Experience with a Non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy Program Based on an Integrated, Andragogical Model

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 2003 by Sylvia, Lynne M, Reynolds, John R, Huff, Nancy A, Schollard, Robert J

Objectives. With the movement of academic pharmacy toward a single entry-level degree program, many working pharmacists who hold bachelor's degrees have sought advanced educational opportunities. The nontraditional PharmD program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) was designed using a collaborative learning approach and an integrated model of didactic and experiential education to meet the needs of adult learners.

Methods. The pathway was developed and implemented in 1996 at MCPHS. The program consisted of 34 credit hours of integrated didactic and experiential education. In 1999, an exit survey was designed to assess the student's experience and level of satisfaction with the NTPD.

Results. Survey results from graduates revealed general satisfaction with the delivery of the program and high levels of confidence in providing pharmaceutical care. As of May 2002, 134 pharmacists have graduated and 92 students remain in the pathway.

Conclusion. The program's emphasis on collaborative learning and immediate application of learned material have been well received by students. The program's adaptability and flexibility have permitted faculty to make modifications that have enhanced the curriculum while still meeting the unique needs of this group of students.

Keywords: non-traditional PharmD, andragogical model

INTRODUCTION

With increased recognition of the value of patient-oriented services and the movement of academic pharmacy to embrace a single entry-level degree, many bachelor-prepared pharmacists have sought advanced educational opportunities that would provide the training and skills needed to more effectively provide pharmaceutical care. Such individuals, however, often express reservations about returning to traditionally administered degree programs due primarily to time and financial constraints. As such, a flexible, part-time nontraditional PharmD (NTPD) program with integrated didactic and experiential components was developed at MCPHS to address the unique needs of these adult learners. The purpose of this paper is to describe our experience with a nontraditional program that was designed using an andragogical model.

METHODS

Pathway Development

After nearly 20 years of offering only a post-baccalaureate PharmD degree program of limited class size, MCPHS approved a full-time, entry-level PharmD curriculum and began a phased implementation of the program in 1994. The first class of track-in students graduated in 2000 and the first entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy class will graduate in 2003. By 1994, expectations for a part-time PharmD program had also increased greatly among alumni and preceptors. Many of these individuals informally expressed interest in a flexible program that would be based locally and would not require extended leaves from their jobs to complete the experiential component. Review of the components of various NTPD programs offered and being planned at US schools of pharmacy in the mid-1990s was valuable in considering program feasibility at MCPHS.''2 Program developers also spoke and visited with directors of NTPD programs at other schools of pharmacy to acquire information about common and unique elements of various programs. The program was constructed to be academically sound, flexible, and affordable; attributes that are consistent with the 1994 resolution of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy Equitable Degree Upgrade Process.3

An important early step in the development of MCPHS's NTPD program was the recognition of different age-related learning styles. A useful model attributed to Knowles4'5 distinguishes pre-adult learning (pedagogy) from adult learning (andragogy) and provided a reference point for curriculum development in adult education. Knowles' andragogical model is based on notions that adults: (1) tend to be self-directed; (2) have rich reservoirs of experiences that can serve as resources for learning; (3) prefer immediate application of learned material rather than postponed application; (4) tend to have a task- and problem-centered orientation that affects their readiness to learn and is based on their need to know or do something; (5) need a collaborative, informal environment for learning with the opportunity for mutual planning and mutual diagnosis and re-diagnosis of needs; and (6) are generally intrinsically motivated to learn. A logical and practical extension of Knowles' model in MCPHS's pathway development involved the establishment of learning partnerships among students and teachers. Such collaborative learning processes have been commonly associated with adult learning because they draw upon the collective experiences of the participants and provide for creative approaches to analysis, synthesis, and problem solving. The NTPD at MCPHS was designed to place emphasis on student-faculty partnerships as a mechanism to assist students with the successful integration of didactic, small group, and experiential learning.