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Purpose: The formation, implementation, outcomes, and impact on retention of a health system-based pharmacy technician training program are described. The program seeks to produce graduates who are well equipped for employment within the health system and eligible for certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, thereby developing a consistent source of well-trained technicians to meet the needs of the health system., Summary: The program's ideal candidate is one who is seeking to begin or transition to a career in health-system pharmacy. The affordable accredited program provides candidates with the skills needed to become a certified pharmacy technician. A distinguishing feature of the program design is the pace of the curriculum, designed to be completed in 11 weeks. The program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education at the entry-level accreditation standard. The program is structured to enroll 3 cohorts annually, beginning in April, August, and January. This provides a consistent and dependable bolus of graduates for hiring managers across the health system's pharmacy department. The program supports enrollment by internal and external candidates. In addition to didactic content, the simulation component of the program combines remote and onsite simulations. Following completion of the didactic and simulation content, students receive 2 blocks of acute and ambulatory care shadowing for 111 hours over 2.5 weeks of experiential content. The program realized benefits by partnering with an external digital content provider. First, the platform enabled the team to accelerate the time to program launch. A second benefit of the platform is the ability to conduct the program and update content. In April 2018, the institution launched the program to meet pharmacy technician needs within the organization. As of April 2022, 11 cohorts have successfully completed the program, with a total of 41 graduates. At the time of writing, the retention rate in the health system for those beginning the training program in April 2018 was an impressive 90%. In comparison, the overall retention rate for the pharmacy department during this same period was 31%. The program has a graduation rate of 93% and a job placement rate as a pharmacy technician of 90%. The institution believes that this program has helped provide a consistent supply of well-trained technicians to meet the needs of the health system and that the program provides a superior level of clinical training to technician students at an affordable price. The program represents a novel strategy to efficiently and effectively train pharmacy technicians and has been demonstrated to result in improvements to the health system., Conclusion: Establishing a pharmacy technician training program provides a mechanism to ensure continuity and uniformity as healthcare continues to evolve. By providing a source of well-trained pharmacy technicians, the program allows the profession to continue to achieve its overarching aims., (© American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Pharmacy leaders are well equipped to serve as academic leaders overseeing additional health profession programs and/or faculty. Organizing multiple health professions programs under one umbrella offers a number of opportunities, such as efficiencies in financial and human resources, expanded and more diverse leadership talent which offers advantages in succession planning, organizational effectiveness in its operations, expanded opportunities for interprofessional education and collaborations in research and scholarship, greater visibility as a partner for establishing pipeline agreements and clinical partners affiliations, and personal professional development and growth for those in senior leadership positions. However, pharmacy academic leaders with oversight over multiple health professions programs and faculty also face challenges in understanding the professional identities and culture of their faculty, complexities of equity of workload across numerous departments, mistrust from departments other than pharmacy, and their own increased workload and possible burnout. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy has recently established a new Multi-Professional Health Care Administrative Leaders Connect Community, which should be further promoted to increase membership. Programming to allow additional networking, sharing of best practices, mentorship and professional development of leaders who oversee, or aspire to oversee, multiple health professions programs can be beneficial. Further research can describe different models of organizing multiple health professions programs and identify best practices for successful organizational and operational structures., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None declared., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Professional organizations have emphasized the growing need for pharmacists to possess advanced research skills; however, there is a scarcity of training programs aimed at nurturing clinician-scientists. This report outlines 3 critical care-focused research programs, each offering a unique approach to training clinician-scientists., Summary: Limited resources and formalized programs are available to bridge the gap between the demand for and availability of skilled clinician-scientists. Several programs have stepped forward to share their experiences in establishing and executing training initiatives aimed at cultivating skilled clinician-scientists in the critical care practice space., Conclusion: Enhancing the development of clinician-scientists for clinical and translational research is necessary in the critical care clinical pharmacy community., (© American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Referencing literature and professional experiences of multiple academic affairs deans in Doctor of Pharmacy degree granting programs, this commentary examines the ways offices of academic affairs (OAAs) play an integral part in the professional identity formation (PIF) of students, faculty, preceptors, and staff. The overlapping roles of academic affairs and other program and university offices are examined with a focus on approaches that impact student PIF. Although size, organizational structure, and roles or responsibilities can vary among OAAs within pharmacy education, 5 focus areas are identified as opportunities where most, if not all, OAAs can positively impact PIF for students. These 5 areas include curriculum design, delivery, and operations; leadership; professional development; student support and progression; and accreditation. OAAs can help to shape PIF within pharmacy education in a variety of ways. Identifying and reflecting upon the 5 focus areas described in this paper may help individuals within OAA units to recognize where PIF efforts may be developed, refined, or assessed within their program. By intentionally layering PIF strategies across these 5 focus areas, OAA personnel and those from other units within and outside of the university system may thoughtfully work together to develop graduates who have increased self-awareness, confidence, and the ability to lead within the profession of pharmacy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None declared., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy has long emphasized the value of strategic engagement, recognizing that it is critical to the success of pharmacy education, contributing to the expansion of pharmacy and public health practice, the fulfillment of institutional missions, and the meeting of programmatic needs. The 2023-2024 Strategic Engagement Committee was charged with operationalizing advocacy champions, creating an advocacy resource guide to support advocacy champions in their engagement with diverse public and private stakeholders, offering formal training to advocacy champions in the form of a new connect community and webinar series, and conducting focus groups at the 2024 Annual Meeting to determine strengths of the advocacy guide and opportunities to support advocacy champions further., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In recent months, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected almost every industry in the United States, including health care and higher education. Faculty and students at colleges and schools of pharmacy nationwide have needed to quickly adapt as the delivery of curricula has shifted to primarily online format. Additionally, experiential rotations have been significantly affected as practice settings such as hospitals and outpatient clinics have limited students' interactions with patients or stopped allowing students on-site altogether. Our commentary will explore strategies that have been employed by experiential education coordinators and pharmacy preceptors from various settings to navigate experiential education during these difficult times while ensuring students successfully meet requirements for graduation. These will include descriptions of transitioning advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) to virtual format, how to safely involve students in the care of COVID-19 patients, and managing scheduling issues.

At Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) bedside teaching (BT) for pharmacy students has been in place since 2014. To continue offering BT during the contact restrictions imposed by the authorities in 2020, the course was digitalised, and virtual bedside teaching implemented. Using Moodle, the original concept was divided into smaller sections and presented, e.g. in the form of video sequences. All sections of the course were accessed asynchronously by the students. Tasks were individually processed and evaluated. Virtual awards were used to increase the students' motivation. Contact with each other was possible via posting in available forums or the weekly online chat consultation. A total of 70 students successfully completed the course. The evaluation of the course was very positive, with mainly technical difficulties that were criticized. The students' feedback will be implemented in the course concept for the winter term., Competing Interests: The author declares that she has no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Pudritz.)

Introduction: Pharmacogenomics, which emerged from disciplines such as pharmacology and genetics, is an increasingly important interdisciplinary field of health research, as indicated by the rapid growth of related literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge among genetics and pharmacology health-care students and to evaluate their exposure to and perceptions of pharmacogenomics., Methods: An anonymous, 28-item online survey was distributed to medical and pharmacy students enrolled at Yarmouk University, Jordan., Results: The respondents (n = 300) had an overall moderate level of knowledge regarding genetics and pharmacology. Most respondents recognized the benefits of pharmacogenomics for therapy optimization, but they had insufficient exposure to the topic. Most respondents supported providing pharmacogenetic testing in Jordan. The most preferred educational format in pharmacogenomics was integration in pharmacology courses., Discussion/conclusion: Medical and pharmacy students are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of pharmacogenomics in therapy optimization. Challenges such as the complexity of the topic and low retention of previous knowledge should be addressed to promote pharmacogenomics education. More work is needed to increase students' exposure to pharmacogenomics information. A deeper integration of pharmacogenomics applications into pharmacology courses is proposed to emphasize applications of pharmacogenomics., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: To promote better collaboration for patient care, interprofessional education (IPE) is required in many health professions courses. However, successful IPE implementation at scale can be challenging because of complicated logistics and competing priorities. Implementing across multiple geographies adds further complexity., Objective: This paper describes the implementation of a full cohort IPE activity for medical and pharmacy students delivered at both the Australian and Malaysian campuses of Monash University., Design: We designed a 150-minute, blended learning activity centred around asthma care for second-year medical and pharmacy students. Student perceptions were measured with a pre- and post-activity survey using the validated ten-item, three-factor, SPICE-R2 instrument. Analysis focused on differences between professions and countries., Results: All second-year medicine (N = 301 in Australia and N = 107 in Malaysia) and pharmacy students (N = 168 in Australia and N = 117 in Malaysia) participated in the learning activity. A total of 326/693 (47%) students participated in the associated research by completing both the pre- and post-activity surveys. The pre-activity survey showed significant differences in four items between medicine and pharmacy students in Australia and two items in Malaysia. Post-activity, we observed significant changes in 8/10 items when the two professions were combined. Specifically, we noted changes across the countries in perceptions of roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice and patient outcomes from collaborative practice., Conclusions: IPE across different professions and countries is feasible. Positive outcomes in role understanding and perceived patient outcomes are achievable through a context-sensitive, locally driven approach to implementation. Longitudinal experiences may be required to influence perceptions of teamwork and team-based care.

Veterinary pharmacy is an often unknown and therefore, underrepresented career path for pharmacists. Uniquely, pharmacists-even untrained in veterinary medicine-are the only health professionals legally allowed to provide care for human and nonhuman patients. The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a peculiar situation that, not only highlights veterinary pharmacy as a career path, but stresses the role veterinary pharmacists, trained in both human and veterinary medicine, can play in zoonotic diseases. Specialized training in veterinary medicine allows the pharmacist to serve as a resource for both physicians as well as veterinarians during zoonotic events by helping to ascertain feasibility of therapeutic options given the species. In addition, veterinary pharmacists involved in translational research would be vital for the drug development process as they would be aware of biologic nuances between the species and how they may affect the ultimate therapeutic outcome., (Copyright © 2020 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This report describes utilization of a librarian in a pharmacy laboratory course over two academic years. Library instruction evolved from a simple drug information review session to case-based, hands-on instruction, collaboratively taught with pharmacy faculty. Additionally, LibChat, an online chat service, was piloted in the pharmacy laboratory course so the librarian could be available to students at their point-of-need. Development of the drug information review sessions across both years, student utilization of LibChat, lessons learned, and ideas for improvement for future iterations of the course are described.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the Global Leaders in Development (GLIDE) module to determine whether the concepts of global mindset, citizenship and leadership can be effectively taught within a short-term didactic module., Methods: Faculty members of PharmAlliance, a partnership between three schools of pharmacy, created a three-week optional, non-credit-bearing distance-based global leadership development module. Material and assignments focused on the concepts of global mindset, global citizenship and global leadership as applied to the global health issues of non-communicable diseases, universal health coverage and primary care. Student self-rated growth was measured with an adapted fifteen question pre-post-survey that also included open-ended questions., Key Findings: Most statements showed growth on the pre-post-survey with seven being statistically significant (P < 0.05). The largest growth involved students' perceived potential to be a global leader in pharmacy (global leadership category), the students' connectedness to the pharmacy profession worldwide (global citizenship category) and the students' awareness of global challenges faced in the pharmacy profession (global mindset category). Qualitative analysis identified several themes for each of the open-ended questions. Student expectations focused on the desire to expand their global mindset, better understand global pharmacy practice, develop teamwork skills and understand global pharmacy challenges and strategies for engagement., Conclusions: The concepts of global mindset, global citizenship and global leadership may help promote awareness of global health challenges, opportunities to make a global difference in a local context and connectivity to the profession on a global scale., (© 2020 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

The coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) has affected peoples' lives worldwide. This pandemic forced both pharmacy faculty members and students to adapt to a new teaching and learning environment not only in the United States but around the globe. Pharmacy educators faced challenges and opportunities to convert classroom learning and experiences, as well as student assessments, to a remote or online format. The unique approaches taken to overcome difficulties in various countries showed pharmacy faculty members' resilience in the face of adversity and their determination to continue providing education to students. The pandemic also shed light on areas needing improvement for pharmacy educators to work on in the future., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Objective. To characterize shared governance in US schools and colleges of pharmacy and recommend best practices to promote faculty engagement and satisfaction. Findings. The literature review revealed only one study on governance in a pharmacy school and some data from an AACP Faculty Survey. Of the 926 faculty members who responded to the survey, the majority were satisfied or very satisfied with faculty governance (64%) and the level of input into faculty governance (63%) at their school. Faculty members in administrative positions and those at public institutions were more satisfied with governance. The forum resulted in the development of five themes: establish a clear vision of governance in all areas; ensure that faculty members are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the governance structure; ensure faculty members are able to join committees of interest; recognize and reward faculty contributions to governance; and involve all full-time faculty members in governance, regardless of their tenure status. Summary. Establishing shared governance within a school or college of pharmacy impacts overall faculty satisfaction and potentially faculty retention., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Objective: Describe the process for designing and creating SimUPAC 360°, a virtual reality training in anti-cancer drug production units., Methods: A multi-centre (a University Hospital, a General Hospital and a Cancer Control Centre), inter-professional (pharmacists, hospital pharmacy technicians and health executives) working group has been set up. It was based on videoconferencing and online document sharing. The work was divided into six phases: choice of target audience and training objectives, definition of the business model, development of the scenario, shooting and editing, creation of the training tool and finally tests, adjustments and validation of the tool., Results: After brainstorming, 77 errors were proposed. Three areas have been defined: covering area, storage and production area, and isolator. They contained 15 errors among the 77 proposed and 20 points of interest. The shooting was carried out over 2 days, in 2 hospitals. Assembly was carried out by a service provider specialist in real virtuality. Before to go online, the tool was tested and validated by experts., Discussion: The establishment of a multi-centric and interdisciplinary working group, the choice of target audience, pedagogical objectives and business model ensure the economic viability and scientific and technical robustness of the tool. The scenario development requires to define: activity areas and then, number, difficulty and typology of errors., Conclusion: Creation of a virtual reality training requires a consistent and structured methodology. This methodology will make it possible to develop other training scenarios., (Copyright © 2020 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The health crisis situation we have experienced caused by the SARSCoV-2 virus  has changed our daily life in numerous aspects, including those related to  training (undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing education, etc). Training  activities, conferences, lectures, face-to-face workshops were suspended until  the Health Situation was over. Alternatives to face-to-face training were needed  to guarantee the continuity of these activities. Online training, teaching and  evaluation emerged as a relatively fast, simple, operational and flexible solution. Universities and faculties promoted online teaching through virtual  classes. The Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy supported this initiative by  signing an agreement with the Board of Deans and Chancellors of Pharmacy to  make it possible for undergraduate students to continue their studies and  supervised practices in hospital pharmacy departments. Specialized training was  affected. Pharmacy residency programs were significantly modified by hospital  pharmacies to be able to provide the new clinical and research activities  required, everyday, by the pandemic situation. Postgraduate and residency  training were also negatively affected. Again, online activities made up for  restrictions to face-to-face teaching and training. The Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy promoted continuing education and provided updated information on  the SARS-CoV-2 virus through its website. Thus, numerous virtual sessions,  lectures and webinars have been held, and high-quality material was offered to  provide up-todate knowledge, on the pharmacological management of patients  with COVID-19. Online teaching and education has demonstrated to be an  invaluable tool for hard times. During the lockdown, technology has kept us  closer and has emerged as an ally. Many of us have found a new means of  communication, information, and training. The Spanish Society of Hospital  Pharmacy has substantially contributed to make it possible., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

The effort by countries and relevant stakeholders to improving the quality of pharmacy education globally is being countered by the outbreak of infectious diseases. In order to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, unprecedented measures such as total/partial lockdowns and ban on public gatherings have been put in place by several governments. These measures implemented have put a halt on academic activities and schooling and have invariably affected the delivery of pharmacy education globally and Africa is no exception. In order to ensure the continuity of pharmacy education, the e-learning strategy has been utilized by several countries in the world today and Africa should not be left out. There is an urgent need for Africa to meet up with the present education demands by adopting the e-learning strategy but this is not without challenges. We examine the impact of these measures on pharmacy education as well as the challenges affecting the uptake and applicability of the e-learning strategy in pharmacy education in Africa. It is therefore essential for the government and relevant stakeholders in the pharmacy education sector to address the numerous challenges that may hinder its uptake in Africa., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© Melody Okereke et al.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all facets of pharmacy education, including accreditation and certification activities. In a very short period of time, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs and pharmacy technician programs had to convert to teaching classes online, experiential education sites had to figure out how to train student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians while ensuring their safety, continuing pharmacy education providers had to move their in-person courses online, and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) had to postpone accreditation site visits. Given the challenges faced by our constituencies, the ACPE implemented processes and suggested solutions that stayed within the boundaries of the standards while at the same time allowing flexibility so that organizations could achieve their educational outcomes even given the constraints produced by the pandemic., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has added a new layer of complexity to an already difficult period for academic pharmacy. The need to follow social-distancing guidelines has resulted in rapid adoption of technology-enabled communication strategies. While these technologies provide unprecedented ways in which we can connect as an academic community, we must consider their effectiveness in not only promoting exchange of information, but also creating inspiration within the community and supporting the level of interdependence required to tackle the difficult challenges that lie ahead. As the connecting body within the community of pharmacy education, it is incumbent on the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to consider how we will adapt during this period of disruption. We must adopt new strategies that will allow our members to connect in new, meaningful ways, ways that stimulate ideas, new partnerships, and an overall sense of hope for our future., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in seismic changes throughout society. Accordingly, academia has been forced to adapt. Changes across all aspects of teaching and instruction have occurred. Students have departed campuses and prospects of their return remain unclear. The Academy, which is generally reluctant to change, has been forced to make rapid adjustments. Among other issues, pharmacy schools and colleges have been forced to mitigate changes to experiential education. Tremendous resources and energy have been invested to actuate the changes that have occurred. In many ways, the disruptions forced upon pharmacy education may usher in a new normal. The likelihood for even a partial return to the customary way of doing things appears increasingly unlikely., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

This commentary examines the challenges pharmacy faculty members have faced while working to fulfill their school's tripartite mission of teaching, research, and service during the coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It also outlines considerations that need to be made before moving forward regarding communication, collaboration, and culture. The pandemic has created opportunities for pharmacy educators to take instructional risks and attempt new didactic and experiential teaching methods and assessment strategies. Working remotely has not only altered pharmacy education, but also scholarship and service. Conducting a broad range of collaborations with accelerated timelines to address COVID-19 has in some instances forged new relationships both between and within universities and focused faculty members on grantsmanship and writing. Faculty governance and administrative leadership have been focused on solving challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in a collaborative, transparent approach guided by faculty bylaws. Programs have found ways to use these changes to their advantage while advancing the mission of the Academy, which can contribute to changing the culture of how we interact and care about each other with the hope that the positive changes made have an enduring and meaningful impact for years to come., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The administrative response to the coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for a variety of units housed in the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy is described. Continuity of operations, essential vs nonessential personnel, distance learning, online testing procedures for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program, and the impact on development are discussed., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact across the United States and the rest of the world. Health care professionals, including pharmacists, are working on the frontlines and across the spectrum of public health and research. To fully optimize the contribution of pharmacists during this crisis, state and federal policies and regulations that limit pharmacists' roles had to be identified and modified. A strong coalition of national pharmacy organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, embarked upon an unprecedented level of collaboration to produce a joint statement identifying key policy recommendations. This collective continued working together as the full force of the pandemic was realized and engaged with policy makers at the state and national levels to advocate for these policy recommendations. Ideally the lessons learned in terms of the power of working together in a crisis will reframe future collaborations to the benefit of the profession and ultimately to the patients we serve., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) has caused dramatic disruptions in pharmacy experiential education. Administrators and programs have worked to help external preceptors, faculty members, and students cope with the new realities of virtual or remote experiences and new or increased use of telemedicine. Clear and effective lines of communication as well as well-reasoned and resourced alternative plans are necessary to help manage the current issues and prepare for future challenges. Doctor of Pharmacy programs should enhance their focus not just on the physical health and well-being of students, faculty members, and external preceptors, but also on their mental and emotional health. The full scope of the impact of the pandemic on experiential education in pharmacy is still unclear, but this situation should serve as a stimulus for innovation and rethinking the paradigm of how pharmacy programs educate and prepare students for pharmacy practice., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Pharmacy schools and colleges worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges to ensuring sustainable education during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The experiences of pharmacy educators in the Asia-Pacific region in delivering emergency remote teaching, ensuring purposeful experiential placements, supporting displaced or isolated students, and communicating with faculty members, staff members, and students are discussed. The role of this pandemic in accelerating opportunities for new models of pharmacy education across the world is also discussed., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

This commentary, written primarily by a recent pharmacy graduate, discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the class of 2020. Everyone has been impacted by COVID-19, but pharmacy students have been affected by and experienced COVID-19 in unique ways. This was the first class to complete pharmacy practice experiences in an online format, miss out on milestone events including graduation, and face uncertainty about becoming licensed and entering the job market in the midst of a pandemic. However, instead of discouraging them, these events have in many ways strengthened the resilience of the class of 2020. Additionally, COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of continued advocacy for the profession and articulation of the pharmacist's expanded role and value to the health care team, and inspired the class of 2020 to join the ranks of colleagues nationwide in raising awareness in these areas. Nevertheless, uncertainty over their future and that of their peers lingers as COVID-19 has forever changed pharmacy education and practice., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way we live, work, and study. As faculty members, staff members, and students attempt to create and maintain a new normal because of this pandemic, the preservation of wellbeing becomes the responsibility of each and every one of us. The pandemic has taught us not to presume the importance of wellbeing and has allowed us time to reflect on establishing new assumptions and beliefs about how and when we work and study; how to be more efficient in our work and home responsibilities; and above all, what is most important. We must support ourselves and our students by maintaining a routine, modifying work and coursework expectations, and seeking psychosocial support if needed. Focusing on promoting wellbeing through leadership will move our institutions forward to a brighter future beyond COVID-19., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Background: The International Classification of Func¬tioning (ICF) model is recommended for interprofessional use to define, measure, and create health and disability policy. Our goal was to expand a uniprofessional student learning experience into an interprofessional experiential clinical learning experience focused on the ICF model., Methods: An experiential interprofessional education program was developed for Physical Therapy (PT), Physician Assistant (PA), and Pharmacy students. Student teams interviewed a community mentor from a senior living community outside of class to explore their mentor's health journey, assess quality of life, and perform an environmental safety assessment. In this pilot study, students completed an anonymous, unique-identifier electronic survey with open response items pre- and post-experience. Data were coded using inductive thematic analysis., Results: Four themes emerged: learning about other professions (scope of practice), mentor's experiences with health care, treating the whole person, and improving team effectiveness. All four Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies mapped to the data broadly indicating this learning experience meets interprofessional educational requirements., Conclusions: Student teams deepened their understanding of their community mentor's health and valued the interprofessional knowledge gained. Using the common lens of the ICF, students' understanding and appreciation of other disciplines emerged and students began to see their mentors from a more holistic perspective.

During times of stress, such as those experienced during the novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pharmacy students handle the experience differently. For some, the experience may negatively impact their sense of well-being; for others, being at home with family could actually improve their well-being. While students are completing academic work at home and after they finally return to campus, pharmacy schools need to be keenly aware of students' experiences and implement strategies to build their resilience and improve their well-being. One approach will not meet the needs of all students. Many of the challenges that pharmacy students have faced or will face when they return to the classroom are discussed along with some programs and activities that have proven successful., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

The novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted pharmacy graduate and postgraduate education. This crisis has resulted in a cosmic shift in the administration of these programs to ensure core values are sustained. Adjustments may be needed at a minimum to ensure that postgraduate trainees complete program requirements while maintaining safety. Moving forward, additional issues may arise that will need to be addressed such as admissions and program onboarding, acclimating students to new training environments, and managing inadequate resources for distance education, distance practice, and remote versus in-person research opportunities., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Academic institutions work diligently each year to recruit, retain, and graduate Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students who will be positive contributors to our healthcare system. The immergence of a novel coronavirus in 2019 (COVID-19) has threatened these systems. This commentary is a discussion of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the enrollment management processes of PharmD degree programs, including recruitment, admissions, orientation, retention, and graduation. The authors highlight enrollment management processes that may forever be changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This commentary is intended to assist pharmacy administrators as they reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their own programs and develop strategies to minimize the negative effects., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Objectives: To determine the current structure of experiential learning (EL) in Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) programmes in UK universities, and assess how they meet the standards specified by the General Pharmaceutical Council., Methods: A cross-sectional survey of staff in charge of EL in MPharm programmes was conducted, utilising a 31-item online survey, consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions. Variables of interest were administrative aspects and structure of the EL component, tutor issues and placement sites. To pinpoint the challenges faced with EL, the Relative Importance Index (RII) was calculated., Key Findings: Twenty (66.7%) universities responded. EL coordinators were mostly academic/teaching fellows (19) and spent 0.29 ± 0.31 full-time equivalents on coordination. Tutors completed training annually in 53.8% of universities, with topics focusing on placement structure (85.7%) and requirements (78.6%). Total placement hours in all practice sites over the 4 years of study ranged from 54 to 496 h, and included hospitals, community pharmacies, hospices, prisons and nursing homes. The three biggest challenges faced with regard to EL were in obtaining/retaining hospital placements (1st), financial support (2nd) and quality assurance (QA) of tutors (3rd)., Conclusions: While there has been an increase in the variety of placement sites and hours since the last survey in 2003, universities face challenges in terms of staffing and obtaining placement sites. There are also gaps in tutor training. More standardisation and regulation of the QA of the EL programme, placement sites and tutors is needed to ensure students obtain the most out of their placements., (© 2019 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

Objective. To determine how accredited Doctor of Pharmacy programs implement and evaluate the co-curriculum requirement as mandated by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Methods. A survey was administered to all ACPE-accredited pharmacy programs to collect information regarding how co-curriculum models were being implemented, including types of activities, structure, learning outcomes, oversight, and assessment. The frequency of responses to items were presented to describe the general features of co-curriculum models. Results. The types of co-curricular activities reported by programs were generally consistent, with the majority of programs categorizing these activities and allowing students to choose which they would engage in. Most respondents reported that the program mapped co-curricular activities to learning outcomes, primarily ACPE Standards 1-4. The structural oversight of the co-curriculum typically included a co-curriculum committee, subcommittee, or task force, and supporting offices. The most common offices/departments involved in the co-curriculum were assessment, student affairs/services, experiential education, and academic/curricular affairs. The most common assessments were reflections, self-assessment surveys, and checklists. Conclusion. In most programs, implementation of the co-curriculum was a joint effort among various individuals, committees, and offices. Given the developing nature of programs, descriptive studies should be repeated to identify how programs develop and enhance co-curriculum models. The study results may be useful to members of the Academy when evaluating the current state of co-curriculum implementation and potential areas for program development., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Two challenges frequently faced by schools of pharmacy are the training of a workforce that reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the populations they serve, as well as raising public awareness of the mission and impact of pharmacy schools. One underutilized strategy in addressing these challenges is directly engaging high school students, whose race and ethnicity more closely reflect the increasing diversity of the US population, in immersive research experiences at schools of pharmacy. Motivated by the multidisciplinary nature of pharmaceutical sciences that involve integration of various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy created the Young Innovators Program (YIP). The program is an eight-week paid summer internship that immerses participants in cutting-edge and innovative research. Through careful planning, strategic collaboration, and a purposeful recruitment process, we believe pharmacy education could benefit from the expansion of immersive programs that promote the engagement of racially and ethnically diverse high school students in real-world research., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Objective. To quantify the monetary value of economic contributions of a state-funded college of pharmacy as it pursues its missions of teaching, research, service, and patient care. Methods. An economic analysis was performed by applying the Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN) Economic Input-Output Model to financial and enrollment data of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. Results. A total of $94.1 million was attributed to the college in fiscal year 2018, which included $50.7 million of total direct expenditures by the college, its students, and visitors; the indirect effect of over $17 million; and the induced effect of $26.4 million. The college directly employed 117 full-time equivalent employees and 39 pharmacy residents, and supported 763 additional jobs through the economic activities it stimulated. In addition, the presence of the college and its economic contribution enabled federal, state, and local taxing authorities to collect $12 million in tax revenues to support government and public programs. Conclusion. Demonstrating the economic value of colleges of pharmacy is critical when seeking support from campus administrators, state legislators, charitable foundations, government agencies, and industry., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)

Objective. To evaluate the impact of a single, half-day interprofessional education (IPE) simulation on disclosing medical errors, and to compare the impacts on pharmacy students with those on students from other health professional programs. Methods. A mixed methods approach was used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the immediate and persistent outcomes of a realistic medical error disclosure simulation. Anonymous pre- and post-simulation quantitative data were collected using a validated attitudinal survey instrument administered at the time of the simulation. To assess more sustained impacts of the simulation, uni-professional focus groups were held several months following the simulation. Results. The survey analysis showed that a significant positive change in attitudes towards teamwork, roles and responsibilities occurred in students in most of the professions represented, with pharmacy students experiencing positive changes across a wider range of interprofessional attitudes. The focus group results showed that there were persistent impacts across all professions on learners' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and confidence in disclosing medical errors in interprofessional teams. Conclusion. Mixed methods analysis of a high-fidelity IPE error disclosure simulation demonstrated that single IPE activities, if realistic, can have significant positive impacts on students' interprofessional attitudes and competencies, and increase confidence in conducting team-based error disclosures., (© 2020 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)