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Objective. To identify national trends among US pharmacy schools and colleges in their requirements for the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and underlying rationales for not requiring pharmacy school applicants to take it. Methods. An electronic survey regarding the following was sent to all US pharmacy programs: current and future PCAT requirements for applicants, use of the PCAT or other means to assess applicants’ written communication skills, use of unofficial PCAT scores, and, if applicable, the rationale for not requiring applicants to submit PCAT scores. Data analysis was performed using Excel. Results. One hundred five (73%) of 144 schools and colleges of pharmacy responded to the survey. Twelve institutions discontinued the PCAT requirement between the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 admissions cycles. The most commonly selected reason for discontinuation was a desire to increase pharmacy applications by reducing admission barriers. Pharmacy schools nationwide had concerns regarding high PCAT registration fees. The majority of pharmacy programs that used PCAT scores in their application process indicated that they always, often, or sometimes invited applicants for an interview before they had received the applicant’s official PCAT scores. The majority of pharmacy programs considered applicants’ PCAT writing score in making their admissions decisions. Other methods used included onsite essays and personal statements. Conclusion. At the time of this study the majority of US pharmacy schools required applicants to submit the PCAT scores before being considered for admission to pharmacy school; however, the use of this examination has declined nationally.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Professional identity formation (PIF) involves internalizing and demonstrating the behavioral norms, standards, and values of a professional community, such that one comes to “think, act and feel” like a member of that community. Professional identity influences how a professional perceives, explains, presents and conducts themselves. This report of the 2020-2021 AACP Student Affairs Standing Committee (SAC) describes the benefits of a strong professional identity, including its importance in advancing practice transformation. Responding to a recommendation from the 2019-2020 SAC, this report presents an illustrative and interpretative schema as an initial step towards describing a pharmacist’s identity. However, the profession must further elucidate a universal and distinctive pharmacist identity, in order to better support pharmacists and learners in explaining and presenting the pharmacist’s scope of practice and opportunities for practice change. Additionally, the report outlines recommendations for integrating intentional professional identity formation within professional curricula at colleges and schools of pharmacy. Although there is no standardized, single way to facilitate PIF in students, the report explores possibilities for meeting the student support and faculty development needs of an emerging new emphasis on PIF within the Academy.

Objective. To determine acceptance rates to postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residencies and examine the impact of several variables on acceptance rate. Methods. Residency match data for every US college and school of pharmacy with a graduating class between 2008 and 2011 were sorted by graduating class and applicant match rates into PGY1 residency programs. Data were analyzed to determine factors influencing PGY1 match rates. Results. The graduating class match rate to PGY1 residencies was 14.2% for all colleges and schools, 16.0% for public colleges and schools, and 12.6% for private colleges and schools. Colleges and schools with a first graduating class greater than 20 years ago matched 16.7% of students to residency programs. Conclusion. Whether the college or school was public rather than private was an influencing factor on both graduating class and applicant match rates. Years since first graduating class influenced applicant match rate only.

Background Pharmacy education in South Korea transitioned from a 4-year to a 6-year program in 2011, alongside an increase in the number of pharmacy schools and students. The change in pharmacy education may have reduced the attractiveness of the profession, particularly in terms of income. This study aimed to assess the impact of the increasing number of pharmacy students on the income levels and distribution among owner pharmacists, staff pharmacists, and hospital pharmacists. Methods This retrospective observational study used data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to track pharmacists’ annual income from 2010 to 2020. The income was categorized by sector, region, and gender. An interrupted time series analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of the increasing number of pharmacy students on pharmacists’ income. Results The income levels of pharmacists increased from 2010 to 2020, even after adjusting for inflation. By 2020, the income levels for owner pharmacists, staff pharmacists, hospital pharmacists reached 110 million, 58 million, and 51 million Korean won, respectively. The impact of increased pharmacy schools on the income of pharmacists varied by sector. The expansion led to a substantial increase in the income of owner pharmacists, while the incomes of staff pharmacists and hospital pharmacists showed no significant changes. Conclusion Despite the increase in the number of pharmacists, the profession remains attractive in terms of both income level and its distribution, particularly for female pharmacists. However, this increase has had a more favorable impact on the income growth of owner pharmacists compared to staff and hospital pharmacists.

The 2021-22 Professional Affairs Committee was charged to (1) Develop a resource guide for member institutions and faculty regarding payment for the practice-related activities of pharmacy faculty; (2) Nominate at least one person for an elected AACP or Council Office; and (3) Consider ways that AACP can improve its financial health. This report describes the methodology and content utilized for the development of an online resource guide for member institutions, faculty, and practice sites regarding the integration of clinical faculties’ patient care services into patient care settings, including models for payment and value-based payment structures that can be utilized to support the practice-related activities of faculty. The committee offers a revision to a current association policy statement, a proposed policy statement as well as recommendations to AACP and suggestions to colleges and schools of pharmacy pertaining to the committee charges.

Objective. Rapid changes in the current US health care system, especially in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, require practicing pharmacists to acquire new knowledge and skills. Despite the growth of opportunities for pharmacists within new spaces such as nanotechnology, informatics, and pharmacogenomics, those without a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree could be eliminated from consideration by employers who seek new graduates with more contemporary training and skills. The purpose of this study was to determine what associations exist between student success within a nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) program and certain demographic factors. Methods. This quantitative longitudinal study was designed to determine which factors predict academic success among NTDP students entering the College of Pharmacy at Howard University. Academic success was measured by cumulative graduating grade point average (GPA). Data from four cohorts of students were used to develop multivariate linear regression models with several predictors including age, region of residence, citizenship status, previous pharmacy work background, and ethnicity. Results. The study sample included 81 students whose mean cumulative GPA was 3.44. A foreign-born African heritage was predictive of a GPA that was significantly higher in comparison to African Americans after adjusting for other factors. Conclusion. Findings showed that international students had a higher cumulative GPA in comparison to African American students in the NTDP program.

Objective. To explore the availability of veterinary pharmacy didactic and experiential learning opportunities in US pharmacy programs. Methods. A 23-item questionnaire was sent to subscribers of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Curriculum and Pharmacy Practice listservs, which reach 2,098 participants and 141 pharmacy programs. The Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the association of offering a didactic course and accepting credit from an outside program for veterinary pharmacy course and between pharmacy programs offering a veterinary didactic course and being affiliated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. All analyses were conducted using SPSS, version 26. Results. Questionnaire response rate was 61% (86/141). Twenty seven percent (23/86) of pharmacy programs reported offering a didactic veterinary pharmacy course and 60% (52/86) reported having experiential rotation opportunities. Pharmacy programs that do not offer a veterinary pharmacy course, were not more or less likely to accept outside credit to gain didactic knowledge. Pharmacy programs geographically associated with a veterinary school were more likely to offer didactic as well as experiential opportunities. Conclusion. Pharmacy programs were twice as likely to have experiential opportunities in veterinary pharmacy compared to didactic opportunities, leaving room for curricular development. With most graduating pharmacists choosing to work in the community pharmacy setting and the growth of veterinary pharmacy at several national corporate pharmacy chains, it would be advisable for pharmacy programs to expose students to veterinary pharmacy whether as a didactic course and/or an experiential rotation.

Objective. To determine how US and Canadian pharmacy schools include content related to health disparities and cultural competence and health literacy in curriculum as well as to review assessment practices. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to 143 accredited and candidate-status pharmacy programs in the United States and 10 in Canada in three phases. Statistical analysis was performed to assess inter-institutional variability and relationships between institutional characteristics and survey results. Results. After stratification by institutional characteristics, no significant differences were found between the 72 (50%) responding institutions in the United States and the eight (80%) in Canada. A core group of faculty typically taught health disparities and cultural competence content and/or health literacy. Health disparities and cultural competence was primarily taught in multiple courses across multiple years in the pre-APPE curriculum. While health literacy was primarily taught in multiple courses in one year in the pre-APPE curriculum in Canada (75.0%), delivery of health literacy was more varied in the United States, including in a single course (20.0%), multiple courses in one year (17.1%), and multiple courses in multiple years (48.6%). Health disparities and cultural competence and health literacy was mostly taught at the introduction or reinforcement level. Active-learning approaches were mostly used in the United States, whereas in Canada active learning was more frequently used in teaching health literacy (62.5%) than health disparities and cultural competence (37.5%). Few institutions reported providing professional preceptor development. Conclusion. The majority of responding pharmacy schools in the United States and Canada include content on health disparities and cultural competence content and health literacy to varying degrees; however, less is required and implemented within experiential programs and the co-curriculum. Opportunities remain to expand and apply information on health disparities and cultural competence content and health literacy content, particularly outside the didactic curriculum, as well as to identify barriers for integration.

The variability and complexity of course prerequisites across colleges and schools of pharmacy can result in barriers to admission. While prerequisites play an important role in the admissions process and assuring student preparation, requiring excessive prerequisites can create unnecessary challenges for applicants. Prospective students may choose not to apply to a particular pharmacy school or even enter the profession because they cannot complete all course prerequisites in time to apply. Extraneous prerequisites can also contribute to the cost of education and educational indebtedness, which can more adversely affect minority and disadvantaged students. Pharmacy programs should carefully examine their course prerequisite requirements and consider new ways to measure preparedness to attract a diverse and competent pool of applicants to the profession while also being more competitive with other health professions programs.