Special medical needs programs.

The range of writing tasks undertaken by students during doctor of pharmacy clerkship rotations was studied. Data collection involved a review between August and November 1998 of writing samples selected by postbaccalaureate Pharm. D. students at Albany College of Pharmacy for inclusion in their required writing portfolios. The first 200 samples (accounted for by 35 students each submitting two documents for each of three clerkship rotations) were reviewed. Of these, 198 were coded to identify the four rhetorical components of clerkship location, document type, intended audience, and rhetorical purpose. Institutional sites served as the clerkship location for 164 (82.8%) of the 198 documents analyzed. The documents were placed in 28 categories; 5 of these accounted for 126 (63.6%) of the documents: 45 inservice presentations, 32 summaries, 18 patient case write-ups, 16 formulary reviews, and 15 newsletters. Students wrote most frequently to health care providers (34.8%), other pharmacists (32.3%), and teachers (16.7%), with the most frequent rhetorical purposes being informing (73.2%) and demonstrating (14.6%). Analysis of writing samples prepared by pharmacy students during clerkship rotations revealed a variety of clerkship sites, document types, audiences, and rhetorical purposes.

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PubMed2002

On-the-job writing tasks of clerkship preceptors.

The frequency with which various types of documents were written on-the-job by Pharm. D. clerkship preceptors was studied, along with the value that these documents added to their professional practice. A survey was mailed in April 1999 to 129 practicing pharmacists serving as preceptors for Albany College of Pharmacy Pharm. D. clerkship rotations. The survey asked recipients to indicate the frequency with which they wrote each of 23 types of documents and how valuable it was to their practice. In addition, participants were invited to identify documents they wrote that were not on the list. Sixty-six preceptors returned usable surveys (response rate, 51%). Sixty-four (97%) had either direct or indirect patient care responsibilities. Four types of documents (memorandum or letter, pharmacy care plan, progress notes, and patient consultation notes) were written daily, weekly, or monthly. Sixteen of the 23 document types were rated as highly valuable; of these, most were written at least quarterly and 1 was written daily. The respondents indicated 15 additional types of documents they generated in their practice; 11 of these were rated as being of high or highest value. Clerkship preceptors reported writing numerous types of documents. Document types that were written most often were generally considered valuable to the respondents' practice.

Data Collection↗