Employment requirements for pharmacy practice faculty at colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education,  Summer 2002  by Kalis, Michelle M,  Kirschenbaum, Harold L

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The primary purpose of this study was to determine the immunization and other health-related policies in place at colleges and schools of pharmacy for pharmacy practice faculty members assigned to off-campus sites. Secondary objectives were to determine other types of employment requirements for pharmacy practice faculty such as degrees, certifications, licenses, and memberships in professional organizations, as well as the breakdown of full-time fully funded, full-time co-funded, part-time, and volunteer faculty. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to the director of the department/division of pharmacy practice at the 81 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy; duplicate packets were sent to nonrespondents. Fifty questionnaires were returned for an overall response rate of 62 percent. Only 25 percent of respondents indicated that any physical test and/or immunization is required or recommended by the college/school. The most common items required were a PPD, and measles/mumps/rubella vaccinations or titers. For full-time pharmacy practice faculty, 79 percent practice off-campus with the most common sites being hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community pharmacies. Twenty-seven of 47 respondents indicated that only a PharmD degree is required for employment. Licensure in the state in which the college/school is located and completion of a pharmacy practice residency (or equivalent experience) are the only two qualifications required by at least 70 percent of respondents. For institutions offering tenure, a smaller percentage of pharmacy practice faculty (55 percent) were on the tenure track compared with all faculty members (74 percent). Colleges and schools do not have programs in place to ensure that off-campus faculty members meet CDC requirements for health care workers. Colleges and schools should encourage residency training, board certification, and membership in professional associations.

INTRODUCTION

Recommendations for the immunization of health care workers are issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)(1). The CDC does not specifically identify pharmacists, but the assumption can be made that since the recommendations include all persons employed in health care institutions, pharmacists and pharmacy students are included. The recommendations include immunizations against hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. In addition, the CDC recommends all unvaccinated adults receive tetanus-- diphtheria toxoid (DPT or Td) followed by a Td booster every 10 years. Vaccination of health care workers against hepatitis A, tuberculosis, pneumococcal disease, pertussis, typhoid fever, and vaccinia (smallpox) are recommended only in specific situations. In addition, the CDC recommends that strategies be in place for the prevention and control of tuberculosis. This is generally interpreted as meaning that health care workers should undergo periodic PPD (purified protein derivative of tuberculosis) screening.

Today's pharmaceutical education requires that students participate in introductory as well as advanced practice experiences (i.e., clerkships)(2). These off-campus experiences take place in a variety of environments including hospitals, emergency medicine departments, community pharmacies, ambulatory clinics, home health care, managed care organizations, drug information centers, physician offices, and long-term care facilities. Commonly, colleges and schools of pharmacy utilize full-time (i.e., fully funded by the college/school or co-funded by the practice site) faculty members to precept students. Depending on their practice area, these faculty members may interact with patients who have a variety of contagious illnesses. Alternatively, the faculty might have contagious diseases, such as tuberculosis or varicella, and could infect patients. As a result, faculty members practicing in these environments should fall under the CDC guidelines for health care workers even though they may be classified as college or school of pharmacy employees.

A previous study conducted by the investigators examined the immunization and other health requirements for pharmacy students prior to and during their introductory and advanced practice experiences(3). The study revealed that the majority of colleges and schools of pharmacy had specific health requirements for students, but these requirements were not in compliance with CDC recommendations. Specifically, greater than 90 percent of colleges and schools of pharmacy require entry-level PharmD students to obtain a PPD and possess proof of immunity to or be vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella; 85 percent of colleges and schools require hepatitis B vaccination or proof of immunity. Fewer institutions require entry-level students to obtain other vaccinations such as varicella (58 percent) and Td (53 percent), a physical examination (40 percent), or relatively routine blood or urine tests (3 to 17 percent, depending upon the test). Compared with requirements for nontraditional PharmD students, significantly more colleges and schools require entry-level students to have an SMA 12, undergo a PPD, and provide proof of vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B; other requirements do not differ significantly by degree program(3).