The student will be assigned a preceptor for a five-week experience at a pharmacy- or healthcare related setting to apply the business administration knowledge and skills learned during their dual PharmD/MBA education at Shenandoah University.
Each equivalent week of experience shall contain an average of forty hours of practice. The student will perform pharmacy- or healthcare related administrative functions while under the direct supervision of the preceptor. This PharmD/MBA advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) will provide the student experience in the daily administrative operations of a pharmacy- or healthcare-related organization.
PharmD/MBA APPE General Objectives/Learning Outcomes
The student will:
- Gain an understanding of the role of a pharmacist in administrative positions within a pharmacy- or healthcare-related organization.
- Describe the daily operational, administrative and managerial functions of a pharmacy- or healthcare-related organization, including but not limited to: human resources, marketing analysis and strategies, financial analysis and strategies, and public relations or communication strategies.
- Identify issues affecting operations, administration and/or management within the organization.
- Collect data, analyze results, and develop a plan to resolve organizational issues.
- Demonstrate appropriate and effective written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills in all interactions with healthcare professionals and other employees within the organization.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the present status and future potential of the organization.
- Demonstrate professional behavior in all interactions with healthcare professionals, patients, students, preceptors, and other employees within the organization.
PharmD/MBA APPE Competencies
Over the course of the APPE, the student will:
- Identify operational, administrative and managerial responsibilities and issues pertinent to the departments within the organization
- Devise and present proposals to address identified issues
- Implement the proposals and collect and analyze data (if time permits)
- Present and document the findings and recommendations based on the results (if time permits)
- Complete a journal including, but not limited to, the following information:
- Description of the organization including, but not limited to: history, mission, regional area (e.g., northeast, mid-atlantic, etc.), departments (including function within the organization), employees (referring to titles, not actual names), products and services, strategic plan, values, goals and objectives
- Summary of daily observations and completed proposals and/or recommendations and tasks within the organization
- Reflection on what was learned, including how knowledge and skills were applied, and how the experience confirmed or altered career plans
Types of Settings
A PharmD/MBA APPE should occur in a pharmacy- or healthcare-related organization. Examples of appropriate settings include:
- Hospital pharmacy administration
- Retail pharmacy administration
- Clinical pharmacy administration
- Academic administration
- Managed care
- Pharmacy benefit management (PBM)
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Public health service (FDA, CDC, NIH, IHS, DEA)
APPE Design
Weeks one and two are designed to give the student a basic understanding of the day-to-day functions of the administrative, operational, and managerial aspects of the organization. By the end of the two-week period, the student should have a basic understanding of the operations within each accessible department of the organization.
Weeks three and four are designed to give the student a more in-depth exposure to administrative, operational, and managerial issues, such as human resources, marketing, cost-benefit analysis, financial management, and public relations. The tasks can be tailored to fit the specific organization to address the needs of the student and/or preceptor.
Week five is designed to allow the student to complete pending tasks, proposals and/or recommendations, journal entries and present remaining findings to the preceptor and/or other relevant individuals within the organization.
PharmD/MBA APPE (pdf)