Cohort March 2023: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Sara Hamidi, Alex Tang, Meg Wang, Gabriella Wong
Course background
PHRM 473 is a 12-credit practicum course where pharmacy students complete 320 practicum hours in a variety of settings. Students are matched to practicum categories based on their preference rankings, one of which is “Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC)”. Unlike traditional practicums where students work in pharmacies, this is a community-based practicum, where students are precepted by a non-pharmacist Practice Educator (PE). All course activities and goals are rooted in the six interprofessional competency domains as defined by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC). During this 4-week practicum, students complete 160 hours onsite which includes an IPC project, shadowing, and online discussions with peers.
Why course redesign?
Rationale 1
- Students do not have enough structured opportunities to demonstrate all six CIHC competencies, particularly with “collaborative leadership” and “interprofessional conflict resolution” competencies
Project goals
- Design 1-on-1 interview assignment with a focus on “collaborative leadership”
- Design a conflict management case scenario and encourage students to reflect on their conflict management approach and discuss with their peers
Rationale 2
- The quality of IPC projects has been inconsistent due to several factors including variable scope of projects, student motivation, level of PE involvement and/or guidance, etc.
Project goal
- Redesign the IPC project activities to better align with the six competency domains in CIHC
Rationale 3
- None of the learning activities have assessment rubrics, so standardization is lacking
Project goal
- Create assessment rubrics for all activities
Benefits of a student partnership
Involving students in the curriculum development process ensures that the curriculum reflects the needs and perspectives of students. This can make the curriculum more relevant and engaging for students, while also promoting student ownership and empowerment. This moves away from seeing students as only “clients” of an academic institution.
Testimonials
I felt truly valued as a team member during this unique experience. It provided a safe space for me and other team members to freely express our ideas. I was given the chance to lead meetings and other project tasks, which has been incredibly rewarding.
— Sara Hamidi
The SaP project has created many enriching opportunities for me to explore this unique partnership with our faculty and student members. As we work towards our shared goal of improving this practicum course, I am confident that we will continue to gain new perspectives and learn from each other.
— Meg Wang
This SaP partnership has both challenged my assumptions and reinforced my beliefs in teaching and learning. The flattened power dynamic has been effective in achieving the co-constructed vision for improving this course to impact students’ practicum experience.
— Gabriella Wong
The foundation of our student-faculty team is rooted in the shared belief that everyone possesses valuable and unique insights for enhancing the curriculum. I am proud of the collaborative outcomes we’ve generated through our synergistic efforts.
— Alex Tang