Exploring the undermined: Pharmacy students' perceptions of their role models’ core competencies

Authors

  • Mahboobeh Khabaz Mafinejad Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Nastaran Hadizadeh Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Donya Doostkamel School of Pharmacy Ardabil University of medical sciences, Ardabil, Iran
  • Azadeh Sayarifard Research and Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Leila Rezaie Shirmard School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of medical sciences, Ardabil, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2022.221.856865

Keywords:

Healthcare education, Medical education, Pharmacy education, Professionalism, Role modelling

Abstract

Background: As an integrated part of pharmacy education, role modelling is pivotal in fostering desirable professional attributes in students. This study aimed to explore top pharmacist role model competencies as perceived by pharmacy students of different years of the curriculum.  

Methods: A newly developed 14-item questionnaire (The Competencies of Role Models in Pharmacy (CRMP) questionnaire) was distributed among 207 pharmacy students and filled out anonymously, and the results obtained were analysed on SPSS 26 software. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to check data normality, and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis was utilised to assess the variations in CRMP scores based on the students’ academic year.   

Results: Teaching skills and professionalism were the most vital attributes selected by pharmacy students, followed by communication skills and laboratory skills. Interestingly, students perceived business and entrepreneurship skills as well as the career status of role models as the least essential competencies. Moreover, notable differences were observed in the overall opinions of students in different academic years, which may be indicative of the dynamic changes in student perspectives as they move forward in their pharmacy programme.    

Conclusion: The competencies of pharmacist role models were assessed and ranked according to their importance as perceived by pharmacy students across different academic years. This information helps gain insight into students’ prioritisation of role model competencies and sheds light on the path toward developing future role model training/assessment programmes to improve the quality of pharmacy education.

Author Biographies

Mahboobeh Khabaz Mafinejad, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Health Professions Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Department of Medical Education

Nastaran Hadizadeh, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Education Development Center, Department of Pharmacy

Donya Doostkamel , School of Pharmacy Ardabil University of medical sciences, Ardabil, Iran

Department of pharmaceutics

Leila Rezaie Shirmard, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of medical sciences, Ardabil, Iran

Department of pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy

References

Abraham, T. H., Stewart, G. L., & Solimeo, S. L. (2021). The importance of soft skills development in a hard data world: learning from interviews with healthcare leaders. BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 147. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02567-1

Baldwin, A., Mills, J., Birks, M., & Budden, L. (2014). Role modeling in undergraduate nursing education: An integrative literature review. Nurse Education Today, 34(6), e18–e26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2013.12.007

Bartlett, A. D., Um, I. S., Luca, E. J., Krass, I., & Schneider, C. R. (2020). Measuring and assessing the competencies of preceptors in health professions: A systematic scoping review. BMC Medical Education, 20(1), 165. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02082-9

Bazrafkan, L., Hayat, A. A., Tabei, S. Z., & Amirsalari, L. (2019). Clinical teachers as positive and negative role models: An explanatory sequential mixed method design. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 12, 11. https://doi.org/10.18502/jmehm.v12i11.1448

Benbassat, J. (2014). Role modeling in medical education: The importance of a reflective imitation. Academic Medicine, 89(4), 550–554. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000189

Bradberry, J. C., Droege, M., Evans, R. L., Guglielmo, J. B., Knapp, D. A., Knapp, K. K., Meyer, S. M., Poirier, T. I., & Plaza, C. M. (2007). Curricula Then and Now—An Environmental Scan and Recommendations Since the Commission to Implement Change in Pharmaceutical Education: Report of the 2006-2007 Academic Affairs Committee. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 71(Suppl), S10. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7105s10

Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2014). Do role models matter? An investigation of role modeling as an antecedent of perceived ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(4), 587–598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1769-0

Brownell, A. K. W., & Côté, L. (2001). Senior residents’ views on the meaning of professionalism and how they learn about it. Academic Medicine, 76(7), 734–737. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200107000-00019

Buchel, T. L., & Edwards, F. D. (2005). Characteristics of effective clinical teachers. Family Medicine, 37(1), 30–35

Burgess, A., Goulston, K., & Oates, K. (2015). Role modelling of clinical tutors: A focus group study among medical students. BMC Medical Education, 15,17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-015-0303-8

Capobianco, D. J., & Schultz, H. J. (2007). The program director—a competency-based job description. ACGME Bull, 8, 28–30. https://www.acgme.org/globalassets/PFAssets/bulletin/bulletin08_07.pdf

Carlton, E. L., Holsinger, J. W., Riddell, M., & Bush, H. (2015). Full-range public health leadership, part 1: Quantitative analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 3, 73. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2015.00073

Cerulli, J. (2006). Experiential education in community pharmacy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 70(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj700119

Cuellar, L. M., & Ginsburg, D. B. (2009). Perceptor’s handbook for pharmacists. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Côté, L., & Laughrea, P. A. (2014). Preceptors' understanding and use of role modeling to develop the CanMEDS competencies in residents. Academic Medicine, 89(6), 934–939. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000246

Cruess, R. L. (2006). Teaching professionalism: Theory, principles, and practices. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 449, 177–185. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.blo.0000229274.28452.cb

Dall’Alba, G. (2009). Learning professional ways of being: Ambiguities of becoming. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 41(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2008.00475.x

Dubbai, H., Adelstein, B. A., Taylor, S., & Shulruf, B. (2019). Definition of professionalism and tools for assessing professionalism in pharmacy practice: A systemic review. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 16, 22. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2019.16.22

Frenk, J., Chen, L., Bhutta, Z. A., Cohen, J., Crisp, N., Evans, T., Fineberg, H., Garcia, P., Ke, Y., Kelley, P., Kistnasamy, B., Meleis, A., Naylor, D., Pablos-Mendez, A., Reddy, S., Scrimshaw, S., Sepulveda, J., Serwadda, D., & Zurayk, H. (2010). Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. Lancet (London, England), 376(9756), 1923–1958. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61854-5

Goldie, J. (2012). The formation of professional identity in medical students: Considerations for educators. Medical Teacher, 34(9), e641–e648. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2012.687476

Goldie, J., Dowie, A., Cotton, P., & Morrison, J. (2007). Teaching professionalism in the early years of a medical curriculum: A qualitative study. Medical Education, 41(6), 610–617. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02772.x

Hafferty, F. W. (1998). Beyond curriculum reform: Confronting medicine’s hidden curriculum. Academic Medicine, 73(4), 403–407. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-199804000-00013

Haider, S. I., Snead, D. R. J., & Bari, M. F. (2016). Medical students’ perceptions of clinical teachers as role model. PLoS ONE, 11(3), e0150478. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150478

Hamilton, N. (2011). Fostering Professional Formation (Professionalism): Lessons from the Carnegie Foundation’s Five Studies on Educating Professionals. Creighton Law Review, 45, 763.

Hammer, D. P., Berger, B. A., Beardsley, R. S., & Easton, M. R. (2003). Student professionalism. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 67(3), 544-572.

Hammer, D. P. (2000). Professional attitudes and behaviors: The “A’s and B’s” of professionalism. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 64(4), 455–464.

Harris, D. L., Krause, K. C., Parish, D. C., & Smith, M. U. (2007). Academic competencies for medical faculty. Family Medicine, 39(5), 343–350.

Holden, M., Buck, E., Clark, M., Szauter, K., & Trumble, J. (2012). Professional identity formation in medical education: The convergence of multiple domains. HEC Forum, 24(4), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10730-012-9197-6

Jochemsen-van der Leeuw, H. G., van Dijk, N., van Etten-Jamaludin, F. S., & Wieringa-de Waard, M. (2013). The attributes of the clinical trainer as a role model: a systematic review. Academic Medicine, 88(1), 26–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318276d070

Joubert, P. M., Krüger, C., Bergh, A. M., Pickworth, G. E., Van Staden, C. W., Roos, J. L., Schurink, W. J., Du Preez, R. R., Grey, S. V., & Lindeque, B. G. (2006). Medical students on the value of role models for developing “soft skills” - ‘That’s the way you do it.’ South African Psychiatry Review, 9(1), 28–32. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajpsy.v9i1.30204

Kenny, N. P., Mann, K. V., & MacLeod, H. (2003). Role Modeling in Physicians’ Professional Formation: Reconsidering an Essential but Untapped Educational Strategy. Academic Medicine, 78(12), 1203–1210. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200312000-00002

Labzina, P., Dobrova, V., Menshenina, S., & Ageenko, N. (2019). Soft Skills Enhancement through Interdisciplinary Students Engagement. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 273, 340-344. https://doi.org/10.2991/csis-18.2019.69

Lee, W. S., Cholowski, K., & Williams, A. K. (2002). Nursing students’ and clinical educators’ perceptions of characteristics of effective clinical educators in an Australian university school of nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 39(5), 412–420. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02306.x

Morgenroth, T., Ryan, M. K., & Peters, K. (2015). The motivational theory of role modeling: How role models influence role aspirants’ goals. Review of General Psychology, 19(4), 465–483. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000059

Negandhi, P., Negandhi, H., Tiwari, R., Sharma, K., Zodpey, S. P., Quazi, Z., Gaidhane, A., Jayalakshmi N., Gijare, M., & Yeravdekar, R. (2015). Building Interdisciplinary Leadership Skills among Health Practitioners in the Twenty-First Century: An Innovative Training Model. Frontiers in Public Health, 3, 221. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2015.00221

Netterström, I., & Kayser, L. (2008). Learning to be a doctor while learning anatomy! Anatomical Sciences Education, 1(4), 154–158. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.31

Noble, C., Coombes, I., Shaw, P. N., Nissen, L. M., & Clavarino, A. (2014). Becoming a pharmacist: the role of curriculum in professional identity formation. Pharmacy Practice, 12(1), 380. https://doi.org/10.4321/s1886-36552014000100007

Passi, V., & Johnson, N. (2016). The impact of positive doctor role modeling. Medical Teacher, 38(11), 1139–1145. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2016.1170780

Passi, V., Johnson, S., Peile, E., Wright, S., Hafferty, F., & Johnson, N. (2013). Doctor role modelling in medical education: BEME Guide No. 27. Medical Teacher, 35(9). https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2013.806982

Paukert, J. L., & Richards, B. F. (2000). How medical students and residents describe the roles and characteristics of their influential clinical teachers. Academic Medicine, 75(8), 843–845. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200008000-00019

Pratt, M. G., Rockmann, K. W., & Kaufmann, J. B. (2006). Constructing professional identity: The role of work and identity learning cycles in the customization of identity among medical residents. Academy of Management Journal, 49(2), 235–262. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2006.20786060

Reynolds, P. P. (1994). Reaffirming professionalism through the education community. Annals of Internal Medicine, 120(7), 609–614. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-120-7-199404010-00013

Rutter, P. M., & Duncan, G. (2010). Can professionalism be measured?: Evidence from the pharmacy literature. Pharmacy Practice, 8(1), 18–28. https://doi.org/10.4321/s1886-36552010000100002

Sari, C. P., Hanifah, S., & Mafruhah, O. R. (2020). Implementation of pharmacy practice laboratory skills using standardized patients. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2229. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0002447

Schafheutle, E., Hassell, K., Ashcroft, D., Hall, J., & Harrison, S. (2010a). Professionalism in Pharmacy Education. Pharmacy Practice Research Trust, London, UK. https://pharmacyresearchuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Professionalism_in_pharmacy_education_final_report.pdf

Schafheutle, E., Hassell, K., Ashcroft, D., Hall, J. E., & Harrison, S. (2010b). Learning professionalism through practice exposure and role models. The Pharmaceutical Journal, 285(7613), 164–165. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291675477_Learning_professionalism_through_practice_exposure_and_role_models

Schafheutle, E I, Hassell, K., Ashcroft, D. M., Hall, J., & Harrison, S. (2012). How do pharmacy students learn professionalism?. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 20(2), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7174.2011.00166.x

Schafheutle, Ellen Ingrid, Hassell, K., & Noyce, P. R. (2013). Ensuring continuing fitness to practice in the pharmacy workforce: Understanding the challenges of revalidation. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 9(2), 199–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2012.08.007

Schwartz, R. W., & Pogge, C. (2000). Physician leadership: Essential skills in a changing environment. American Journal of Surgery, 180(3), 187–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9610(00)00481-5

Shapiro, J. (2002). How do physicians teach empathy in the primary care setting? Academic Medicine, 77(4), 323–328. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200204000-00012

Srinivasan, M., Li, S. T. T., Meyers, F. J., Pratt, D. D., Collins, J. B., Braddock, C., Skeff, K. M., West, D. C., Henderson, M., Hales, R. E., & Hilty, D. M. (2011). “Teaching as a competency”: Competencies for medical educators. Academic Medicine, 86(10), 1211–1220. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e31822c5b9a

Thompson, D. F., Farmer, K. C., Beall, D. G., Evans, D. J., Melchert, R. B., Ross, L. A., & Schmoll, B. J. (2008). Identifying perceptions of professionalism in pharmacy using a four-frame leadership model. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(4), 90. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj720490

Thurston, M. M., Augustine, J., & Lea Bonner, C. (2018). A comparison of baseline professional attitudes and behaviors among student pharmacists to inform a co-curricular professional engagement program. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 10(7), 875–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2018.04.007

Vogler, J. S., Thompson, P., Davis, D. W., Mayfield, B. E., Finley, P. M., & Yasseri, D. (2018). The hard work of soft skills: augmenting the project-based learning experience with interdisciplinary teamwork. Instructional Science, 46(3), 457–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-017-9438-9

Wallman, A., Vaudan, C., & Kälvemark Sporrong, S. (2013). Communications training in pharmacy education, 1995-2010. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77(2). https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe77236

Wiedenmayer, K., Summers, R. S., Mackie, C. A., Gous, A. G. S., Everard, M., & Tromp, D. (2006). Developing pharmacy practice A focus on patient care. Handbook. World Health Organization and International Pharmaceutical Federation, 87. http://www.fip.org/files/fip/publications/DevelopingPharmacyPractice/DevelopingPharmacyPracticeEN.pdf

Wong, S. (2009). Teaching in the clinical environment: Guide supplement 34.2Viewpoint. Medical Teacher, 31(5), 457–458. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590802545946

Worthington, M., Salamonson, Y., Weaver, R., & Cleary, M. (2013). Predictive validity of the Macleod Clark Professional Identity Scale for undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 33(3), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.01.012

Wright, S. M., & Carrese, J. A. (2002). Excellence in role modelling: Insight and perspectives from the pros. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 167(6), 638–643

Wright, S. M., & Carrese, J. A. (2003). Serving as a physician role model for a diverse population of medical learners. Academic Medicine, 78(6), 623–628. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200306000-00013

Wright, S., Wong, A., & Newill, C. (1997). The Impact of Role Models on Medical Students. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 12(1), 53–56. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.12109.x

Yazigi, A., Nasr, M., Sleilaty, G., & Nemr, E. (2006). Clinical teachers as role models: Perceptions of interns and residents in a Lebanese medical school. Medical Education, 40(7), 654–661. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2006.02502.x

Zeitoun, A., Sacre, H., Sacre, H., Hallit, S., Zeenny, R. M., Sili, G., & Salameh, P. (2020). Clinical preceptor competencies for a better pharmacy education: A suggested framework for Lebanon. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 13, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40545-020-00217-3

Downloads

Published

22-10-2022

How to Cite

Khabaz Mafinejad, M., Hadizadeh, N., Doostkamel , D., Sayarifard, A., & Rezaie Shirmard, L. (2022). Exploring the undermined: Pharmacy students’ perceptions of their role models’ core competencies. Pharmacy Education, 22(1), p. 856–865. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2022.221.856865

Issue

Section

Research Article