Introduction of a capstone research program in a new college of pharmacy: Student perceptions

BackgroundA capstone research project requirement was completed by fourth-year professional students at this college during the 2011–2012 school year.ObjectivesTo (1) ascertain the students’ perceived value of research in a Doctor of Pharmacy program; (2) assess students’ attitudes regarding level of guidance and preparedness during the research project; and (3) evaluate the perceived impact of the program on students’ research abilities after completion.MethodsAn anonymous survey was administered to graduating professional students. This survey consisted of 18 multiple-choice items (progressive Likert-type scales with ten response options and close-ended) and an additional section for comments. Data were analyzed using PASW version 18.0.ResultsNinety-two percent (n = 65) of students completed the survey. The majority (76.9%) are entering entry-level positions, while 13.78% are pursuing residency/fellowship training. The overall response mean for students’ perceptions of the importance of research-related activities in their PharmD education was 2.9. The response means for guidance from mentors and preparedness received in the curriculum was 3.1 and 2.4, respectively. Overall, the majority of students felt that they are able to present a research poster at a local or national meeting and write a research manuscript in the future (69.2% and 72.3%, respectively).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that graduating fourth-year students in this new pharmacy program do not believe research is an important component in the PharmD curriculum. While the students feel that they are prepared to participate in scholarly activities, their perception of the value of performing research was not important.