Specifications grading was implemented by two pharmacy colleges in their first-year skills-based laboratory course. To ensure appropriate proficiency, instructors specified the key skills and minimum performance levels expected for each grade (A, B, C, etc.) for each course. The learning objectives of each course dictated the skills evaluated by the respective college.
Employing specifications grading produced a more harmonious relationship between assignments and assessments, ensuring their pertinence to the course's learning objectives. The instructors' assessment was that specifications-based grading imparted a higher degree of rigor to the course. The adoption of specifications grading revealed four challenges: (1) its inability to integrate with the learning management system, (2) initial student uncertainty, (3) the need for adjustments due to unexpected events, and (4) difficulties in the practical execution of token exchange. Addressing many of these challenges involves diligent monitoring of completed tasks and accumulated rewards, consistent reinforcement of the grading system, and the establishment of adaptable course structures, particularly during the initial stages of implementation.
A successful launch of specifications grading occurred in two courses with a skills-based focus. The ongoing implementation of specifications grading will be continuously monitored for and address any encountered challenges. Extending the use of specifications grading to diverse course types, such as electives and didactic courses, could call for modifications and more rigorous evaluation.
Two courses focusing on skills witnessed the successful application of specifications-based grading. Ongoing efforts will be dedicated to resolving the challenges arising from the implementation of specifications grading. The adoption of specifications-based grading in alternative learning settings, including electives and didactic offerings, could necessitate modifications and further study.

The study's objective was to analyze the influence of the complete virtual transformation of in-hospital clinical training on students' academic results and to evaluate student opinions regarding the comprehensive experience.
Two consecutive weeks of in-hospital clinical training for 350 final-year pharmacy students were delivered remotely using synchronous videoconferences held daily. Trainees at Cairo University's Virtual Faculty of Pharmacy (VFOPCU) platform had the opportunity to virtually and interactively review patient files, replicating a typical clinical rounding experience with their mentors. The identical 20-question assessments were used to measure academic performance both before and after the training. A method for evaluating perceptions was an online survey.
Response rates for the pretest stood at 79%, but decreased to 64% after the posttest. A significant elevation in the median score was observed after the virtual training session, progressing from 7 out of 20 (range 6-9) on the pretest to 18 out of 20 (range 11-20) on the posttest, achieving statistical significance (P<.001). Participants in the training evaluations expressed high levels of satisfaction, averaging a rating greater than 3.5 on a 5-point scale. Among the survey respondents, a significant 27% were fully content with the overall experience, providing no feedback for potential improvements. A significant detraction, as per the reports, was the inappropriate scheduling of the training (274%) and the characterization of the training as overly condensed and tiring (162%).
The COVID-19 crisis demonstrated the feasibility and usefulness of employing the VFOPCU platform for distance learning in clinical experience delivery, thereby circumventing the necessity of in-person hospital visits. Considering student feedback and strategically utilizing existing resources will foster novel and better virtual clinical skill delivery solutions, even after the pandemic ends.
Employing the VFOPCU platform for distance clinical experiences, rather than direct hospital involvement, emerged as a suitable and advantageous solution during the COVID-19 crisis. Student recommendations, coupled with improved resource allocation, will unlock new avenues for delivering virtual clinical skills, persisting even after the pandemic subsides.

This study aimed to develop and assess a specialized pharmacy workshop, integrating pharmacy management and practical skills training into course curricula.
A workshop was developed for specialty pharmacies and then put into operation. The fall 2019 lecture cohort included a 90-minute segment dedicated to pharmacy management. In the fall 2020 lecture/lab program, the cohort was characterized by a lecture, a 30-minute pre-lab video assignment, and a two-hour lab exercise. At the end of the lab, students' findings were presented to specialty pharmacists in a virtual format. Knowledge (10 items), self-confidence (9 items), and attitudes (11 items) were evaluated through pre- and post-survey instruments.
A notable 88 students from the 123 enrolled in the course completed both pre- and post-surveys, achieving a remarkable 715% completion rate. Knowledge, assessed on a scale of 1 to 10, improved from 56 (SD=15) to 65 (SD=20) points in the lecture group and from 60 (SD=16) to 73 (SD=20) points in the lecture/lab group. The lecture/lab cohort experienced a statistically significant improvement. For the lecture group, confidence improved for five items out of a total of nine; in contrast, the lecture/lab group saw significant improvement across all nine elements. Both groups expressed generally favorable attitudes towards the subject of specialty pharmacy.
The specialty pharmacy workshop, designed for students, facilitated the learning of workflow management and medication access processes. Students considered the workshop both relevant and meaningful, creating confidence in their learning and comprehension of specialty pharmacy subjects. Larger-scale replication of the workshop is possible within pharmacy schools, through the combination of didactic and lab-based education.
The specialty pharmacy workshop's curriculum included the critical aspects of medication access and workflow management, exposing students to these facets. oncology (general) The workshop's relevance and meaningfulness were appreciated by students, who felt confident in expanding their knowledge and understanding of specialty pharmacy topics. Pharmacy schools can amplify the workshop's impact by adopting a larger-scale replication, merging didactic instruction and laboratory practicals.

Healthcare simulation has become a common approach to obtaining hands-on experience prior to direct patient care. Biogenic VOCs Though academic simulations offer plentiful avenues for improved learning, they can sometimes inadvertently highlight ingrained cultural stereotypes. PFTα This study sought to determine the prevalence and impact of gender stereotypes in the simulated counseling practice of pharmacy students.
Several cohorts of pharmacy students participated in and had their simulated counseling sessions reviewed. The video database of these counseling sessions underwent a manual, retrospective review to detect whether students or trained actors, portraying pharmacists and patients, respectively, implicitly assigned a gender to the providers without any initial request. Time spent on provider gender assignment and acknowledgement constituted a component of the secondary analysis.
An analysis of 73 distinct counseling sessions was performed. Preferential assignments of gender were made in 65 sessions. A male provider gender was assigned in every one of the 65 instances. Gender assignments were made by the actors in approximately 45 cases out of a total of 65.
Simulated counseling commonly reflects existing gender stereotypes. To prevent the transmission of cultural stereotypes, simulations demand consistent attention and evaluation. Scenarios for counseling, emphasizing cultural competency, offer invaluable training for healthcare professionals to thrive in multicultural workplaces.
Pre-existing gender stereotypes are visible in the staging of simulated counseling The reinforcement of cultural stereotypes in simulations necessitates continuous monitoring and evaluation. Healthcare professionals' ability to function effectively in diverse work environments can be enhanced by incorporating cultural competency into counseling simulation experiences.

A study of the prevalence of generalized anxiety (GA) among Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students at a specific academic institution during the COVID-19 pandemic, employed Alderfer's ERG theory to assess which unmet needs for existence, relatedness, and growth were linked to greater symptoms of GA.
Between October 2020 and January 2021, a single-site, cross-sectional survey was distributed to PharmD students, from the first to fourth year. The survey instrument comprised demographic data, the validated Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62, and nine questions specifically created to gauge Alderfer's ERG theory of needs. Using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, correlation analysis, and multivariable analysis, the predictors of GA symptoms were examined.
Among the 513 students, 214 individuals finished the survey, accounting for 42% completion. A study on the student population found that 4901% demonstrated no clinical GA symptoms, 3131% exhibited mild clinical GA symptoms, and 1963% exhibited serious clinical GA symptoms. The need for relatedness, including feelings of dislike, social disconnect, and misunderstanding, displayed the strongest correlation (65%) with generalized anxiety symptoms. This correlation was strongly significant statistically (r=0.56, p<.001). A lack of exercise correlated with a greater manifestation of GA symptoms in students (P = .008).
More than half of PharmD students surpassed the clinical thresholds for generalized anxiety (GA) symptoms, and the perceived need for relatedness emerged as the strongest predictor of these symptoms among the student body. The future of student-centered interventions lies in generating opportunities that strengthen social ties, cultivate resilience, and provide robust psychosocial support.