Evaluating preceptorship during advanced pharmacy practice experiences in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs offer students' academic coursework and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). APPEs are crucial for students, providing hands-on training in practice settings and enhancing clinical skills and decision-making abilities. Nevertheless, successful APPEs relies mainly on preceptorship. Hence, this study aims to evaluate preceptorship during APPEs in one of the non-major cities in Saudi Arabia.

A Cross-Sectional survey study was conducted among 40 PharmD students at Taibah University's College of Pharmacy which involved two telephone interviews conducted seven months apart. The survey instrument consisted of 46 questions divided into eight sections which covered various aspects such as demographics, clarity of rotation objectives, clinical and communication skills, assessment of the training and learning opportunities, preceptors' feedback and evaluation, interaction with patients, healthcare providers, and preceptors. Descriptive statistics and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were utilized to analyze the collected data and to assess the internal consistency of the multi-item Likert questions.

Preceptors were predominantly male, aged 26-35, with extensive experience in pharmacy practice and mentorship, yet they lacked specialized post-graduate training or education certification. Almost 50% of the preceptors exhibited competence in pharmacotherapy-related science, demonstrated a willingness to teach students and acknowledged the students' knowledge and skills. Furthermore, most of the students reported understanding of the APPEs objectives as the internship progressed. However, only 15% of late rotation participants strongly agreed on the safety of the learning environment, adequate time and regular contact with their preceptors. Starkly, only 3.0% of early rotation students and 6.1% of late rotation students strongly agreed with the improvement of their written and verbal communications.

This study reported a noted decline in perceived learning support and environment safety as the APPEs' year progressed. Feedback and communication skills development were areas of concern, with limited satisfaction reported. The study highlights regional disparities in training quality, emphasizing the need for structured learning experiences and re-evaluation of preceptorship. Future research should aim to better understand the challenges associated with APPEs in non-major cities and rural areas, thereby making significant contributions to the enhancement of the pharmacy profession.