Impact of clerkship students on pharmacy-site output

The development of a theory-based method of estimating the impact of pharmacy clerkship students on clerkship sites is described. A job-analysis approach was used to estimate the impact of pharmacy clerkship activities on the clerkship sites. Two models--an employee model and a nonemployee model--of the student-preceptor relationship were used to evaluate clerkship student activities. Pairs of clerkship students and their preceptors were interviewed about student activities and supervision. Activities were assigned three-digit codes expressing (1) the level of preceptor supervision required, (2) the necessity of the activity to the functioning of the site, and (3) the complexity and amount of patient contact involved. The fit of each activity to the models was determined, and the impact of the clerkship students on a composite clerkship site was estimated. Twelve pairs of clerkship students and preceptors were interviewed. Degree of required supervision was the primary determinant in assigning an activity to a model. Student activities that fit the employee model were determined to have the greatest potential for having a positive or negative impact on the clerkship site. Performance of nonemployee-model activities could represent a net loss to the site because of the demand on preceptors' time. A method of categorizing and evaluating the value of specific student activities at pharmacy clerkship sites was useful in estimating student impact on the productivity of the site.