(326) Student Perceptions of a Novel Clinical Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience

Objective : The aim of this research is to assess student pharmacists’ perceptions of a novel clinical Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE). We hypothesize students value exposure to clinical pharmacy practice prior to Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences.

Methods: The Clinical IPPE is a required component of the Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy’s experiential education curriculum. Students complete the 40-hour rotation in either an ambulatory or acute care clinical setting following the second professional year. This IPPE provides students with an introduction to the field of clinical pharmacy and opportunities to offer evidence-based, patient-centered collaborative care to meet patient medication management needs. Students are evaluated on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis and are required to complete a two-part post-IPPE reflective assignment. First, students reflect on five questions regarding the overall experience. Second, students select from three question options related to pharmacists’ roles and patient care skills. Students are provided with additional prompting questions to guide reflections. Open-ended responses from the most recent cohort in 2023 were analyzed using a qualitative process of inductive coding to identify themes.

Results: One hundred thirty student reflective assignments were analyzed. Students reported the IPPE benefited their professional growth by providing them with interdisciplinary team experiences, increasing confidence in knowledge and abilities, and offering opportunities to apply information learned in the classroom. Students expressed overcoming challenges during the rotation, including lack of knowledge or experience, navigating the training site’s technology, and documenting patient encounters. Many students noted the experience strengthened their professional curiosity.

Conclusions: The Clinical IPPE is perceived by students as a valuable component of the experiential education curriculum as it promotes professional growth, affords learning beyond the classroom, and offers insight into future career paths.