OBJECTIVE:To compare cumulative final examination performance between mastery learning (ML) and team-based learning (TBL) and conduct an exploratory characterization of differences in instructional complexity between the two models. METHODS:This retrospective study compared seven years of student performance data from a TBL course format (2012-2018, n=996) with seven years following implementation of ML (2019-2025, n=1,078). Course content, sequencing, learning objectives, and cumulative examination blueprint remained relatively stable across years. The primary outcome was student performance on a cumulative final examination. Final examination scores were compared between instructional models using Welch's independent samples t-test. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d. An exploratory retrospective analysis used instructor-informed ratings to characterize relative instructional complexity between formats. RESULTS:Students in the ML format achieved statistically significantly higher examination scores compared with students in the TBL format (ML=90.0%, TBL=88.0%, mean difference=2.0 percentage points, p<.001, d=0.24). Results remained consistent when COVID-affected cohorts were excluded from analysis. ML was also associated with lower score variability (SD=7.9 vs 8.9), suggesting greater consistency in student performance. The exploratory instructor-informed complexity analysis suggested that TBL concentrated relative instructional complexity within synchronous classroom coordination and team management, whereas ML concentrated complexity within assessment infrastructure, reassessment processes, and individualized learner support. CONCLUSION:Both TBL and ML were associated with high cumulative final examination performance despite substantial differences in instructional organization and operational demands. Selection of an instructional model should depend on alignment among learning goals, institutional resources, and implementation context rather than small differences in examination outcomes.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate faculty perceptions of the Design Thinking (DT) framework used to assess and revise the didactic Pharm.D. curriculum. METHODS:An 18-month curricular assessment and revision process was implemented within a single school according to the DT framework. Faculty were anonymously surveyed about the extent to which the key principles of DT were followed and how faculty engaged with the process. Results from American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Program Quality Survey (PQS) section on curriculum, teaching, and assessment were compared before, during, and after the 18-month period. RESULTS:Fifty-three percent of faculty responded to the survey. Prior to this process, few faculty had experience with revising a plan of study. Faculty agreed that the key principles of DT were followed, including teamwork, collaborative problem solving, focus on authentic needs of faculty and students, creativity, and having a sufficient opportunity to seek input and feedback from faculty and students. The faculty agreed the process utilized transparent communication, focused on and addressed the faculty approved curricular priorities, demonstrated inclusivity, applied best practices in curricular design, and promoted data driven decision-making. PQS results showed improvement over time, which may be consistent with a positive impact of the curricular assessment and revision process. Residual disagreement in the depth of curricular topics remains. CONCLUSION:The DT framework was perceived as a viable human-centered approach to solving complex curricular problems in pharmacy education.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate scholarly productivity before and after tenure among non-pharmacy practice (NPP) faculty in U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy and assess whether changes in scholarly productivity following tenure varied across faculty demographic and institutional characteristics. METHODS:This retrospective bibliometric analysis included tenured NPP faculty who achieved tenure between 2014 and 2023. Publication productivity was assessed using Web of Science records during the five years preceding tenure and the post-tenure period through December 31, 2024, excluding the tenure year. Publication counts were annualized to account for differences in post-tenure observation periods. Pre- and post-tenure productivity were compared overall, across faculty and institutional characteristics, and by publication type using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. RESULTS:A total of 234 tenured NPP faculty from 41 U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy were included. Mean annualized publication productivity increased from 3.5 ± 2.9 publications per faculty member per year before tenure to 4.5 ± 3.8 after tenure (median 3 vs. 3.4). Increases were observed across most faculty demographic and institutional characteristics examined. Original research articles accounted for the largest share of scholarly output and increased from a mean of 2.2 ± 1.8 to 3.3 ± 3.1 publications per faculty member per year (median 1.8 vs. 2.3). CONCLUSION:Publication productivity among NPP faculty in U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy increased following tenure, driven primarily by original research publications. These findings challenge concerns that publication productivity declines after tenure; however, the observational study design does not permit attribution of the observed increase to tenure itself.
OBJECTIVES:This nationwide study evaluated attitudes, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers to university-industry collaboration among faculty members in pharmacy schools in Türkiye and examined whether these perceptions differed by personal, professional, disciplinary, and regional characteristics. METHODS:A cross-sectional questionnaire was emailed to all 1,723 faculty members working in pharmacy schools in Türkiye. The questionnaire assessed attitudes, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers related to university-industry collaboration. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to evaluate the measurement structure. Structural equation modeling examined associations among the constructs, while independent-samples t tests and analysis of variance were used for group comparisons. RESULTS:A total of 319 valid responses were received, corresponding to a response rate of 18.5%. More positive attitudes toward university-industry collaboration were associated with greater perceived benefits (β = 0.742, p <.001) and lower perceived barriers (β = -0.418, p =.002). Women reported higher scores for industry-oriented education and perceived benefits, whereas men reported higher scores for current problems. Perceptions also differed according to academic rank, professional seniority, academic specialization, and geographic region. CONCLUSIONS:Faculty members working in pharmacy schools generally recognized the educational and institutional benefits of university-industry collaboration, although substantial perceived barriers remained. Clearer institutional procedures, support for junior faculty members, and regionally inclusive collaboration mechanisms may strengthen academic-industry engagement in pharmacy education.
Global displacement disrupts continuity of care and access to essential medicines, creating medication-related challenges in fragile health systems. In October 2024, I returned to Northern Iraq to provide medication education sessions across seven rural villages serving internally displaced Assyrian communities and individuals with limited access to consistent pharmacy services. This commentary reflects on that experience and considers what it revealed about medication use in displacement-affected communities and the preparation of future pharmacists. The outreach demonstrated the importance of cultural humility, trust-building, and adapting medication education to the realities of fragmented health systems and limited resources. It also reinforced the need to approach short-term humanitarian outreach with clear ethical boundaries and realistic expectations. These experiences suggest opportunities for pharmacy education to incorporate displacement-related case discussions, adaptive communication strategies, systems thinking, and structured reflection into existing curricula. As global displacement continues to affect healthcare delivery, pharmacy programs have an opportunity to prepare graduates to provide safe, culturally responsive medication education in resource-limited settings while recognizing the broader social and structural factors that influence medication use.
OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to characterize potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) experienced by first-year pharmacy students and to examine how structured reflective writing facilitates recognition, processing, and meaning-making related to these events and supports moral resilience development. METHODS:A qualitative study was conducted with 39 first-year pharmacy students enrolled in a required ethics course at a military medical university in Taiwan. Students completed a structured four-prompt reflective writing exercise addressing ethical dilemmas, emotional responses, behavioral choices, and lessons learned. Narratives were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with investigator triangulation and peer debriefing to enhance trustworthiness. RESULTS:Five categories of PMIEs were identified: academic integrity dilemmas, complicity through silence, professional role conflicts, organizational justice dilemmas, and interpersonal boundary dilemmas. Moral distress arose primarily from the gap between moral knowledge and moral action created by systemic constraints rather than ethical confusion. Reflective writing facilitated externalization of distress, emotional processing, perspective-taking, and meaning-making. Five mechanisms of moral resilience development emerged-reframing through mentorship, creative problem-solving, reduction of inappropriate self-blame, transformation of distress into agency, and professional identity strengthening. CONCLUSIONS:PMIEs are prevalent among first-year pharmacy students before clinical rotations. Structured reflective writing supports professional identity formation and moral resilience; however, effective prevention requires multi-level strategies combining individual reflection, mentorship, faculty development, and institutional reform.
Simulated patients (SP) enhance the development of clinical competence and communication skills in student pharmacists. SP encounters foster empathy, person-centered care, and align with curricular and accreditation standards to ensure learners are practice-ready. However, the effectiveness of these programs relies on sustained institutional investment in recruitment, training, diverse representation, and robust infrastructure. Challenges include resource limitations, high faculty workload, and supporting a diverse SP pool. Ongoing support is essential to maintain fidelity, innovate, and respond to evolving pharmacy practices. Investing in SP programs ensures pharmacy graduates are equipped with the clinical and interpersonal skills necessary to provide high-quality, person-centered care in real-world settings, addressing both professional demands and the complex needs of patients.
OBJECTIVE:To explore factors influencing pharmacy students' school choice, and campus choice for schools with a multi-campus professional program. METHODS:Students from two campuses and each professional year at one pharmacy school participated in focus groups exploring factors that influenced their choice of pharmacy school and campus. A consensual qualitative research (CQR) approach was utilized for semi-structured focus groups and data analysis. A total of 38 students participated in one of 7 focus groups. RESULTS:Student choices were influenced by characteristics of the program such as program prestige, curricular strengths, unique educational opportunities, types of learning communities, faculty accessibility, graduate outcomes, and positive admissions and recruitment experiences. Financial considerations also played an important role in decision making and included tuition and other costs, the availability of scholarships, and reciprocity agreements with other states. Finally, geographic location contributed to decisions on school and campus choice including proximity to home and family, familiarity with the schools, geographical ties and pharmacy opportunities in the state, the desire to experience a new area to live, and characteristics of the local community. CONCLUSIONS:Attributes of geography, financial considerations, and curricular offerings are significant contributors to choice. Conducting focus groups is one way to determine the factors that are most important to pharmacy students and to develop more effective recruiting efforts and tailored investments building on their strengths. In a competitive landscape for enrollment and admissions, understanding the drivers of school and campus choice is critical for schools seeking to attract and retain students.
An extended, online Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD-XO) pathway with immersion experiences for laboratory skills and experiential learning was launched to address existing and emerging challenges in pharmacy education and practice. This pathway is responsive to the changing demographics of students pursuing higher education with an increased focus on adult learners who are balancing life and school responsibilities. This pathway is also responsive to enrollment and workforce shortages by engaging a different population of pharmacy student prospects and providing an option for them to continue living and working in their communities while pursuing a PharmD degree. Significant trends in pharmacy education and practice, along with key advantages and disadvantages of the PharmD-XO pathway, are summarized and warrant consideration as pharmacy programs align with workforce needs and consumer demand to maintain relevance and growth.
OBJECTIVE:Despite the expansion of pharmacists' roles beyond clinical practice, the career paths of pharmacy graduates remain concentrated in clinical fields. This study aimed to examine awareness and perceptions of career domains among pharmacy students in South Korea and to identify factors associated with their career awareness. METHODS:A nationwide cross-sectional online survey among pharmacy students was conducted from September to November 2025. Seven career fields, classified into clinical (G1) and non-clinical (G2) domains, were evaluated using the TECVP (Tasks, Expertise, Compensation, Valuation, and Prospects) framework, which comprises ten items across five career-attribute categories. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing career awareness. RESULTS:A total of 825 students were included in the final analysis. "Don't know" responses were more frequent in the non-clinical domain than in the clinical domain, particularly for research pharmacists and public service pharmacists. Regarding career perceptions, clinical domain was rated higher for financial compensation and job security, while non-clinical domain was rated higher for professional expertise and growth opportunity. In regression analysis, students who reported sufficient career information and those with higher family economic status were less likely to demonstrate limited career awareness in both domains. In non-clinical domain, transfer students were more likely to demonstrate limited career awareness compared to students admitted through early admissions. CONCLUSION:Career awareness among pharmacy students in South Korea showed a marked imbalance between clinical and non-clinical domains. Balanced provision of career information and systematic strengthening of career education for non-clinical fields are needed.
OBJECTIVE:To quantify the association between North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) blueprint changes and first-time and all attempts failure rates. METHODS:This repeated cross-sectional study analyzed national passing rate data from 2013 to 2025, We grouped graduating classes by the full implementation of blueprint changes. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) to compare failure rates between the reference group (2013-2015) and subsequent blueprint eras. RESULTS:NAPLEX first-time odds of failure increased significantly with the 2016-2020 blueprint (OR=2.47), the 2021-2024 blueprint (OR=4.75), and the 2025 blueprint (OR=2.57) compared to the reference group. NAPLEX all attempts odds of failure also increased with each blueprint change (OR=1.67, 2.02, and 2.81, respectively). MPJE first-time odds of failure rose with the 2016-2023 blueprint (OR=4.26) and the 2024-2025 blueprint (OR=5.55). MPJE all attempts odds of failure increased with each blueprint change (OR=3.07 and 6.13, respectively). CONCLUSION:Each successive exam blueprint change was associated with a significant increase in failure rates for both NAPLEX and MPJE compared to the reference. We urge NABP to increase transparency and collaboration to ensure the licensing exams meet the needs of the profession in addition to increased access to data for more robust analysis.
Academic pharmacy increasingly depends on faculty work beyond traditional research productivity, including teaching, clinical and experiential education, assessment, remediation, service, leadership, and educational innovation. Yet systems for effort assignment, evaluation, and advancement may not recognize these contributions with comparable clarity. This commentary frames faculty-system alignment across three lenses: contribution (what work faculty perform); recognition (whether that work counts in evaluation and advancement); and accountability (whether expectations are explicit, role appropriate, and consistently applied). Competency-based pharmacy education provides a timely stress test because implementation may create substantial work in assessment, feedback, remediation, curricular alignment, faculty development, and continuous quality improvement. Institutions should consider who performs it, whether assigned effort reflects it, and whether recognition systems adapt. Improvement science offers a practical method for identifying local misalignment, testing targeted changes, and monitoring unintended consequences.
OBJECTIVE:Dissertation topic selection is a central decision in doctoral training, yet little empirical evidence describes how trainees in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (POR) approach this choice. This study describes how POR students and alumni prioritize dissertation topic selection criteria and how these perceptions evolve over time. METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey of current and former POR doctoral trainees in the United States. Participants completed a ranking task and a point-allocation prioritization exercise to assess the relative importance of predefined selection criteria. Open-text responses were analyzed thematically to capture differences in perspectives across stages of training. RESULTS:Thirty-eight respondents completed the ranking task and 32 completed the prioritization exercise. Personal interest, real-world impact, and policy relevance were each selected among the top five criteria by 76.3% of respondents and received the highest relative weights (0.178, 0.179, and 0.163, respectively). Career alignment, originality, and flexibility received moderate relative weights (0.116, 0.104, and 0.086, respectively). Funding availability received lower relative weight on average (0.036), whereas faculty expertise received a moderate relative weight (0.093). Qualitative responses indicated that feasibility constraints, such as data access, mentorship alignment, and funding pathways, often became more salient with experience and reshaped early topic preferences. CONCLUSION:POR trainees and alumni in this exploratory sample described dissertation topic selection as an evolving process shaped by both personal motivation and practical constraints. The findings highlight how trainees weigh common trade-offs when choosing a topic and may support clearer discussions between trainees and mentors.
Objective To prospectively compare the psychometric performance of 3-option versus 4-option multiple-choice question (MCQ) examinations and evaluate differences in item difficulty, item discrimination, examination reliability, examination performance, and elapsed testing time. Methods This randomized crossover study was conducted in two required Doctor of Pharmacy courses at a single school of pharmacy, including a first-year pharmacokinetics course and a third-year pharmacotherapy course. Students were assigned to alternating sequences of 3-option and 4-option MCQ examinations throughout the study period. Four-option examinations were developed first, after which one distractor was removed from each item to create the corresponding 3-option version. Item-level psychometric measures, examination-level outcomes, and elapsed testing time were compared between formats using paired analyses and linear mixed-effects modeling. Results Three-option MCQs were associated with students answering approximately one additional question correctly on a 50-item MCQ test compared with four-option MCQs. No differences were observed in point-biserial discrimination or KR-20 reliability estimates between examination formats. Course-specific analyses demonstrated differences in item difficulty within pharmacokinetics examinations but not pharmacotherapy examinations. Examinations containing 4-option MCQs also required longer testing times for students. Conclusion Reducing MCQs from four to three answer options did not meaningfully compromise examination reliability or item discrimination in two required pharmacy courses. Although 4-option MCQs produced slightly greater difficulty and longer testing times, the practical educational benefit of routinely requiring a fourth answer option may be limited when distractors are not consistently plausible or functioning effectively.
Objective To derive and validate a non-inflationary author-credit allocation model (schema) from empirical author-credit allocation data provided by primary authors of multi-author pharmacy practice publications. Methods Primary authors of pharmacy practice faculty publications were surveyed in 2 studies (derivation and validation). Respondents’ demographic information and their allocation of non-zero percentage credits to authors based on each author’s contributions to the publication, were collected for documents with 2-5 (derivation), and 2-6 authors (validation). Lack-of-fit (LOF) index and other error metrics were used to assess the fit of existing non-inflationary schemas (fractional-equal, arithmetic, geometric, golden share, and harmonic) with the empirical data. Empirical data patterns were used to derive variants of the schema with the lowest error metrics (best fit). The fit of the derived schema was validated in the validation study. Results Unique respondents (155 and 99) reported 232 and 152 documents in the derivation and validation studies, respectively. The credit-allocation pattern shows a decrease from the first author to the penultimate author, with the last author receiving the second-highest credit. A novel schema consistent with the harmonic pattern, with a unique “last-author-bump” (harmonic-LAB) was derived, and it shows the best fit in the validation study. Conclusion Author-credit allocation in pharmacy practice is inconsistent with the whole-count method that inflates publication credits and unfairly allocates equal credits to all co-authors. The harmonic-LAB schema is an evidence-based alternative to authors’ statement of percentage contributions. It is included in AuthormetriX (https://sadeosun-a-uthormetrix-v1.streamlit.app/) to facilitate adoption and use in evaluating faculty scholarly output.
OBJECTIVE:Federal bill H.R.1 eliminates Grad PLUS loans and changes borrowing limits for Direct Unsubsidized loans for professional students, including student pharmacists. The study evaluates the total gap in pharmacy school cost of attendance (CoA), which would previously have been addressed by a Grad PLUS loan after applying the new federal Direct Unsubsidized loan limit. METHODS:A secondary data analysis was conducted using publicly available CoA data for colleges of pharmacy (COPs) in the US. 2025-26 tuition and fees and indirect expenses were collected from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and each COP's university website, respectively, to calculate CoA for each COP. Annual cost gap (difference between annual CoA and the annual Direct Unsubsidized loan limit of $50,000) for each year of each program was summed to calculate total cost gap. The Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance was conducted to assess the effects of program classification (public in-state, public out-of-state, private 4-year, and private 3-year) on total cost gap. RESULTS:A total of 133 COPs were included. The median total cost gap for public in-state PharmD programs ($17,948) was significantly lower than that for public out-of-state ($68,214), private 4-year ($102,087), and private 3-year ($132,609) programs. The median total cost gap for public out-of-state programs was significantly lower than that for private 4-year and 3-year programs. CONCLUSION:Loss of Grad PLUS loans may pose a significant financial barrier to pharmacy education. COPs should use multiple strategies to address students' financial challenges, including federal and state advocacy, private loan options, tuition reduction, philanthropy, financial assistance partnerships, and loan repayment and forgiveness programs.
OBJECTIVE:To describe current approaches and perceptions in preparing self-study reports for an Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education (ACPE) site visit at United States (US) schools/colleges of pharmacy. METHODS:A 28-item survey was administered to programs completing a full ACPE site visit between spring 2021 and spring 2025. Questions developed by the research team assessed self-study planning and preparation processes (10 items plus 2 items based on responses), site visit preparation approaches (1 item), stakeholder involvement (6 items), perceptions of the process (5 items), and open-ended questions (4 items: challenges, what respondents would do differently, strategies that led to success, and additional comments). Frequencies were used to report quantitative results and themes were identified for open-ended questions. RESULTS:A total of 32 programs (out of 62) completed the survey (response rate=51.6%). Among the 32 respondents, most programs (93.8%) conducted "kick-off" meetings and provided preparatory materials; 59.4% started the self-study process 12-18 months before submission. Self-study leadership was typically assigned to deans or administrators with assessment roles (62.5%), with most utilizing newly created committees (68.7%). Administrators, faculty, and staff were involved in both writing (>90%) and reviewing drafts (>80%). Leadership, organization, and clear timelines emerged as key success strategies. CONCLUSION:Despite varying institutional contexts, programs employed similar structural approaches to managing the self-study process. This project contributes to limited research analyzing how academic programs manage the self-study process. Future research should examine how implementation of the new accreditation requirements has influenced practices.
