(167) From the Front Lines: Innovative Structure for Curriculum Support

Objective : Describe a unique faculty structure which supports a highly integrated curriculum

Methods: The Practice Ready Curriculum (PRC) is supported by four Curriculum Coordinators (CC) and four Professors of Practice (PoPs) whose primary roles are supporting classroom, lab, and assessment needs and managing the learning management system (LMS). These novel positions arose from the PRC implementation, as did the realization these positions needed to be pharmacists. A description of positions, benefits, and challenges are described.

Results: Since 2018, this model has been successful in supporting and implementing a highly integrated curriculum that requires centralization and oversight of ‘front line’ tasks separate from faculty teaching and coordination. The CCs are full-time, non-promotable, 12-month positions. The PoPs are non-promotable, nine-month positions. Three PoPs work 32 hours/week while the fourth PoP is full-time. One CC and PoP are assigned to each year of the curriculum, with the fourth CC located on our satellite campus. The fourth PoP oversees lab. CCs spend most of their time managing the classroom and supporting student needs. Additionally, they assist with managing assessments, overseeing the LMS, and supporting faculty. PoPs spend most of their time grading assignments, facilitating lab, and supporting the CCs. These roles offer the opportunity for enhancing student support, decreasing faculty workload, and maintaining cohesion of an integrated curriculum. Challenges of these roles include supporting students with complex needs, lack of some faculty engagement and communication, and working daily with a wide breadth of faculty and staff.

Conclusions: Having faculty solely dedicated to support a curriculum is beneficial in maintaining an integrated curriculum. CC’s and PoP’s knowledge of the curriculum, content, faculty, and student body keeps the curriculum progressing while offloading faculty workload.