title: Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Approaches in Pharmacy Education.
abstract: Domain 3 of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 Educational Outcomes recommends that pharmacy school curricula prepare students to be better problem solvers, but are silent on the type of problems they should be prepared to solve. We identified five basic approaches to problem solving in the curriculum at a pharmacy school: clinical, ethical, managerial, economic, and legal. These approaches were compared to determine a generic process that could be applied to all pharmacy decisions. Although there were similarities in the approaches, generic problem solving processes may not work for all problems. Successful problem solving requires identification of the problems faced and application of the right approach to the situation. We also advocate that the CAPE Outcomes make explicit the importance of different approaches to problem solving. Future pharmacists will need multiple approaches to problem solving to adapt to the complexity of health care.
authors.affiliation: Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Lindsay C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Richmond, Virginia.
authors.forename: Krista L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Donohoe
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Richmond, Virginia.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Holdford
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D003657:Decision Making; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy
keywords: CAPE outcomes; decision-making; pharmacy education; problem-solving