Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35488266›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2022

Microcredentials training in pharmacy practice and education: an exploratory study of its viability and pharmacists' professional needs.

Peggy Lok, Kebede Beyene, Ahmed Awaisu, David Woods, Nadir Kheir

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  3. Review
  4. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Peggy LokFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Kebede BeyeneFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Ahmed AwaisuCollege of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
David WoodsSchool of Pharmacy, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Nadir KheirCollege of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates. n.kheir@ajman.ac.ae.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-3505

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMicrocredentials (MCs) are short courses that certify/recognise an individual's achievement of specific skills or knowledge. Schools of pharmacy could be well-placed to contribute to the continuing professional development (CPD) of pharmacists through the inclusion of MCs training in their programs. This study aimed to explore pharmacy professionals' views on the need and viability of MC courses globally.

methodsEleven semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with pharmacy practitioners, policymakers, and academics across seven countries. The participants were selected using purposive sampling to explore information from varying pharmacy disciplines. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a general inductive approach.

resultsParticipants regarded MCs in pharmacy as an innovative idea, well-suited to the increasingly technology-driven world. They believe MCs provide easily accessible means of skills and knowledge acquisition that fulfils the needs of the pharmacy profession. MCs were also perceived as an alternative pathway of meeting the requirements of traditional CPD programmes. Many participants believe universities are well-suited to provide MCs; however, numerous challenges such as recognition, time and resources have been identified as potential barriers to enrolment and implementation.

conclusionsThis study provides an insight into the views of pharmacy practitioners and academics on MCs, and their potential utility in pharmacy education and practice. The findings should help in the development of MCs that could be utilised by pharmacy practitioners around the world for CPD purposes. This study comes at a time when alternative models of teaching and learning are being explored as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

COVID-19Pharmaceutical ServicesPharmacyHumansPandemicsPharmacistsDigital-badgesMicrocredentialsmini-badgesNano-credentialsPharmacy

Identifiers

PMID35488266
PMCPMC9051492

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.