Pitt Pharmacy is committed to student success in the classroom and in personalizing their paths to future careers through core course experiences, experiential learning, and co-curricular experiences. Professional Development is a vital part of growth as a student pharmacist through acquiring skills, abilities, behaviors, and attitudes that are building blocks for a pharmacy career.
Professional development is a continuous process that involves developing an action plan, a personal learning plan, applying the personal outcomes to the educational outcomes, and evaluating the outcomes and impact of the developed skills to establish self-directed lifelong learning.
Continuous professional development starts in pharmacy school but does not end there!
Pharmacists continually build their knowledge, skills, and behaviors throughout their careers through hands-on work experience and through continuing pharmacy education.
Support
Students are assigned to a professional development advising group in the fall of P1 year. The professional development advising group generally consists of 5-6 students from each professional year (P1 – P4), two student advisors to support P1s, and 1-2 faculty advisors.
Longitudinal Professional and Career Development (PCD) courses in the P1, P2, and P3 years meet several times throughout the year to support documentation and skill development for professional identity. These PCD courses are designed to evolve to meet student needs throughout their professional careers at Pitt Pharmacy. The courses are centered on the themes of self-directed ongoing lifelong learning; developing a professional identity; establishing a plan to achieve career goals; and applying ethical decision-making principles.
- PCD 1 focuses on development of self with emphasis on student wellness, resume building, and career pathway exploration. Students create a career plan and describe their Philosophy of Care as a medical professional.
- PCD 2 focuses on development in teams by advancing student career development through formation of their professional identity SMART goals, CV development, and building conflict-resolution skills.
- PCD 3 focuses on development within systems by centering around managing a student’s personal and professional needs within complex, real-world healthcare system through reflective practice and interprofessional collaboration. Students practice interview skills and forming Letters of Intent, while also exploring career options and preparing for advanced pharmacy practice experiences.
- P4 students meet throughout the year of rotations to fine-tune their resume, CV, and interview skills, as well as receive guidance on financial wellness and preparation for the NAPLEX.
Documentation
Students document the development of curriculum outcomes and co-curricular skills in the Pitt Pharmacy Professional Development Dashboard powered by Suitable. The Dashboard serves as a repository of evidence and experiences related to professional development. Students can share their work with potential employers to showcase examples of their work to demonstrate the skills they have developed.
Pitt Pharmacy has been recognized nationally for their Innovation with the Suitable platform. Our students have been recognized for Highest Engagement and Most Completed Activities within the Dashboard by the Suitable platform.