Student perceptions of non-technical skills development during advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Health Professions Education
• Professional Skills Development

Background:

• Non-technical skills (NTS) are crucial for workforce integration and professional success.
• The perceived importance and adequacy of NTS training among pharmacy students remain underexplored.
• Understanding student perspectives is vital for curriculum development in pharmacy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate pharmacy students' perceptions of the value of NTS for their future careers.
• To assess pharmacy students' satisfaction with their current NTS training.
• To identify factors influencing student satisfaction with NTS training.

Main Methods:

• A 45-item survey was administered to 111 fourth-year pharmacy students at Texas A&M College of Pharmacy.
• Student perceptions were collected regarding NTS aligned with Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standard 4: self-awareness, leadership, innovation, and professionalism.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected data.

Main Results:

• 84% of students completed the survey, with professionalism and leadership identified as the most valued NTS.
• Student satisfaction with NTS training mirrored the perceived importance of these skills.
• Satisfaction levels were significantly influenced by the number of advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and the duration of NTS practice.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the integration and enhancement of NTS training within experiential pharmacy education.
• Curricular priorities and assessment strategies for NTS in APPEs can be informed by these student-centric data.
• Experiential settings are important, but NTS development should be a continuous thread throughout the pharmacy curriculum.