Improving Employability: Enhancement of Core Skills and Professionalism within the Pharmacy

MPharm Degree

Results and Perspective of a TQEF Project in the School of Pharmacy

Chris Scott, Senior Tutor

Undergraduate Program in School of Pharmacy

• Single UG course– MPharm degree

• 4 year program• 1 year pre-registration (organised by Pharmaceutical Society

of Northern Ireland)

– Approx 140-150 students per year group

– Staff-student contact is substantial• Practicals, practical demonstrations (dispensing, responding

to symptoms), tutorials

Challenges Faced

• Large body of students to look after

• Although academically excellent, many students may have employability issues

• Development of key skills and professionalism upon exit of university system?

Personal Development

Planning

Personal Tutors

Advisor of Studies

Work Placements

Skills Development

Module

Tools/systems in place already within the

School of Pharmacy

Personal Development

Planning

Personal Tutors

Advisor of Studies

Work Placements

Skills Development

Module

Improve Employability of Pharmacy graduates

Goals of TQEF Project

• Pilot scheme within the school to develop a central monitoring system to ensure professionalism and core skill development

• Integration of existing resources to deliver this

Student Opinions – Focus Groups

• Organised by Sharon Haughey, School of Pharmacy

• Asked students about their perceptions of the degree, skills development, work placements and PDP

Focus Group Results

• Students thought that the degree program was intense

• Students felt that the skills training in L1 was useful to bring all students up to speed

• Students confused by PDP

• Students unclear of the role of tutors

Staff Views

• Busy schedule– No more please!

• Varying opinions on the tutoring system and PDP– their usefulness and role of staff member

Kick-starting the TQEF Project

• Overhaul of the application of tutoring and PDP application in the school

• The fact that the TQEF was awarded to us, highlighted what we were doing and its announcement at school board etc., helped gain staff support going forward

MPharm Degree Progression

Continual monitoring of key practicals/tutorials/work placement data across degree for each skill

Identification of ‘at risk’ students in each skill

Student-led development of identified skills

Initial Achievements• Set up of structures and reporting system to highlight ‘at risk’ students to myself

– I arrange tutor meeting with student and provide guidance to tutor on setting/doing/reflecting goals for the student to undertake

– TQEF support gave me time to undertake this

• Design and implementation of professionalism questionnaire for placement facilitators in L1– TQEF support needed to mail information and materials to facilitators across pharmacy

shops in NI

Initial Achievements• Set up of structures and reporting system to highlight ‘at risk’ students to

myself– I arrange tutor meeting with student and provide guidance to tutor on

setting/doing/reflecting goals for the student to undertake– TQEF support gave me time to undertake this

• Design and implementation of professionalism questionnaire for placement facilitators in L1– TQEF support needed to mail information and materials to facilitators across

pharmacy shops in NI

• Design and introduction of a new L1 ‘Introduction to Pharmacy Skills’ Module– Further emphasis on career skills

• Introduction of CV workshop• Introduction of pharmacy work experience earlier• Introduction of career professionalism – requirements, do’s and don’ts• Introduction of a revamped PDP workshop to L1 pharmacy students• Introduction of learning diaries for work placements – reflection on what have learnt on the

career

But then…..• Roll-out of the University Personal Tutoring Guidelines

• We felt that a lot of the our TQEF project was line with what the university wanted from personal tutoring service

• Perhaps ‘watered-down’ the impact of the TQEF project– But allowed almost seamless integration of new university

requirements

Personal Tutoring At Pharmacy

• Senior Tutor– Was designated as an individual post within the school;

with myself in post

• Led team within Education committee to produce working guidelines within School on the basis of university blueprint

• Central to this was the integration of the aims of the TQEF project

Current Setup – holistic trainingStudent Entry

Graduate exit with MPharm qualification

Academic Attainment

Module coordinators and course

delivery teams

Advisor of Studies Senior Tutor

Personal Tutoring System

Professionalism and Skills monitoring

Pharmacy Practise Tutors

Dealing with ‘at risk’ students

Senior Tutor

Skill DeficiencyFailed

ModuleProfessionalism

deficiency

General Discipline

Personal Tutor

Implementation of TQEF Goals and Personal Tutoring is an on-going project!!

• Want to roll out to L2 – Particularly professionalism questionnaire to

clinical and community work placements– This involves consultation with practitioners

• Current Hurdles– Current re-structuring of MPharm degree

What have been the main benefits of TQEF funding?

• Gave me time and clerical assistance to organise the systems

• Provided assistance to attend a national PDP conference

• Gave the project emphasis within the school

Thank you!

Any Questions?