Strategies for the integration of foundational and clinical sciences in doctor of pharmacy programs

Introduction: Enhancing the integration of foundational and pharmaceutical sciences with the clinical pharmacy curriculum will develop practitioner-scholar pharmacists. However, implementing and assessing integration is challenging. Hindrance factors include limited pragmatic approaches, the lack of a “how-to” blueprint, faculty and student resistance to change, compression of pharmaceutical science teaching, and a paucity of assessment strategies. Methods: This study examined the history, theory, and practice of integration and utilization of the 2013 Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Outcomes to achieve integration in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs. For this, 252 faculty members across the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Biological Sciences, Pharmaceutics, and Chemistry sections were surveyed to assess faculty perception regarding (1) the importance of integrating foundational and clinical sciences, (2) the extent, and (3) intentionality of incorporation of the 2013 CAPE Outcomes in the foundational sciences. The 2013 CAPE Outcomes perceived to be challenging to incorporate into the foundational sciences were identified. Subsequently, strategies for integration and assessment grounded in educational theories were developed. Results: Patient advocacy (CAPE 3.3), cultural sensitivity (CAPE 3.5), innovation and entrepreneurship (CAPE 4.3), medication use management (CAPE 2.2), self-awareness (CAPE 4.1), and leadership (CAPE 4.2) received scores suggesting limited incorporation in foundational sciences. To address this, examples of integration strategies were shown based on these 2013 CAPE Outcomes to enhance foundational science bridging with clinical and practice pharmacy education. Curricular models such as the McMaster method, H and Z stack approaches, and the Harden's Ladder as an assessment tool to measure curricular integration are examined in the context of the 2013 CAPE Outcomes, grounded in educational theory. Conclusion: This work summarizes the recommendations of the AACP Biological Sciences Section Task Force for examples of methods for achieving, augmenting, and assessing the integration of pharmaceutical and foundational sciences with clinical practice in PharmD programs.