Student Learning Outcomes (Pharmacy) Susan S. S. Ho School of Pharmacy Faculty of Medicine The Chinese University of Hong Kong 9 September 2007

Outline  How were pharmacy’s student learning outcomes developed (programme-level)?  How they have influenced teaching?  What the CUHK internal reviewers had to say about the outcomes?

Background  Responding to the rapidly advancing pharmaceutical sciences and the changing role of the pharmacist…  In 2001, the Curriculum Committee** of the School took up the task of revising the pharmacy curriculum and monitoring its progress **Membership: B.Pharm Programme Director B.Pharm Programme Director 3 teaching staff 3 teaching staff Consultant from CLEAR Consultant from CLEAR

Aims/Desired Learning Outcomes Learning Activities Content/ Fundamental Concepts Assessment Feedback Student Learning Needs Actual Learning Outcomes Curriculum Planning Model

Professional Learning Outcomes  Professional knowledge  Professional attitude  Work manner  Use of information  Counselling skills

Professional Knowledge  Adequate knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics to identify actual and potential drug related problems in patients  Ability to retrieve, collect and interpret clinical data  Ability to advise patients on drug related matters  Knowledge of pharmacy issues is up-to-date  Confidence in making decisions on patients’ drug therapy

Professional Attitude  Believe that a pharmacist’s primary accountability is to the patient  Readily accept responsibility for actions and decisions  Behave in an ethical manner  Can cope with stress at work

Work Manner  Pay attention to details  Able to take initiatives  Work is reliable  Work in an organized way  Work is efficient  Capable of working without supervision  Good time management skills

Use of Information  Developed ability to access and retrieve relevant medical / pharmacy information  Ability to critically evaluate medical / pharmacy literature

Counselling Skills  Communicate clearly with patients / customers  Give good advice to patients about drug related matters  Give good advice to customers about health care matters

Generic Learning Outcomes  Critical thinking  Creative thinking  Self-managed learning  Adaptability  Problem solving  General communication skills  Interpersonal skills and group work  Computer literacy

Feedback  On perceptions of the development of the identified learning outcomes from: Student Engagement Questionnaire (SEQ) Student Engagement Questionnaire (SEQ) Pharmacy Graduates Questionnaire Pharmacy Graduates Questionnaire

Professional Learning Outcomes (Graduates Survey)

Generic Learning Outcomes (Graduates Survey)

Comments from Review Panel  “The pharmacy curriculum had been thoroughly revised following identification of the learning outcomes needed by professional pharmacists.”  “The School has monitored and refined the revised curriculum by obtaining a wide range of feedback, including that on students’ and graduates’ perceptions of the development of the identified learning outcomes.”

The Review Panel felt that…  “As a result of these endeavours, the programme could be considered highly successful in its main aim of training pharmacists equipped with important professional and generic capabilities.”  “After having interviewed the students and alumni, the School was judged to be very successful at nurturing the communication skills and generic competences it specifies as desired learning outcomes.”

Further more…  “The School is to be commended for being among the pioneers in specifying programme- or professional-specific learning outcomes and developing these into a graduate survey instrument and a course x outcomes matrix.”  “The pioneering work has served as a useful model for other departments in taking an outcomes-based approach.”

What’s next ?  Further development and refinement of pharmacy’s student learning outcomes  Encourage Year 1 courses to incorporate activities that nurture the higher order generic capabilities (e.g. critical thinking, creative thinking)

Thank you.