Pharmacy educators’ intention for the curriculum: an Australian pilot study
Keywords:
Curriculum, Professional Identity Formation, Pharmacy Academics, Undergraduate Pharmacy Education, AustraliaAbstract
Background: Pharmacy educators play an important role in supporting the professional identity formation of students, particularly in relation to their perceptions and strategies for the curriculum and subsequent learning experiences.
Aim: To explore pharmacy educators’ perceptions of the purpose of the pharmacy curriculum and how they contribute to students’ development as pharmacists.
Methods: A one-off survey using a 20-item questionnaire distributed to all pharmacy educators at a single school of pharmacy who contributed to an Australian undergraduate pharmacy degree program.
Results: Most educators viewed the curriculum and their role from a traditional perspective. The educators felt the key purpose of the curriculum was to develop competent pharmacists by providing students with knowledge and skills. There was a limited emphasis on patient-centredness.
Conclusion: Whilst educators were focused on developing competent pharmacists through the provision of knowledge and skills, important learning opportunities supporting identity formation may be missed.
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