title: Development and Application of a Stepwise Assessment Process for Rational Redesign of Sequential Skills-Based Courses.
abstract: Objective.To develop and apply a stepwise process to assess achievement of course learning objectives related to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) preparedness and inform redesign of sequential skills-based courses.Design.Four steps comprised the assessment and redesign process: (1) identify skills critical for APPE preparedness; (2) utilize focus groups and course evaluations to determine student competence in skill performance; (3) apply course mapping to identify course deficits contributing to suboptimal skill performance; and (4) initiate course redesign to target exposed deficits.Assessment.Focus group participants perceived students were least prepared for skills within the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's pre-APPE core domains of Identification and Assessment of Drug-related Problems and General Communication Abilities. Course mapping identified gaps in instruction, performance, and assessment of skills within aforementioned domains.Conclusions.A stepwise process that identified strengths and weaknesses of a course, was used to facilitate structured course redesign. Strengths of the process included input and corroboration from both preceptors and students. Limitations included feedback from a small number of pharmacy preceptors and increased workload on course coordinators.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Casey E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Gallimore
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Susanne G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Barnett
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011231:Preceptorship; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
keywords: assessment; course mapping; course redesign; performance competency; skills-based course