title: Analyzing course objectives: assessing critical thinking in the pharmacy curriculum.
abstract: Assessment of critical thinking objectives in a pharmacy program curriculum is an important part of program assessment. This study measures the proportion of cognitive learning objectives at various levels of Bloom's taxonomy throughout the required curriculum using the stated objectives in course syllabi (the explicit curriculum). In one entry level doctor of pharmacy program, 54.90% of cognitive objectives identified critical thinking outcomes using the rubric of Bloom's level 3 or higher as an indicator of critical thinking. In this program, there was a similar percent of critical thinking objectives in each of the first three years, but the final year of the curriculum had a higher percent of critical thinking objectives than each of the first three years (p = 0.0018, Kruskal-Wallis test). The increase in critical thinking in the final year suggests that the explicit expectations in the syllabi are weighted toward a higher percent of critical thinking objectives during clinical rotations. The methods described in the study may serve as tools for a curriculum committee or program assessment team to compare critical thinking in the curriculum at different points in time, and may assist in curricular mapping efforts. These methods may complement studies measuring the implicit curriculum (that which the faculty actually teach, which may not be stated in the explicit curriculum.).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA. philv@creighton.edu
authors.forename: Phillip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Vuchetich
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: S Omar
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Makoid
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D003657:Decision Making; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016014:Linear Models; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015588:Observer Variation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010604:Pharmacy / Q000458:organization & administration; D028662:Principle-Based Ethics; D011340:Problem Solving; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D024382:Professional Role; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012941:Social Responsibility; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013850:Thinking; D013997:Time Factors