The Offering, Scheduling and Maintenance of Elective Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Experiential Learning
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) mandates experiential learning for student pharmacists.
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) are a key component of pharmacy curricula, offering real-world patient care exposure.
• A balance of required and elective APPEs is essential for comprehensive pharmacy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the offering, scheduling, and maintenance of elective APPEs.
• To highlight how elective APPEs provide diverse career track exposure for student pharmacists.
• To address the need for structured elective APPEs to produce practice-ready graduates.

Main Methods:

• The University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy's approach to managing elective APPEs is detailed.
• Scheduling is based on student career interests and site availability.
• Maintenance strategies ensure the quality and relevance of elective APPE offerings.

Main Results:

• Elective APPEs provide crucial exposure to various career paths.
• Structured elective APPEs help students gain experience in defined areas.
• Effective management ensures logical scheduling and site availability.

Conclusions:

• The University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy's model for elective APPEs supports balanced experiential learning.
• Well-managed elective APPEs are vital for producing skilled pharmacy graduates prepared for diverse practice settings.
• This framework can guide other institutions in optimizing their experiential education programs.