Dynamically documenting learner advancement and guiding their growth are two main purposes of entrustment-supervision (ES) scales. Within an EPA framework, this article seeks to examine several ES tools in health professions education for learner assessment in workplace-based settings with a focus on their applicability to pharmacy education. Determining the advantages and disadvantages of all ES scale types is a critical step in choosing the most suitable ES tool for both a specific pharmacy and across the entire academy. Formative and summative assessments in workplace settings should adopt an ES scale with five traditional levels, a future-oriented assessment framework, and enhanced stratification at lower levels, as recommended by the Academy. This will produce more valid assessments of learners, support lifelong learning, and enhance the value of assessment for pharmacy faculty and learners.

We seek to investigate the predictive power of prior pharmacy work experience (PPWE) in the admissions process for clinical and didactic performance.
In a retrospective examination, information from three cohorts—the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022—was compiled for analysis. To explore the connection between PPWE and performance in first-year pharmacy (P1) Community Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs), second-year pharmacy (P2) institutional IPPEs, combined P2 and third-year pharmacy (P3) Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), Drug Information class performance, and the P1, P2, and P3 year grade point averages (GPAs), a multivariate regression analysis was applied.
In a student population of 329 individuals, 210 with PPWE held positions as pharmacy technicians (78%), clerks, cashiers, or drivers (10%), or various other roles (12%). Community-based positions comprised the bulk (86%) of the employment landscape, encompassing an average weekly commitment of 24 hours. Pharmacy school GPAs were unrelated to PPWE. read more Drug Information knowledge was markedly superior in those possessing PPWE, resulting in a score 217 points above those who did not possess PPWE, out of a possible 100%. Though communication and pharmacy operation skills saw noteworthy improvement in the P1 IPPE, this improvement did not translate into similar performance in subsequent P2 IPPEs or OSCEs. Subjects who accumulated more hours in higher quartiles exhibited enhanced performance in both P1 IPPE communication skills, P1 IPPE pharmacy operational skills, and the Drug Information course.
Pharmacy school grades in the P1 year showed a slight improvement for students with prior pharmacy work experience in certain subjects, but this enhancement did not continue in later years. Students exhibiting PPWE demonstrated superior performance in Drug Information, P1 IPPE communication, and pharmacy operational skills.
Prior pharmacy experience, though showing moderate improvement in specific areas of the P1 pharmacy school year, did not translate into a similar performance benefit in subsequent years. Drug Information, P1 IPPE communication, and pharmacy operational skills were performed more effectively by students who had PPWE.

In a simulated pharmacy environment, pharmacy students' teamwork and identification of critical patient safety issues will be evaluated.
Two phases comprised this study. Phase I's simulated scenario presented 23 errors. The task of finding mistakes in the setting was delegated to students, divided into distinct groups. Employing the Individual Teamwork Observation and Feedback Tool, a judgment on teamwork skills was made. A debriefing and reflection session constituted Phase II. The Individual Teamwork Observation and Feedback Tool's scores and error counts were instrumental in generating quantitative data, while qualitative data was procured via thematic analysis.
In the study, 78 female PharmD students were categorized into 26 different groups. The average count of errors discovered was eight, with a spread from four to thirteen. The most commonly identified mistake was the misapplication of drugs, observed in 96% of cases. In the majority of teams, the skills of teamwork were vividly displayed in their collective decision-making, their engaging discussions, and the considerate and respectful demonstrations of leadership. Students praised the activity's fun and innovative design, thus encouraging a more meticulous approach.
Students' grasp of patient safety priorities and team functioning is assessed by means of this groundbreaking simulation setup.
The designed simulation environment serves as a novel tool for evaluating student mastery of patient safety priorities and teamwork skills.

This research project prioritizes an assessment of diverse standardized patient (SP) modalities during formative simulation exercises relevant to summative objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education program.
A randomized, controlled study, specifically targeting first-year pharmacy students, was executed in the Pharmacist Patient Care Lab (PCL) course. For virtual simulation activities, students were randomly allocated to groups, with some groups mentored by hired actors and others by their peers acting as SPs. All students' virtual OSCE and virtual teaching OSCE (TOSCE) assessments were subsequently completed. A mixed-effects analysis was undertaken to evaluate the differences in TOSCE and OSCE scores between the groups.
Concerning TOSCE and OSCE scores, the analytical and global rubrics showed no discernible disparities between the two assessed groups.
The research suggests that peer support can be just as successful as employing hired actors in preparing students for virtual proficiency examinations.
This investigation demonstrates that the educational efficacy of peer groups may equal that of hired actors in preparing students for virtual skill assessments.

The pharmacy academy, united in its mission, caters to the educational requirements of diverse stakeholders, thereby setting benchmarks for professional programs to uphold standards for both practical execution and professional development. infectious period The learning process should be structured to include systems thinking, which will benefit postgraduate training and lasting practice, thus advancing the educational mission. A systems citizenship approach supports health professional students in building a strong, meaningful professional identity and in grasping the intricate connections between patients, communities, and the broader institutions and environments impacting them. Infection bacteria The student and pharmacist, guided by systems thinking principles, cultivate local effectiveness while maintaining a global outlook. Systems thinking, a crucial element of effective citizenship, employs a proactive and collaborative problem-solving approach, uniting professional identity to close care gaps. Professional and postgraduate students in pharmacy colleges/schools benefit from a unique learning environment fostering the essential knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to become active and impactful members of society.

A study aimed at determining how department chairs/administrators describe, gauge, and evaluate faculty workload is undertaken to better understand institutional practices within the Academy.
Department chairs/administrators received an 18-question survey distributed through the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Connect platform. Participants declared if they were primary decision-makers in faculty workload issues, whether their program had a workload policy, how workload was calculated, and how faculty satisfaction with workload equity was evaluated.
Analysis was possible for data from 64 participants, of the original 71 who began the survey, representing 52 colleges and schools. Leaders of practice departments stated that their faculty spent a mean of 38% of their time on teaching, a figure lower than the 46% devoted to teaching by faculty in departments without a practice focus. Research time was 13% for practice faculty, considerably less than the 37% for non-practice departments. Service activities consumed 12% of the time of practice faculty, in contrast to 16% for faculty in non-practice departments. A noteworthy 36% of faculty time in practice departments was spent on clinical practice, a stark contrast to the 0% of clinical practice time for non-practice faculty. Within the survey group, the overwhelming majority (n=57, 89%) of participants attend schools/colleges employing a tenure system, while 24 participants noted varying faculty workload metrics between departments and divisions. Supervisors and faculty, it is reported, have the ability to negotiate teaching assignments and service, with considerable variations in expected workloads. A notable portion of the polled individuals (n=35) indicated no evaluation of faculty satisfaction with workload equity, while faculty (n=34) did not offer any evaluative feedback on the processes employed by supervisors to assign workloads. Out of six prioritized factors affecting workload, 'support for college/school strategies and priorities' attained the highest score (192), markedly different from the lowest score (487) given to 'trust between the chair and faculty'.
The quantification of faculty workload was clearly outlined in a written format by only half of the study participants. Evidence-based personnel management and resource allocation may necessitate the use of workload metrics.
Of the participants, a mere half reported having a documented, written process for assessing and quantifying faculty workload. Evidence-based personnel management and resource allocation may necessitate the use of workload metrics.

Given the emphasis on grades and pre-admission test results for admission to professional pharmacy programs, there is still a valuable consideration for candidates showcasing solid leadership and proficiency in soft skills. These attributes are advantageous for a pharmacist, especially in light of the necessity to cultivate trailblazers capable of adapting to the ever-shifting healthcare landscape.