Preceptor Perceptions of Pharmacy Student Performance Before and After a Curriculum Transformation

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Curriculum Development
• Experiential Learning

Background:

• Experiential placements are crucial for pharmacy student development.
• Curricular transformation aims to improve student performance and readiness for practice.
• Preceptor feedback provides valuable insights into student competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate preceptor perceptions of undergraduate pharmacy student performance.
• To compare student performance before and after a curriculum transformation in Australia.
• To identify specific areas of improvement in student skills, knowledge, and attitudes.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 preceptors.
• Preceptors supervised students from both the transformed and previous curricula.
• Directed content analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Preceptors perceived improved professional skills, behaviors, and attitudes in students from the transformed curriculum.
• Students in the transformed curriculum showed increased ability in performing clinical activities.
• Enhanced clinical knowledge and knowledge application were noted, with fewer instances of lower-than-expected knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Curricular transformation focusing on skill-based and active learning enhances pharmacy student performance.
• Improvements were observed in professional behaviors, attitudes, skills, knowledge, and clinical abilities.
• Preceptor perceptions support the effectiveness of the transformed curriculum in preparing pharmacy students.