Implications of advanced pharmacy practice experience placements: A 5-year update

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess curricular variables of advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) placements in first professional degree PharmD programs and serve as a follow-up to surveys reported for the 1991-1992, 1995-1996, and 1999-2000 academic years. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire (based on a previously used instrument) and 2 follow-up mailings were sent to 87 colleges and schools of pharmacy in mid-2004. Results. Seventy-five institutions responded, yielding a 90% response rate. The full complement of required rotations had not changed since the 1999-2000 study. Ambulatory care, internal medicine, and adult acute care sites were the most difficult APPEs for institutions to secure. Forty-one percent of institutions reported an increase in inter-school competition in the acquisition and retention of sites during the past 3 years. Conclusions. The need to reassess curricular trends continues to grow in importance with the increasing number of new colleges and schools of pharmacy, as well as the increasing student enrollments in existing programs.