Effect of faculty-mediated interventions on pharmacy students' pursuit of postgraduate training.
OBJECTIVE
The influence of faculty-mediated interventions on the pursuit of postgraduate training (PGT) by pharmacy students was studied.


METHODS
Three weeks before graduation, members of the class of 2005 (control group) at a Florida pharmacy school completed a questionnaire assessing their understanding of PGT opportunities. Members of the class of 2006 (intervention group) were exposed to faculty-mediated interventions during their final academic year of pharmacy school. The interventions consisted of informational pamphlets, a PGT booth during the school's career day, and PGT-related dinner programs. These students were surveyed before and after the interventions.


RESULTS
Seventy-three percent (120/165) of control-group students and 63% (132/211) of intervention-group students completed the survey. Of the control students, 14% (15/108) reported plans to enter PGT after graduation. Sixteen percent (21/132) of intervention-group students reported such plans; the difference was not significant. All faculty-mediated interventions were reported to be helpful to students in making their postgraduation plans. Analysis of the combined groups suggested that students' interaction with faculty and residents during advance practice experiences positively affected pursuit of PGT.


CONCLUSIONS
Students who received faculty- mediated interventions designed to inform them about PGT were not significantly more likely to pursue such training than students who did not receive the interventions. However, students reported the information to be helpful.
Machado
Caridad
C
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA. machadoc@nova.edu
Zapantis
Antonia
A
Singh-Franco
Devada
D
Marsh
Wallace A
WA
Beckey
Cherylyn
C
D000328:Adult; D004514:Education, Pharmacy, Graduate; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D007397:Internship, Nonmedical; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires