If like produces like, do we like where we are going?

Purpose

This wisdom of experience commentary, written by three pharmacy educators of various backgrounds - PharmD, PhD, and EdD - will discuss potential contributors to the lack of professional advocacy exhibited by pharmacists. Authors will describe the issue using a “What? So What? Now What?” reflective model.

Description

Students enrolled in 14 cohorts at two US colleges of pharmacy possess similar CliftonStrengths® top 5 themes with four themes most commonly reappearing in the top 5: Achiever, Learner, Harmony, and Restorative. These themes are housed in three of the four CliftonStrengths® domains: Executing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Themes in the fourth domain, Influencing, were not represented in the top 5. Students from these same cohorts reported a self-identified weakness in their ability to Challenge the Process and Inspire a Shared Vision, two of five leadership practices described by Kouzes and Posner.

Analysis/interpretation

The authors explore the possibility that the lack of evolution within the pharmacy profession is a result of the inherent tendencies of the typical student pharmacist and faculty member, coupled with the lack of curricular accreditation expectations focused on teaching and assessing professional advocacy.

Conclusions

As educators at institutions poised to adopt new educational outcomes in our respective colleges and schools of pharmacy, institutions must take a holistic view of the profession and ensure the curricula prepare graduates to handle the many challenges awaiting them post-graduation. This may require pharmacy educators to make changes in their pedagogical approaches, addressing content that they are not inherently inclined to teach or practice.

Implications

For pharmacy to continue to exist as a profession committed to patient advocacy, educational institutions must find meaningful ways to incorporate professional advocacy into the curriculum. Addressing professional advocacy is no longer an “and/or” option. Our profession is in crisis; we must ensure we are pointing graduates toward a sustainable professional future.