title: Relationship between Student Pharmacist Decision Making Preferences and Experiential Learning.
abstract: Objective.To determine if student pharmacists' preferences towards experiential and rational thinking are associated with performance on advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and whether thinking style preference changes following APPEs.Methods.The Rational Experiential Inventory (REI), a validated survey of thinking style, was administered to student pharmacists before starting APPEs and re-administered after completing APPEs. APPE grades were compared to initial REI scores.Results.Rational Experiential Inventory scores remained consistent before and after APPEs. Overall, APPE grades were independent of REI scores. In a regression model, the REI experiential score was a significant negative predictor of hospital APPE grades.Conclusion.These findings suggest that overall APPE performance is independent of decision-making preference, and decision-making style does not change following immersion into APPEs. Instead of targeting teaching strategies towards a specific decision-making style, preceptors may use pedagogical approaches that promote sound clinical decision-making skills through critical thinking and reflection.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Asheville Campus, Asheville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Charlene R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Jacqueline E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Wendy C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Asheville Campus, Asheville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Greene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shepherd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011231:Preceptorship; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: advanced pharmacy practice experience; decision-making; experiential; rational; student pharmacists