Cohort March 2022: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Kerry Wilbur, Dalton Lam, Chris Koster
Project background
PHRM 481: “Healthcare Quality Improvement,” is a two-credit hour required course offered in the final professional year of the undergraduate Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program whereby fourth-year pharmacy students learn principles of quality measurement and improvement models for healthcare. PHRM 481 is delivered in the fourth year, when students are also geographically distributed throughout the province, completing three practicum courses. The class is therefore not “place-bound” to campus and students take this course while participating in other required workplace-based learning. As such, PHRM 481 was conceived and delivered as the first distance-based course in our undergraduate program.
Project details
The course is currently delivered over four weeks, with sections repeated throughout the year (section enrolment ranges from 50 to 90 students). Each course section is organized as four learning modules of “weekly” content around a central healthcare quality improvement theme. Instead of live or synchronous lecture attendance, each module has assigned readings and/or videos associated with the module’s theme, as well as periodically structured discussion boards for the class to consider both theoretical and practical application of course concepts. All assessments are released at the outset of the course and one is due each week. PHRM 481 was positioned in the study plan when undergraduate pharmacy curriculum renewal (transition of entry-to-practice pharmacist credentialing from baccalaureate to doctorate) took place at UBC in 2015. Its course coordinator was hired in Winter Term 1 2017.
The first cohort of the new PharmD program reached this course in the 2018-2019 academic year. We have made course modifications each year in response to student feedback and coordinator reflection and review. However, after four iterations of delivery, vital questions and challenges to its course content and structure remain, including how topics and subject matter are applied by graduates once they have entered pharmacy practice.
The overarching goal of this PHRM 481 course re-design project partnership with students is two-fold:
- Critically review and update course content.
- Scrutinize and renew instructional and assessment configuration.
The project goal is underpinned by a third aim to invite students into a learning community of curriculum development and course quality assurance.
Testimonials
Being able to work with Chris and Kerry on this student as partners project has been such a delight. Having the opportunity to work as a student with a faculty member allows for diverse perspectives and to collaborate on the different aspects of our project has been a such a great learning experience, both personally and professionally.
— Dalton Lam