Intention/Reflection (I/R) Practice Creates a Deeper APPE Connection for Student Pharmacists After COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Experiential Learning
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated innovative educational strategies in pharmacy.
• The Intention/Reflection (I/R) practice was adopted by APPE preceptors to foster student engagement and metacognitive growth.
• This study addresses the need to identify best practices in post-pandemic experiential pharmacy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of Intention/Reflection (I/R) strategies on student pharmacist engagement during APPEs.
• To identify and advance best practices in experiential pharmacy education in the post-pandemic era.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of I/R as a structured engagement tool.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective qualitative study involving 20 student pharmacists from two U.S. colleges.
• Analysis of student pharmacist responses to five structured I/R prompts.
• Thematic analysis conducted by two independent researchers using qualitative data analysis software.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged from the I/R responses: two intention themes and two reflection themes.
• Intention themes highlighted growth in confidence, engagement, leadership, and adaptive skills.
• Reflection themes emphasized professional learning, focused growth, self-awareness, and future career planning.

Conclusions:

• Participants found the I/R practice transformative, leading to sustained learning and increased confidence.
• The I/R practice significantly enhanced student engagement and professional development.
• Integrating I/R strategies can contribute to best practices for post-pandemic pharmacy training.