Student Pharmacists’ Personal Finance Perceptions, Projected Indebtedness upon Graduation, and Career Decision-Making

Objectives: To evaluate the extent to which students’ personal finance perceptions, projected student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predict post-PharmD career intentions. Methods: Students at three pharmacy colleges completed a 31-item survey instrument that assessed personal finance perceptions, self-efficacy beliefs, anticipated student loan debt upon graduation, postgraduate intentions, anticipated practice setting upon graduation, and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models were used to examine the extent to which personal finance perceptions, student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predicted postgraduate intentions and anticipated practice setting. Results: A total of 763 usable responses were obtained (response rate=90.3%). Students reported an anticipated personal student loan debt mean at graduation of $162,747±87,093 and an estimated 7.4±5.8 years to pay off non-mortgage debt post-graduation. Fifty-three percent of students reported planning to practice in a community pharmacy setting post-graduation, and 54% indicated intentions to enter practice directly. Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of planning to pursue postgraduate training. There was a significant association between debt influence and pressure perceptions and pursuance of postgraduate training (aOR=0.78;p=0.009). The odds of indicating hospital (vs. chain community) pharmacy as the anticipated setting decreased 36% with every 1-point increase in debt influence and pressure perceptions (aOR=0.64;p\u3c0.001 Conclusions: Perceived debt pressure and influence predicted intention to enter practice directly (vs. pursuing postgraduate training) and selection of chain community pharmacy (vs. hospital pharmacy). Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of postgraduate training intentions. Interventions that equip students to manage pressure associated with student loan debt should be explored

Personal Finance Beliefs and Behaviors: A Longitudinal Analysis of Pharmacy Graduates

Objectives: 1) Describe personal finance (PF) perceptions of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Gatton College of Pharmacy Class of 2014 upon and 1-year post-graduation; 2) Examine the association between PF elective course completion during pharmacy school and post-graduation PF behaviors. Method: Students enrolled in the ETSU Class of 2014 completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed student characteristics (e.g, participation in a PF elective during school), PF characteristics (e.g., student loan indebtedness), perceptions (e.g., confidence in ability to manage PF), and behaviors (e.g., monthly budgeting) one week prior to graduation and 18 months post-graduation. Paired and independent samples statistical analyses were conducted to examine changes in responses over time and PF course participation. Results: Sixty percent of the cohort completed both questionnaires. Students reported an average student loan debt balance of $155,571 (±$83,853) 18 months post-graduation and average loan term length of 17.3 (±8) years. Students’ concerns about their student loan debt were significantly higher prior to graduation as compared to 18 months post (p=0.01). No significant differences were noted for student loan debt amount or student loan term length across PF elective participation. Students who took the personal finance elective were significantly more likely to develop monthly budgets (p=0.01) and report positive career satisfaction as compared to students who did not (p=0.04) 18 months post-graduation. Implications: To our knowledge, this is the first study to track PF perceptions and behaviors of pharmacy graduates longitudinally. Continued tracking and analysis will inform PF curricular integration and alumni personal and professional development

Teaching Patient-Centered Communication Skills to Medical and Pharmacy Students Using an Interprofessional Blended Learning Course

Objectives: 1) To evaluate the impact of an interprofessional blended learning course on pharmacy and medical students’ communication skills; 2) To compare pre- and post-course communication skills across cohorts. Method: Pharmacy (N = 57) and medical (N = 67) students enrolled in a required Communication Skills for Health Professionals course completed asynchronous online modules and face-to-face standardized patient interview sessions over the course of 1 semester. Students completed pre- and post-course objective structured clinical examinations with standardized patients and were evaluated by trained faculty using the validated Common Ground Instrument. Communication skill domains evaluated on a 1 to 5 scale included: rapport building, agenda setting, information management, active listening, addressing feelings, and establishing common ground. Nonparametric statistical tests were used to examine paired pre-/post-course domain scores within professions and pre- and post-course scores across professions. Results: Performance in all communication skill domains increased significantly for pharmacy and medical students (p valuesImplications: The blended learning Communication Skills for Health Professionals course improved students’ interpersonal communication skills across multiple domains. Fostering communication skill development in medical and pharmacy students could improve the extent to which future health care professionals engage in patient-centered communication

Student Pharmacists’ Personal Finance Perceptions, Projected Indebtedness Upon Graduation, and Career Decision-Making

Objective. To evaluate the extent to which Doctor of Pharmacy students’ personal finance perceptions, projected student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predict postgraduation career intentions. Methods. Students at three pharmacy colleges completed a 31-item survey instrument that assessed personal finance perceptions, self-efficacy beliefs, anticipated student loan debt upon graduation, postgraduate intentions, anticipated practice setting upon graduation, and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models were used to examine the extent to which personal finance perceptions, student loan indebtedness, and demographic characteristics predicted postgraduate intentions and anticipated practice setting. Results. There were 763 usable responses obtained (response rate=90.3%). Students reported an anticipated personal student loan debt at graduation of $162,747 (SD=$87,093) and an estimated 7.4 (SD=5.8) years to pay off non-mortgage debt postgraduation. Fifty-three percent of students reported planning to practice in a community pharmacy setting postgraduation, and 54% indicated they intended to enter practice directly. Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of whether students planned to pursue postgraduate training. There was a significant association between debt influence and pressure perceptions and students’ plans to pursue postgraduate training (aOR=0.78; 95% CI=0.65-0.94). The odds of indicating hospital (vs chain community) pharmacy as the anticipated setting decreased 36% with every one point increase in debt influence and pressure perceptions (aOR=0.64; 95% CI=0.50-0.81). Conclusion. Pharmacy students’ perceived debt pressure and influence predicted their intention to enter practice directly (vs pursuing postgraduate training) and to select a career in chain community pharmacy (vs hospital pharmacy). Student loan indebtedness was not a significant predictor of postgraduate training intentions. These findings suggest that interventions that equip students to manage the pressure associated with large student loan debts should be explored