used to inform development of educational interventions that influence students’ attitudes and self-awareness in community practice decision-making scenarios involving potential substance misuse or abuse.

Objective. To evaluate the extent to which Doctor of Pharmacy students’ personal finance perceptions, projected student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predict postgraduation career intentions. Methods. Students at three pharmacy colleges completed a 31-item survey instrument that assessed personal finance perceptions, self-efficacy beliefs, anticipated student loan debt upon graduation, postgraduate intentions, anticipated practice setting upon graduation, and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models were used to examine the extent to which personal finance perceptions, student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predicted postgraduate intentions and anticipated practice setting. Results. There were 763 usable responses obtained (response rate=90.3%). Students reported an anticipated personal student loan debt at graduation of $162,747 (SD=$87,093) and an estimated 7.4 (SD=5.8) years to pay off non-mortgage debt postgraduation. Fifty-three percent of students reported planning to practice in a community pharmacy setting postgraduation, and 54% indicated they intended to enter practice directly. Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of whether students planned to pursue postgraduate training. There was a significant association between debt influence and pressure perceptions and students’ plans to pursue postgraduate training (aOR=0.78; 95% CI=0.65-0.94). The odds of indicating hospital (vs chain community) pharmacy as the anticipated setting decreased 36% with every one point increase in debt influence and pressure perceptions (aOR=0.64; 95% CI=0.50-0.81). Conclusion. Pharmacy students’ perceived debt pressure and influence predicted their intention to enter practice directly (vs pursuing postgraduate training) and to select a career in chain community pharmacy (vs hospital pharmacy). Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of postgraduate training intentions. These findings suggest that interventions that equip students to manage the pressure associated with large student loan debts should be explored.

Objective. To determine whether using standardized patients dressed in moulage improves pharmacy students' ability to assess skin disorders compared to using picture-based paper cases. To determine pharmacy student preferences when learning assessment of skin disorders through these two educational methods. Methods. Faculty members investigated student assessments of drug-induced skin disorders and contact dermatitis by using picture-based paper cases compared with using standardized patients dressed in moulage in a patient assessment course. Faculty members measured student knowledge via multiple-choice questions before laboratory, immediately after laboratory, and during a final examination 3 weeks later. Student preferences were measured immediately after laboratory via survey instrument in this randomized, non-blinded, crossover design educational study. Results. No significant differences in knowledge scores related to skin disorders were found after laboratory or 3 weeks later when comparing the two educational methods. However, survey results suggested student preferences for using standardized patients dressed in moulage for drug-induced skin disorders. No significant differences were found for contact dermatitis cases. Conclusion. Using standardized patients dressed in moulage did not improve pharmacy students' ability to assess skin disorders compared to using picture-based paper cases. Pharmacy students preferred standardized patients dressed in moulage only when learning assessment of drug-induced skin disorders.

SYSTEM OF EDUCATION OF PHARMACISTS IN GREECE Author: Eirini-Georgia Mougiou Tutor: RNDr. Jana Kotlářová, Ph.D. Department of social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic Aim of study: The aim of diploma thesis is to get current knowledge about system of education of pharmacists in Greece, their vocational employment and to shortly compare situation in this field in Greece with Czech Republic. A survey whose goal is the gathering of information from foreign students about their experience in universities abroad, especially at Charles University. Methods: Data collection through appreciation of information and studying of literature. Questionnaire answered by 61 following students of pharmacy on March 2013. Results: Studies in high school, entrance examination of students in University , undergraduate and postgraduate studies in discipline of pharmacy are the main characteristics of both educational systems. Comparison and report of differences between the studies in Greece and studies abroad. Importance of life-long learning for professional pharmacists. Students answered questionnaire are 47,54 % males and 52,46 % females, most of them 68,84 % are from Greece and 14,74% from Cyprus. 67,21 % are not satisfied with Charles...

Objectives: To examine the extent to which pharmacy students’ attitudes, subjective norm beliefs, and perceived behavioral control beliefs explain gray dispensing decisions, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a framework. Method: Third professional year pharmacy students (n=159) from two academic cohorts were provided three written case scenarios: (1) a dentist prescribing outside of his scope of practice; (2) a physician prescribing for a family member; and (3) a patient who was out of refills on insulin. A brief questionnaire assessed TPB constructs, whether or not the student would dispense the medication, and the number of times the student would dispense in 10 similar situations. Composite scores were calculated for TPB constructs after analyzing internal consistency reliability. Linear regression techniques were used to analyze the influence of the constructs on mean intent to dispense in similar scenarios. Results: The percent of students who indicated they would dispense in each scenario was 68% in scenario 1, 74% in scenario 2, and 81% in scenario 3. For all case scenarios, mean intent to dispense in similar scenarios was explained by attitude scores (p≤0.006). For the insulin refill and family prescribing cases, mean intent to dispense was also explained by subjective norm beliefs (pImplications: Student attitudes consistently predicted intention to dispense across the gray scenarios. These findings can be used to develop and target upstream TPB construct interventions in pharmacy education that influence students’ downstream dispensing decisions. Additional research is warranted to determine if TBP constructs similarly explain the dispensing behaviors of practicing pharmacists.

Abstract available in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

This retrospective study was conducted to examine the impact of third-year pharmacy students’ provision of medication therapy management (MTM) on medication and health-related outcomes of patients in community pharmacies. The study objectives were as follows: 1) describe patients’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics; 2) describe the number and types of medication and health-related problems (MHRPs) identified by students, as well as students’ MTM interventions and recommendations; 3) describe medical provider/patient MTM recommendation acceptance rates; and 4) determine which factors (i.e., baseline MHRPs, medical conditions, prescription medications, over-the-counter (OTC) medications and herbal supplements, number of medical prescribers, MTM interventions, and MTM recommendations) were related to the number of MHRPs resolved. The study used data (MTM cases) from a required MTM course, taught at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. The study included MTM cases provided by third-year pharmacy students enrolled in the Fall 2011 semester. MTM cases that were complete, unduplicated, and had patients aged ≥ 18 years were included the study. Descriptive statistics were used to address the first three study objectives. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine which factors were related to the number of MHRPs resolved. Out of the total number of MTM cases, 274 met the study inclusion criteria and served as the study’s final sample. The patients’ average age was 63.8 (±14.5), and the majority were female (60.4%) and Caucasian (53.2%). Almost one-third of the patients (30.7%) drank alcohol. The mean number of medical conditions and prescription medications was 6.0 (±2.7) and 9.0 (±4.0), respectively. Pharmacy students identified 1,370 MHRPs [935 medication-related problems (MRPs) and 435 health-related problems (HRPs)] and recommended 1,004 medication and health-related recommendations (MHRRs) [542 medication-related recommendations and 462 health- related recommendations]. Medical providers and/or patients accepted recommendations regarding drug discontinuation (34.8%) and OTC and herbal supplements (28.9%) at higher rates than other recommendations. Regarding the regression, the overall model was statistically significant, F=76.88, df=7, 240, p<0.001, and baseline MHRPs (β=0.127, t=2.09, p=0.04) and MTM recommendations (β =0.715, t=11.37, p<0.0001) were significantly related to MHRPs resolved. In conclusion, pharmacy students had a positive impact on patients’ medication and health-related outcomes through identifying MHRPs and providing MTM recommendations. The significant positive relationship between the number of MTM recommendations and MHRPs resolved should encourage pharmacists and pharmacy students to be more eager to provide MTM recommendations, given the evidence that they will lead to improving patients’ medication and health-related outcomes. / text

Background: Pharmacy academicians have noted the need to develop research skills in student pharmacists. At the Gatton College of Pharmacy, significant focus has been placed on the development of research skills through offering elective research courses. In order to evaluate the impact of participation in the research elective(s), we analyzed college records and surveyed faculty members with regard to the number of poster/podium presentations, published peer-reviewed manuscripts, and funded projects. Results: Student enrollment in the research elective sequence has increased over time and has resulted in 81 poster presentations, 14 podium presentations, and 15 peer-reviewed publications. Conclusions: Implementation of a research elective sequence and fostering of a research culture amongst the faculty and students has resulted in increased student engagement in research and related scholarly activities.

Objective: To provide specific considerations for hosting non-U.S. pharmacy students at U.S.-based colleges/schools of pharmacy (C/SOP) for experiential clerkships and training. Findings: A literature review (2000-2016) in PubMed, Google Scholar and IPA databases was conducted using specific keywords. Recommendations and future directions for development of experiential rotations for non-U.S. students in U.S. experiential rotations are presented for both the home and host country. Summary articles and best practices across the disciplines, as well as expert opinion, were found across U.S. models for hosting non-U.S. students in advanced practice rotations in the medical disciplines. Consistent themes regarding legal agreements, acculturation, standardized calendars and social and safety considerations were considered for inclusion in the final document. Conclusion: Development of a successful experiential rotation/training for non-U.S. students requires consideration for well-developed objectives, qualified preceptors, multitude of legal and cultural considerations and recommendations for longevity and sustainability.