This comprehensive review of the history of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy begins with a review of pharmaceutical education before 1900 and goes on to initial organizational steps (1900-1925), development of standards (1925-1950), organizational development (1950-1975), organizational issues (1975-1999), and ideas about the next…

Proposes that pharmacy schools incorporate formal assessments of self-reported empathy in the admissions process to assess personal qualities necessary for patient counseling and other aspects of pharmaceutical care. Comparison of two approaches to measuring self-reported empathy (forced-choice format, direct self-ratings) found the first more…

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has developed a nontraditional doctor of pharmacy degree that requires students to meet the same terminal-performance objectives as the standard four-year PharmD degree. The program's design and evaluation are discussed, and suggestions are offered for improving the program to meet terminal-performance…

A survey of curriculum directors at 51 pharmacy schools investigated attitudes and discrepancies concerning the current and ideal emphasis placed on 33 topics, as well as barriers to curriculum change. A move toward primary and outpatient care and better relationships and communication between pharmacists and patients were evident in the…

A survey of 42 pharmacy schools investigated the extent and nature of service-learning as part of the curriculum. Respondent comments on the requirements and difficulties of implementing service learning and its benefits are discussed. Broad disparity in implementation and the relatively few institutions adopting the approach are seen as evidence…

A study explored the notion that moral reasoning skills are important to the provision of pharmaceutical care. It compared the moral reasoning skills of two classes of pharmacy students with those of practitioners who scored high on measures of pharmaceutical care and clinical decision making. Implications for pharmacy school admissions and…

A 10-year analysis of 1,313 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator results found that, compared to the general college-student population, pharmacy students differed in several personality types, and that students enrolled in the doctoral program differed from those enrolled in the bachelor's degree program. Implications for teaching and learning are…

Describes development and integration of service learning in the curriculum of the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) School of Pharmacy, beginning with co-curricular service-learning opportunities and leading to further curriculum development and a service requirement for doctoral students. Concludes that, despite demands on faculty…

A University of Georgia study investigated the effectiveness of a Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) intervention program on pharmacy student attitudes toward providing care for infected patients. Results of pre- and posttests with 290 students indicated that the program was successful in improving student…

A study investigated the effectiveness of incorporating discussion groups and problem solving in a first-year pharmaceutical dosage-forms course. Students responded positively to the group discussions focusing on problem solving and the discussion summaries, which demonstrated the diversity of approaches to problem solving and focused their…

Discusses the changing role of technical-support personnel in higher education and corporate training as they are asked to serve as corporate trainers and advisors for distance-education programs. Suggests that technologists focus on three areas of study to help with their new roles: adult education, adult learning, and program planning.…

Discusses the need for educators, trainers, and business people to be able to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Web-based training in order to make informed decisions about the appropriateness of this training method for their organization. Presents a case study of one organization that provides a detailed cost-benefit analysis. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of educational transactions in distance-learning environments focuses on a study that identified the dimensions constituting dialog, structure, and learner autonomy by investigating Pennsylvania State University students' experiences with videoconferencing. Results of exploratory factor analysis and interfactor correlation coefficients…

Discusses the need for theory in the field of distance education, reviews several traditional theoretical approaches, and describes a new theory called Equivalency Theory that incorporates telecommunications. Compares theories of independence and autonomy, industrialization of teaching, and interaction and communication. (LRW)

This 1999 annual supplement to the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education contains reports of staff members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP); policy guidelines; the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education annual report; and minutes of various AACP meetings. Also included are statistics on pharmacy student…