Qualitative analysis of students' attitudes of duration of community pharmacy practice experiences

ObjectiveTo gain insight into the perceived benefit of one continuous 10-week Advanced Community Pharmacy Practice Experience (ACPPE) versus two five-week ACPPEs, through qualitative focus group research.MethodsStudents were randomly assigned to spend either two five-week practice experiences at different community sites or one continuous 10-week rotation (at the same site) during their fourth professional year. Afterward, three student focus groups were convened to elicit responses to four questions related to: (1) optimal duration for an ACPPE, (2) description of the community care project they delivered, (3) students' perceived advantages or disadvantages of their sites, and (4) barriers to successfully completing a community care project.ResultsStudents unanimously preferred two five-week rotations. Pharmacies with supportive staff and preceptors, ample space, pharmacy residents, or MTM programs were perceived advantages. There was a variety of community care projects developed. The most frequently reported barrier to the ACPPE project involved the preceptor's limited support of the project, unwillingness to continue the project long-term, or not communicating the purpose of the project to pharmacy staff. Other barriers included physical design of the pharmacy, both high and low prescription volume, and poor support from pharmacy management in chain pharmacies.ConclusionImprovements to ACPPE sites, including preceptor training and elimination of barriers to the development of the ACPPE project, might change student perception and thus should be implemented before replacing two shorter experiences within the 10-week rotation.