Change in student pharmacist perceived competency in pharmacists' patient care process, electronic health record, and drug information skills: A cross-sectional study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: The Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP), drug information (DI) and electronic health record (EHR) are Doctor of Pharmacy core skills requiring knowledge and application to reinforce learning. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to determine the evolution of student perceived competence in PPCP, DI, and EHR skills following redesign of a case conference course series. A spiral curricular framework, including the PPCP, DI, and EHR topics along with the existing pharmacotherapeutic content, was used. METHODS: Student pharmacists anonymously rated their perceived skills on 26 items on a 5-point scale (novice/beginner to expert) seven times throughout years 1-3. The survey was sent at the end of each semester starting in the P1 spring semester with two baseline surveys for the PCP and DI/EHR skills administered just prior to the introduction of these skills in the curriculum, midpoint of the P1 spring semester and at the beginning of the second professional year fall semester respectively. RESULTS: 189 students were eligible to participate with an overall response rate of 81.6% across seven survey points. A difference was found between the initial survey and each of the follow-up surveys beginning with follow-up 1 and maintained through follow-up 4 for all PPCP, DI, and EHR items. CONCLUSION: A curriculum structure in which students are initially introduced to a set of skills and then allowed to practice those skills in a case-based setting over an extended period appears to be effective in initially increasing and then maintaining student perceived competency in PPCP, EHR, and DI skills.
Authors: Lisa M. Whittington, Julie Darnell, Mimi Lou
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,150
OpenAlex ID: W7127912305