Understanding the Factors that Affect the Assessment of Student Performance in Pharmacy Practicums

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy education
• Experiential learning
• Healthcare professional training

Background:

• Assessing entry-to-practice pharmacy students during inpatient practicums is crucial for professional development.
• Understanding the factors influencing practice educator assessments is key to improving evaluation consistency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing practice educators' assessments of pharmacy students during inpatient direct patient care practicums.
• To identify themes and considerations in the assessment of student performance in clinical pharmacy settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 13 experienced pharmacy practice educators.
• Educators assessed a fictional student case to discuss assessment practices and personal experiences.
• Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for recurring themes and influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Key themes influencing assessment included student work quality, performance, professionalism, and patient complexity.
• Significant heterogeneity was observed in student assessments and the factors considered by educators.
• Educators cited challenges with assessment rubrics, time, training, resources, and understanding program requirements.

Conclusions:

• Experiential practice educators utilize complex and often contradictory factors in student assessments, leading to inconsistencies.
• Heterogeneity in assessment practices necessitates a review of current evaluation methods for pharmacy students.
• Mandatory training for educators is recommended to standardize understanding of practicum expectations and assessment criteria.