EXPANSION OF ABILITY-BASED EDUCATION USING AN ASSESSMENT-CENTER APPROACH WITH PHARMACISTS AS ASSESSORS

Schools of Pharmacy are making efforts to incorporate ability-based ed ucational outcomes into curricula. This paper describes expansion of s uch a project at one university over the period of Spring 1994 to Spri ng 1997. The initial project focused on using an assessment center app roach to assess thirty-two, volunteer, second-professional year studen ts on four ability-based outcomes in Spring 1994. Expansion of this pr oject the following year included gearing up to assess the entire clas s of second-professional year students on the same four outcomes: grou p interaction, problem-solving, and both written and interpersonal com munication skills. A three-hour Integrated Abilities Seminar served as the format for assessment and included individual feedback for the st udents on their performances. To assess a large number of students dur ing Spring semester 1995, volunteer pharmacists were recruited and tra ined to serve as assessors. Attitudinal data from students and volunte er pharmacist assessors demonstrated positive response to the Integrat ed Abilities Seminar experience. Expansion of the initial project also included reassessment of twenty-seven of the original thirty two stud ents in Fall 1995, during their fourth professional year. Reassessment mean scores on two exercises significantly improved from the students ' original scores. A version of the Integrated Abilities Seminar was a module for all first-professional year PharmD students in an Integrat ed Laboratory course during Spring 1997. This assessment approach may be of great value to supplement conventional evaluation techniques in helping students to develop professional outcome abilities. This proje ct also demonstrates successful involvement of local pharmacists in ac ademic-based activities.