by Natalia Kirychuk, Student Public Relations Writer
Laura Sjoquist, Pharm.D., 2018 Cedarville University Doctor of Pharmacy graduate and current experiential programs academic fellow at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy, recently won first place in the American College of Pharmacy Education and Training PRN poster competition.
Sjoquist presented her team’s findings in a poster presentation at the 2018 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy in Seattle, Washington, in October. Her research was selected from 14 posters evaluated by the ACCP Education and Training PRN judges.
— Laura Sjoquist
Sjoquist and her colleagues, Antonio A. Bush, Ph.D.; Macary Marciniak, Pharm.D.; and Nicole Pinelli Reitter, Pharm.D., conducted a qualitative research study evaluating preceptor feedback gathered from midpoint and final evaluations of student pharmacists completing their first practice experience in health system or community pharmacy settings.
The School’s Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) framework was utilized to explore the strengths and challenges of student pharmacists’ progression toward competent practice. EPA feedback provided by preceptors was overwhelmingly positive.
“Our findings provide insight into opportunities to enhance the experiential training of our future pharmacists,” Sjoquist said.
Since graduating from Cedarville University, Sjoquist has been working at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in Raleigh, North Carolina, as the experiential programs academic fellow. She conducts experiential education research, particularly related to preceptor and student pharmacist development and professional wellness and resiliency within the experiential education environment. She also engages in teaching opportunities within the Pharm.D. curriculum and is gaining clinical practice experience in various areas of psychiatric pharmacy.
“Cedarville fostered my interest in experiential training by providing me with strong practice experiences in quality environments and with preceptors personally invested in my development ,” said Sjoquist. “Now, my job allows me to do expand on my education and grow in areas of practice and research that I love with passionate colleagues and enthusiastic future pharmacists.”
Sjoquist and her colleagues hope to publish their research this spring.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its doctor of pharmacy program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.