Wesley Nuffer
Assistant Research Professor
Pharmacy
University of Colorado Denver
Box 6511, 12631 E 17th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
303-724-2654
Wesley.Nuffer@ucdenver.edu
What is the central question, issue, or problem you plan to explore in your proposed wok?
The issue to be explored is whether 4th (final) year experiential student-supported diabetes clinics increase students’ didactic diabetes knowledge base, problem-solving skills, and comfort level in caring for patients with diabetes.
Why is this central question, issue or problem important?
Pharmacy education continues to evolve, with the focus shifting from a traditional didactic classroom standard to a competency-based curriculum, where students are expected to apply their knowledge in practice-based settings. The University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy has dedicated time and resources to establish a group of pharmacy-based community diabetes clinics that are supported and run by pharmacy students under direct supervision of their preceptors during their 4th year experiential rotations. These clinics are designed to provide a practice site where the students can apply their knowledge in diabetes and cardiovascular health to actively educate and care for patients with diabetes, increasing students’ knowledge and comfort level in counseling patients. Now that there are a significant number of these experiential sites available, it is important to measure the impact that the clinics have on students’ diabetes knowledge and confidence in working with these patients.
How do you plan to conduct your investigation?
An assessment tool will be created that will measure the following:
A) Students’ didactic knowledge base on several key aspects of diabetes management
B) Students’ decision-making skills when presented with a diabetes patient case
C) Students’ comfort level in interviewing and assessing diabetes patients
This assessment tool will be administered to students prior to their diabetes experiential rotation and will be administered again after their rotation. Controls can be established by simultaneously administering the same tool to a second group of students who are attending a different rotation site that is not a diabetes care site and repeating the tool at the end of that rotation. A comparison will be done between pre and post-assessments to see how the diabetes experiential rotation impacted students on each of the measurements described above.
Aspects of the work’s design/character you are not yet fully prepared to describe.
The content of the assessment tool and how it will be administered are not yet developed.
Literature review of the theory and practice of this subject.
I have found no prior literature that describes this type of pharmacy practice site and evaluation of students’ knowledge and confidence after participating in these site experiences.
What is your record of innovation in teaching and/or the assessment of learning?
I am a new faculty member with the University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy and I am just beginning to examine my teaching as well as our students’ learning.
Are you able to attend the required meetings as specified?
Yes
Provide the name and contact information for someone who can serve as a mentor to you within the PTLC program.
Marianne McCollum, PhD, RPh, BCPS. University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy. Academic Office 1, L15-1406. 303-724-2623 Phone.
Can you suggest an appropriate coach for your project?
Christopher J. Turner, Ph.D. University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy. Experiential Programs, Academic Office 1, L15-1601B. 303-724-2659 Phone.
If your project is selected, are you willing to serve as a coach in PTLC in a future year?
Yes
