American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (06/25) Frederick, Kelsey D.; Crill, Catherine M.; Wheeler, James S.; et al.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a remote continuing professional development (CPD) elective was created and implemented for student pharmacists. In the 4-week program, fourth-year students worked through each step of the CPD cycle, tracked progress with activities that helped them achieve their goals, and presented a final CPD portfolio along with a reflective statement about their experience. All 80 students finished the required coursework and passed the CPD elective class. Based on interview and surveys, researchers found that the implementation of the CPD elective was highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible, with scores of 83.4%, 93%, and 86.6%, respectively. Student pharmacists reported successful attainment of their personal goals (fully achieved by 62.9%, partially by 35%) and expressed satisfaction with their learning outcomes (92.5%). The use of structured tools for professional self-assessment (identifying strengths, weaknesses, and learning needs) was more prevalent among CPD elective students than among classmates who did not take the course. In interviews, students reported having a positive experience with the CPD course, noting the value of such training in helping them to attain their professional goals and prepare them for lifelong learning. They also recognized the flexibility, autonomy, and personalization offered with the elective, which positively affected perceived motivation and engagement in learning. The findings, write the researchers, demonstrate that "the CPD elective provided an acceptable, appropriate, feasible, and effective CPD experience within the PharmD curriculum."

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