Building a Framework for Professional Commitment: Stories of Professional Growth in an Undergraduate Introduction to Pharmacy Course

Social and Behavioral SciencesWith admissions to PharmD programs becoming increasingly competitive, sophisticated pre-pharmacy preparation is becoming increasingly important. Admissions committees are now looking at measures beyond academic merit to assess potential for success within a PharmD program and the profession. Factors such as motivation to become a pharmacist and attitudes regarding patient-centered care are being evaluated in application reviews and interviews of candidates. Applicants to PharmD programs are expected to exhibit commitment to the profession before entering pharmacy school. Little research has been done to analyze how students develop this commitment. This study attempts to determine how an undergraduate introductory course helps pre-professional students develop an informed commitment to the pharmacy profession. Students enrolled in Pharmacy 4511H were interviewed at the beginning and end of the course, as well as observed during selected class sessions throughout the semester. Eleven questions were asked in the first interview. In the follow-up interview, the same eleven questions were asked as well as four additional questions. Methods to enhance the credibility of this naturalistic research include prolonged engagement and persistent observation, negative case analyses, triangulation, progressive subjectivity, and member-checks. Coding and analysis of the interview transcripts shows that, with one exception, every student in the course solidified or increased their commitment to the profession. Students’ vocabulary when discussing pharmacy became more sophisticated as a result of taking this course. In general, students developed a more focused passion for the profession and were able to make more informed decisions regarding their career aspirations than they were able to previously. These preliminary findings suggest that an introductory pre-professional course can positively influence students’ conceptualization of and commitment to their intended careers. In the interest of developing competitive professional school applicants, other health professional schools could benefit from offering an introductory undergraduate course to improve applicants’ commitment.Academic Major: Pharmaceutical Science