title: Attitudes to proposed assessment of pharmacy skills in Korean pharmacist licensure examination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The survey aimed to obtain opinions about a proposed implementation of pharmacy skills assessment in Korean pharmacist licensure examination (KPLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 16-question survey was distributed electronically to 2,738 people including 570 pharmacy professors of 35 pharmacy schools, 550 preceptors from 865 practice sites and 1,618 students who graduated in 2015. The survey solicited responses concerning the adequacy of the current KPLE in assessing pharmacy knowledge/skills/attitudes, deficiencies of pharmacy skills testing in assessing the professional competencies necessary for pharmacists, plans for pharmacy skills tests in the current KPLE, and subject areas of pharmacy practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 466 surveys were returned. The current exam is not adequate for assessing skills and attitudes according to 42%-48% of respondents. Sixty percent felt that skills test is necessary to assess qualifications and professional competencies. Almost two-thirds of participants stated that testing should be implemented within 5 years. More than 60% agreed that candidates should be graduates and that written and skills test scores can be combined for pass-fail decisions. About 70% of respondents felt that the test should be less than 2 hours in duration. Over half of the respondents thought that the assessor should be a pharmacy faculty member with at least 5 years of clinical experience. Up to 70% stated that activities related to patient care were appropriate and practical for the scope of skills test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacy skills assessment was supported by the majority of respondents.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy & Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.|College of Pharmacy & Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Hee
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3458-0528
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy & Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Yeun
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2261-7330
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sook
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0079-8043
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul-Soon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9242-2117
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Deajeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Nayoung
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4796-8564
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy & Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Sun
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0278-2563
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Gwak
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jungmi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1836-1707
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Korean Pharmaceutical Information Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Koo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1927-7435
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy & Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sukhyang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8830-4353
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008009:Licensure, Pharmacy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D011231:Preceptorship; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Korean pharmacist licensure exam; Pharmacy skills assessment; Survey