Pharmacists in Community Service (PICS): Assessing the Direct and Indirect Impact of PICS

Background

Jennifer A. Campbell, PharmD and Vonda K. Vandyke-Swartz, Ph.D.

Methods

Results

The Pharmacist In Community Service (PICS) program is designed with the school’s mission in mind to enable students to address health related needs in rural and underserved communities, particularly those in Appalachia and to develop the motivation to serve during their didactic and experiential training that extends into their professional practice.

The PICS program requires students to complete 150 hours of community service over their three year enrollment. All activities fall into one of three categories: Health-Related Patient Care, Health-Related Non-patient Care and General Service.

Implications

Objectives

Former PICS Hours Submission Form

New Submission Form

Appalachian Health Expo Attendee Survey

Submission Form Class of 2010 Survey Data

Evolution of the PICS Hours FormAn essay was required for each activity submitted for approval of hours via the PICS hours submission formInconsistent essay quality and reflectivity was observed which lead to:1.Decreased frequency to one essay a semester2.Three specific questions and/or statements are given to the students on which they are to reflect and then write half a page to one page per questions or statement.

Reflective Essays

Student Impact on the Community

Reflective Essay TopicsFall

1. How could you have enhanced your own experience at Grundy RAM or Brown Bag Day? What opportunities relating to Grundy RAM or Brown Bag Day would you recommend for other students to take advantage?

2. Use two quality PICS experiences to describe how your motivation to serve has been enhanced.

3. Discuss how you would improve one or two specific PICS activities in which you participated or develop a new PICS project for the local community.

Spring

1. Please describe 2 or 3 ways in which the First Annual Appalachian Health Expo positively impacted you and/or the community.

2. Please describe 2 or 3 ways in which you think the Appalachian Health Expo could be changed to more positively impact the community and/or the students of ACP.

3. After participating in the Pharmacists in Community Service (PICS) program for your first two semesters/two years at ACP, please reflect on how the program could better serve the community and/or changes to the program that would allow the overall experience to be better for the students of ACP. (Eliminating the program is not an option).

Number of Direct Contacts recorded from September 2008

through September 2009*

Health Related – 18905

General - 7698

Limitations

Assess the impact of the Pharmacists in Community Service program on the students at the Appalachian College of Pharmacy

Assess the impact of the students at the Appalachian College of Pharmacy on the surrounding community through the Pharmacists in Community Service program.

Assess the impact of the Pharmacists in Community Service program on the community around the Appalachian College of Pharmacy

Initial Purpose and RubricEssays were required with the intention of assessing the impact of the community service activity on the student.

New Reflective Writing Rubric

Top three rated activities1.Blood Pressure2.Osteoporosis (DEXA scan)3.Body Mass Index (BMI)

The Appalachian College of Pharmacy has developed a program that encourages its students, faculty, staff and administration to become active members of not only the community surrounding the college, but their communities back home and the rural and underserved communities throughout the world.

Although not all colleges and schools of pharmacy will be able to work in rural communities, getting out in the community where help is needed is something that can be encouraged everywhere.

The data gathered on the PICS hours submission form to assess the impact on the community is generalizable to a variety of settings.

The four component reflective essay grading rubric and the three questions/statements can be easily modified and tailored to assess an individual school’s educational outcomes and competencies and any community service activities required by the school.

The assessment of the impact of the PICS program from the perspective of the community has been limited to the survey distributed at the first annual Appalachian Health Expo

Reporting of hours is not mandated beyond the required 150 hours for students

Faculty, Staff and Administration do not have a consistent method for tracking service

Future PlansCommunity needs survey to help tailor future events

Community surveys to assess direct impact of the community service activities

Assessment of Faculty, Staff and Administration impact

Number of Hours recorded from August 2005 - September 2009*

Health Related – 23029.303

General – 14012.95

* Class of 2010 hours include Hours through graduation, May 2010