Student membership on standing committees at colleges and schools of pharmacy

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education,  Spring 1998  by Bazil, Michelle K,  Kirschenbaum, Harold L

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The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and extent of participation of pharmacy students on standing committees at colleges and schools of pharmacy. A 25-item questionnaire was mailed to the 79 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy. A total of 64 questionnaires (81 percent) were returned. Thirtyeight respondents reported that BS in Pharmacy students served on one or more committees, 49 indicated that entry-level PharmD students served, 27 reported post-BS PharmD students, 23 reported MS students, and 29 indicated that PhD students served on one or more committees. The committees on which entry-level students most commonly served were curriculum, admissions, and disciplinary. Students tended to be voting members and were perceived to be contributors to committee activities. Students should play an active role on committees, not only because this is an accreditation standard, but because serving on committees exposes them to professional governance and professional socialization.

INTRODUCTION

The American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) recently adopted a revised set of standards for colleges and schools of pharmacy titled Accreditation Standards and Guidelines for the Professional Program in Pharmacy Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. Standard 20 of this document indicates that colleges and schools of pharmacy should show evidence that student representation exists on appropriate college committees and policydevelopment bodies(l). The following assumptions appear to be implicit in this standard: colleges and schools have committees. there is some procedure to determine the committees that are appropriate for student members, and students can contribute to committees. There is no indication whether the ACPE believes that students currently serve on committees, what the students, roles currently areA or whether students contribute to the mission of committees. There are limited published data about the types of college and school of pharmacy committees and the roles that students play on these committees.

Carter and Draugalis(2) surveyed colleges and schools of pharmacy in 1994 to determine the structure, function, and duties of curriculum committees. They reported that students served as voting members on the majority of curriculum committees at these institutions. A review of the literature has failed to uncover additional data concerning entry-level and/or graduate pharmacy student involvement on standing committees at colleges and schools of pharmacy. Thus, the extent to which students participate in the committee structure at the present time is unknown.

In Background Paper I, the Commission to Implement Change in Pharmaceutical Education noted that pharmaceutical education is responsible for preparing students to enter the practice of pharmacy and to function as professionals, and should encourage students to take active roles in shaping policies, practices, and the future direction of the profession(3). The Commission also noted that entry-level students need to develop effective interpersonal and intergroup behaviors(4). In addition, Chalmers and associates emphasized the need for pharmacy education to provide a consistent and extensive framework of professional socialization throughout a pharmacy student's education(5). Involvement on college and school of pharmacy committees may provide students with experiences that will enable them to take a more active role in their chosen profession, and may enhance students' socialization skills.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the types of standing committees at colleges and schools of pharmacy throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, the standing committees on which pharmacy students serve, the degree of student involvement on college and schoolwide committees, and the manner in which students are recommended for and appointed to these committees. This information also may provide a basis for colleges and schools of pharmacy to compare their level of student involvement within the committee structure with other institutions.

METHODOLOGY

A self-administered questionnaire was developed to determine the prevalence and extent of participation of entrylevel pharmacy students (both BS in Pharmacy and PharmD ), post-baccalaureate PharmD students, MS students, and PhD students on standing committees at colleges and schools of pharmacy. There was no attempt to obtain data on student involvement on their own committees (e.g., social committees, student government, or professional organizations), on college and school ad hoc committees, or on university committees (if appropriate).

Two persons with expertise in survey design and the dean of students at two colleges of pharmacy reviewed a draft of the questionnaire to assess its completeness, ease of completion, and overall suitability. Following modification, the 25-item questionnaire was reviewed and approved by the university's institutional review board. The questionnaire listed 14 committees, but allowed respondents to add additional committees. The instrument was mailed in December, 1996 to the dean of students at the 79 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and Puerto Rico. In addition to the questionnaire, the survey packet included descriptions of each type of committee (Appendix) so that if an individual college or school used a different name for the committee the survey could still be completed, a cover letter, and a postage-paid return envelope. The cover letter included a statement that the results from individual respondents would not be shared with others, and only aggregate data would be presented and published. Duplicate packets were mailed five and ten weeks later (January and March, 1997) to nonrespondents. Data were entered into a spread sheet program (Microsoft Excel) and means, standard deviations, and percentages were calculated.