Rational Redesign of an Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience Curriculum

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Curriculum Development
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) curricula are crucial for foundational pharmacy skills.
• Stakeholder perspectives are vital for effective curriculum design and revision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a systematic process for identifying strengths and weaknesses in an IPPE curriculum.
• To revise the IPPE curriculum based on stakeholder feedback and quality improvement principles.

Main Methods:

• A 5-step quality improvement process was developed and applied by a dedicated taskforce.
• Stakeholder feedback was gathered through surveys, focus groups, and meetings.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data underwent inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• Students desired fewer scheduling negotiations, reduced conflicts with class time, and more direct patient care.
• Structural changes included shifting IPPE hours to the third year and optimizing scheduling.
• Content was enhanced through curricular mapping, threading, and inter-coordinator collaboration.

Conclusions:

• A 5-step systematic process effectively revised the IPPE curriculum by integrating stakeholder input.
• This methodology can be adopted by other pharmacy programs for their IPPE curriculum redesign.