Using Focus Groups to Explore Evolving Perceptions of Student Pharmacists' Curricular Experiences

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Medical Education
• Student Development

Background:

• The transition from dependent to autonomous learning is critical for student pharmacists.
• Understanding student experiences informs curriculum development and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of student pharmacists during their initial three years of a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
• To examine the developmental trajectory from novice to contributing members of the profession.

Main Methods:

• Interpretive phenomenology was employed to analyze focus group data from 309 student pharmacists.
• Arthur Chickering's Seven Vectors of Identity Development served as a theoretical framework.
• A step-wise analysis facilitated theme emergence and theoretical alignment.

Main Results:

• Key themes identified include professionalism, autonomy, and curriculum expectation management.
• Student progress along Chickering's seven vectors was evident over three academic years.
• A clear evolution in self-authorship was observed.

Conclusions:

• The study offers insights into the transformative journey of student pharmacists.
• The findings illustrate the development of self-authored individuals, an essential outcome for pharmacy graduates.
• Comparing students across academic years revealed developmental progression.