Course-Level Curriculum Map Pilot Program

Objective: To pilot a newly developed course level curriculum map that documents course learning outcomes, corresponding teaching activities, assessments, student achievement on assessments, and evidence-based changes made subsequently at the course level. Method: The newly developed course level curriculum map was piloted in twelve courses involving nine faculty members. Faculty either retroactively recorded data or utilized the map during the semester. At the conclusion of the pilot period, a focus group was conducted during which seven of the faculty members shared experiences and recommendations. Focus group comments were recorded by three people. Recorders’ notes were compared for accuracy and completeness. Notes were analyzed using ATLAS.ti, a qualitative research program. Results: Qualitative analysis of focus group notes yielded four principal comment codes: learning outcomes, changing activities, documenting changes, and changing assessments. These four main codes document that faculty believe work is needed on writing better course learning outcomes, creating more appropriately matched course activities, better documenting data-driven changes that occur at the course level, and developing appropriate assessments. Implications: Faculty comments support school-wide adoption of course level curriculum mapping. They also suggest a need to provide faculty development on writing precise learning outcomes and mapping them to specific classroom activities to support outcomes achievement. Additionally, curricular changes made at the course level need to be carefully documented and linked to appropriate evidence derived from assessments. The value of the map for inclusion in the dossier for promotion and tenure was also noted

Cenotes as Conceptual Boundary Markers at the Ancient Maya Site of T’isil, Quintana Roo, México

Ancient Maya communities, from small village sites to urban centers, have long posed problems to archaeologists in attempting to define the boundaries or limits of settlement. These ancient communities tend to be relatively dispersed, with settlement densities dropping toward the periphery, but lacking any clear boundary. At a limited number of sites, the Maya constructed walled enclosures or earthworks, which scholars have generally interpreted as defensive projects, often hastily built to protect the central districts of larger administrative centers during times of warfare (e.g., Demarest et al. 1997; Inomata 1997; Kurjack and Andrews 1976; Puleston and Callender 1967; Webster 2000; Webster et al. 2007). As another response to conflict in the southern lowlands, small villages or hamlets are reported to have been established on defensive hilltop locations and surrounded by palisades (Demarest et al. 1997; O\u27Mansky and Dunning 2004). At some walled sites, walls may have served more to define gated communities in the modern sense of the phrase; a boundary that separates an elite community from the more common folk living just outside of the walls

Preliminary Evidence for the Existence of a Regional Sacbe Across the Northern Maya Lowlands

Ancient road systems have often been used by archaeologists to reconstruct interaction and political ties among prehistoric settlements. Roads built by the ancient Maya offer many insights into the political geography of the area, particularly in the northern lowlands where hieroglyphic texts are rare. This study examines ethnohistoric, historic, and archaeological data that suggest that a regional road, some 300 km in length, once spanned the northern lowlands from the modern location of Mérida to the east coast facing the island of Cozumel. The political implications of such a road, if it once existed, are discussed

A Transgender Health Care Panel Discussion in a Required Diversity Course

OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of a panel discussion on transgender health care on first-year (P1) pharmacy students\u27 knowledge and understanding of transgender experiences in an Introduction to Diversity course. DESIGN: The panel consisted of both transgender males and females. After panelists shared their healthcare experiences, students asked them questions in a moderated setting. Students completed evaluations on the presentation and learning outcomes. They also wrote a self-reflection paper on the experience. ASSESSMENT: Ninety-one percent of students agreed that they could describe methods for showing respect to a transgender patient and 91.0% evaluated the usefulness of the presentation to be very good or excellent. Qualitative analysis (phenomenological study) was conducted on the self-reflection papers and revealed 7 major themes. CONCLUSION: First-year students reported that they found the panel discussion to be eye opening and relevant to their pharmacy career. Our panel may serve as model for other pharmacy schools to implement

The Need for Transgender Health Content in the Pharmacy Curriculum

The article, “The Need for Transgender Health Content in the Pharmacy Curriculum,” addresses transgender patients and how they often have complex medical, psychological, and social concerns. According to the article, these patients may not only need to learn to manage complicated medication regimens, which can have significant side effects, but may also face many barriers to treatment. Some of those barriers include difficulties with insurance, fear of discrimination, lack of support, and a mistrust of the healthcare system. Given the important role that medications play in maintaining their quality of life, the article suggests that pharmacists are in a unique position to not only improve the healthcare that transgender patients receive, but also to improve their perceptions of the system. The article also talks about how current literature shows that little has been done to educate pharmacists on the specific needs of the transgender patient. Parkhill and Mathews say that the likelihood that pharmacy students will encounter transgender patients in their pharmacies will increase as more transgender individuals begin to live their lives authentically. And for that reason, they are recognizing the critical need to increase pharmacy student awareness of the healthcare issues facing this population. The article concludes that by increasing education and awareness of the barriers to healthcare that transgender patients face, students will receive the training required to care for their patients in a culturally competent way

A Novel Gβγ-Subunit Inhibitor Selectively Modulates μ-Opioid- Dependent Antinociception and Attenuates Acute Morphine-Induced Antinociceptive Tolerance and Dependence

The Gβγ subunit has been implicated in many downstream signaling events associated with opioids. We previously demonstrated that a small molecule inhibitor of Gβγ-subunit-dependent phospholipase (PLC) activation potentiated morphine-induced analgesia (Bonacci et al., 2006). Here, we demonstrate that this inhibitor, M119 (cyclohexanecarboxylic acid [2-(4,5,6-trihydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-(9Cl)]), is selective for μ-opioid receptor-dependent analgesia and has additional efficacy in mouse models of acute tolerance and dependence. When administered by an intracerebroventricular injection in mice, M119 caused 10-fold and sevenfold increases in the potencies of morphine and the μ-selective peptide, DAMGO, respectively. M119 had little or no effect on analgesia induced by the κ agonist U50,488 or δ agonists DPDPE or Deltorphin II. Similar results were obtained in vitro, as only activation of the μ-opioid receptor stimulated PLC activation, whereas no effect was seen with the κ- and δ-opioid receptors. M119 inhibited μ-receptor-dependent PLC activation. In studies to further explore the in vivo efficacy of M119, systemic administration M119 also resulted in a fourfold shift increase in potency of systemically administered morphine. Of particular interest, M119 was also able to attenuate acute, antinociceptive tolerance and dependence in mice treated concomitantly with both M119 and morphine. These studies suggest that small organic molecules, such as M119, that specifically regulate Gβγ subunit signaling may have important therapeutic applications in enhancing opioid analgesia, while attenuating the development of tolerance and dependence

Salivary Cortisol Analysis in Collegiate Female Lacrosse Athletes

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(6): 242-251, 2023. Cortisol is a hormone that corresponds to physiological and emotional stress. The purpose of this study was to 1) evaluate the changes in cortisol in female Division I collegiate lacrosse players (n = 15) throughout the competitive season, and 2) evaluate the correlation between cortisol and athlete wellness and workload. Salivary cortisol samples were collected weekly in the morning throughout the entirety of the 2021 competitive season (12 weeks). Subjective athlete total wellness scores and sub-scores (muscle soreness, sleep quality, fatigue, and stress) were taken on the same days. Objective total weekly Athlete Load (AL, an amalgam workload metric) were tabulated from the previous training week. A significant effect of time was found on wellness (p \u3c 0.001) and AL (p \u3c 0.001) over the twelve weeks with weekly differences, such as weeks with more than one game, weeks with no games, weeks with students in quarantine (not competing), or weeks with academic stressors such as final exams. There were no weekly differences in cortisol (p = 0.058). Cortisol had negligible correlations with wellness (r = -0.010, p = 0.889) and AL (r = 0.083, p = 0.272) during the competitive season. These findings suggest that cortisol changed little for athletes throughout the season although training volume and wellness did. Thus, assessing acute responses of cortisol may prove to be more beneficial to evaluating athletes’ stress

Sharing Success: Expansion of a Tutor-Run Assessment Method to Multiple Courses and Colleges

Objectives: In 2014, data were presented on a successful pilot program using quizzes written by tutors in a single course at Wegmans School of Pharmacy. The objective of this study was to use the methods from the pilot to expand the program to other pharmacology courses at Wegmans School of Pharmacy as well as the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy. Methods: Methods from the previous study were replicated, whereby tutors wrote weekly quizzes administered using ExamSoft®. The optional quizzes were openly accessible to students in preparation for course exams. Performance data were collected from students in one course at each institution and compared to the pilot study. Performance data collected included quiz and course exam scores. All students that utilized quizzes, as well as tutors, were surveyed to assess perceptions of the method. Results: The use and impact of quizzes was similar to the results in the pilot study. However, the magnitude of improvements was slightly lower than what was observed initially. Exam scores were significantly higher than quiz scores on 6/10 exams measured, compared to 5/5 exams in the pilot. Students who utilized the quizzes performed significantly better than those that did not on 3/10 exams (3/5 in the pilot), and earned significantly higher course averages. Student (n=155) and peer instructor (n=13) feedback remained positive after expansion of the program. Implications: This method is a tool that can be translated to different courses and different institutions with a valuable impact on student performance

Pharmacy-Student Outreach: Bridging the Gap from an Inner-City High School to Pharmacy School

A poster describing a program at Thomas A. Edison High School that aimed to educate students on the educational requirements for pharmacy school and career opportunities within the profession

Implementing a Substances of Abuse Outreach Program in the Rochester City School District.

Objective: This program aims to provide substances of abuse education to local high school students. Methods: An outreach program, modeled after the National Institute on Drug Abuse instructional materials, was developed by student pharmacists and faculty for delivery to the Rochester City School District. Strict regulations prevented admittance into any classrooms until the program was presented to all health teachers at a district-wide meeting. Approval was given to begin working in the classrooms in April 2011. The program was first adopted in two health education classes at Edison Tech (May 2011). Information was presented to students using lecture, small group discussion, and printed materials. The topic covered, marijuana, was based on the teacher\u27s preference. A formative assessment was used to address student perceptions of the program due to the small number of students in each of the classes (n = 5–7). The teacher of record in the classroom conducted the assessment interviews. Results: Student feedback included comments such as, “We liked them and appreciate the time they took to come in,” “I didn\u27t know about pharm parties” and, “I learned a lot”. Feedback from the teacher also reflected the positive impact of the program in his classroom: “There is a perception that the outside community does not care about urbanites and this program at the very root reverses that dynamic very clearly. My hope is that we can develop an ongoing relationship.” Conclusion: The timing of program approval by the school district impeded broad implementation for spring 2011; however, plans are in place for several schools in spring 2012. The opportunity to pilot the program with Edison Tech was beneficial and provided valuable feedback for improvement. Student pharmacists are in a unique position to provide this education and are viewed as approachable and non-threatening to high school–aged students