Vedel Braun (cocoaliquor55)
The use of online learning and subsequent online testing has expanded rapidly in pharmacy programs across the United States. Numerous published studies have compared online learning with traditional methods in pharmacy. However, no such studies have been published in pharmacy. This study's objective is to compare first-professional year student preferences for computer-based vs. traditional paper-and-pencil testing for a required social and administrative pharmacy class. All students enrolled in the class were invited to complete one brief survey at the end of the semester to determine their testing preference. Of the 138 first-professional year students completing the survey, 79% (109 of 138) preferred computer-based testing, 9% had no preference, 6% (8 of 138) preferred paper-and-pencil testing, and the remainder (8 of 138) stated it depended on what was being tested. Ninety-one percent of students did not perceive the testing method to impact their grades. Students preferred computer-based testing over traditional paper-and-pencil as a convenient testing method (mean 4.73 vs. 3.4, P < .001), providing immediate feedback (mean 4.87 vs. 1.91, P < .001), and as a more effective testing method (mean 4.57 vs. 3.96, P < .001). First-professional year students preferred computer-based over traditional paper-and-pencil testing for a social and administrative science class, with the method of testing not perceived to impact grade. This finding is timely, given the recent required transitioning of all pharmacy classes and subsequent testing to an online format due to the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. First-professional year students preferred computer-based over traditional paper-and-pencil testing for a social and administrative science class, with the method of testing not perceived to impact grade. This finding is timely, given the recent required transitioning of all pharmacy classes and subsequent testing to an online format due to the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. Faculty collaboration across disciplines plays an important role in pharmacy education, and in particular, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) faculty survey asks whether colleges/schools of pharmacy (C/SOPs) have programs available to orient non-practice faculty to the profession of pharmacy. MLN8054 The purpose of this pilot study was to characterize perceptions of the importance and effectiveness of such programs, and to examine barriers to their successful implementation. An online survey was developed to collect demographic information and perceived importance, effectiveness, and barriers of programs designed to orient non-practice faculty to the pharmacy profession. The survey was posted to the AACP Connect Council of Deans and Council of Faculties listservs and responses were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Responses from 157 individuals representing 90C/SOPs were collected. While the majority (82%) of respondents rated programs that orient non-practice faculty to the pharmacy profession as extremely or very important, only 17% rated such programs as extremely or very effective. Lack of time was identified as the primary barrier. Differences were identified between various interest groups, including practice vs. non-practice disciplines and administrators vs. non-administrators. Programs to orient non-practice faculty to the pharmacy profession were perceived to be important; however, such programs were found to lack efficacy. Programs to orient non-practice faculty to the pharmacy profession were perceived to be important; however, such programs were found to lack efficacy. Pharmacy education may be associated with stress due to the nature of its curriculum and expectations of high-quality services from students on graduation. This study evaluated perceived stress and its predictors, stressors, and c