Reflections on a year-long student and pharmacist paired mentorship program

Rashi C Waghel; Jennifer A Wilson; Dawn M Battise; Jared Frye

doi:10.1016/j.cptl.2017.03.026

Reflections on a year-long student and pharmacist paired mentorship program

Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2017 Jul;9(4):713-718. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2017.03.026. Epub 2017 May 31.

Authors

Rashi C Waghel¹, Jennifer A Wilson², Dawn M Battise³, Jared Frye⁴

Affiliations

¹ Wingate University School of Pharmacy, 515 North Main Street, Wingate, NC 28174, United States. Electronic address: r.waghel@wingate.edu.
² Wingate University School of Pharmacy, 515 North Main Street, Wingate, NC 28174, United States. Electronic address: j.wilson@wingate.edu.
³ Wingate University School of Pharmacy, 515 North Main Street, Wingate, NC 28174, United States. Electronic address: d.battise@wingate.edu.
⁴ Wingate University School of Pharmacy, 515 North Main Street, Wingate, NC 28174, United States. Electronic address: ja.frye@wingate.edu.

PMID: 29233447
DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2017.03.026

Abstract

Background and purpose: Mentorship programs can play a significant role in the professional development of a variety of individuals, including student pharmacists and practitioners. Many mentorship programs have been described in the literature, but the literature pertaining to mentorship programs for student pharmacists specifically is varied.

Educational activity and setting: A leadership society at one school of pharmacy established a formal mentorship program to aid the professional development of student pharmacists. This year-long program matched third-year student pharmacists with practicing pharmacists. This paper describes the development of the program, along with perceived benefits and challenges associated with implementation.

Findings: The mentor (n=8) and mentee (n=17) respondents provided positive feedback (100% and 94%, respectively) regarding the mentorship program. Most mentors and mentees noted they enjoyed having the opportunity to network and gained different perspectives on issues related to pharmacy. The challenges most noted by both the mentors and mentees were time limitations and scheduling conflicts. More consistent communication between mentors and mentees was noted as an area of improvement for future programs.

Discussion: The described program may create avenues to achieve professional development elements of the 2016 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards and 2013 Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Outcomes. Continued, regular evaluation is important to help with process improvement, address challenges, and ensure the program is meeting desired objectives. Adjustments may be needed based on participant feedback, available resources, and student interest.

Summary: Overall, the program was successful, helping participants grow personally and professionally. With modifications, other institutions may utilize this data to develop similar programs.

Keywords: Mentee; Mentor; Mentorship; Practitioner; Student pharmacist.

MeSH terms

Education, Pharmacy / methods
Humans
Mentors / education*
Mentors / psychology
Perception*
Pharmacists / psychology
Program Evaluation / methods
Staff Development / methods*
Staff Development / trends
Students, Pharmacy / psychology*