Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE)

The purpose of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) is to apply the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors gained through the didactic curriculum to “real-life” situations. The APPE do not emphasize the need to gain knowledge of abstract theories, but rather use an integrative approach to learning that includes experience and interactions between the students and preceptors in various health care settings to turn didactic knowledge into practical knowledge.

During APPE rotations, students have an excellent opportunity to develop an array of skills such as professionalism, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and professional competence. LECOM encourages its preceptors to emphasize the importance of connecting knowledge, critical thinking skills, and action. Please refer to our Learning Objectives (found below and within the rotation manual) for a complete list of rotation goals. Refer to the APPE Rotation Manual as a resource to guide you through the student’s time with you. The rotation manual and additional preceptor resources are available to preceptors on CORE ELMS. There are also instructions regarding the evaluation process which should occur at the end of the 3rd week (midpoint evaluation) and at the end of the 6th week (final evaluation), prior to the end of the rotation. Evaluations and assignments are submitted using the CORE ELMS website.

Ultimately, our goal is to enable our students to provide safe and effective pharmacotherapy plans, optimize patients’ outcomes, assure safe and accurate preparation, dispensing of medications, and provide reliable health care information, and promote public health. We look forward to your feedback and do our best to support you during the rotations.

Inpatient General Medicine Rotation

Under the supervision of the preceptor, students put into application the knowledge of pharmacology, pharmaceutics, drug information, medication safety, communication skills, critical thinking, pathophysiology, and therapeutics to the care of patients in an inpatient/acute care setting. The student will interact with all members of the health care team to provide patient-centered care.

Learning Objectives

  1. Develop and implement patient-centered drug therapy care plans.
  2. Recommend changes to the drug therapy regimen through monitoring and assessing/reassessing patient information.
  3. Access, evaluate and apply information to promote optimal health care.
  4. Identify and report medication errors and adverse drug reactions.
  5. Communicate to the patient and other health care professionals the appropriateness of the patient’s specific pharmacotherapeutic agents, dosing regimens, dosage forms, routes of administration and delivery systems.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to retrieve, evaluate and apply clinical and scientific publications in the decision-making process.
  7. Promote self-directed learning through a self-initiated, proactive, evidence-based clinical pharmacy practice.
  8. Demonstrate appropriate team behaviors and professionalism.

Advanced Community Rotation

Under the supervision of the pharmacy preceptor, the student will provide patient-centered care in a community pharmacy setting. Students will experience the operation and management of community pharmacy systems and the functions and responsibilities of a pharmacist in a community setting. Students should have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the medication use process and health care delivery in the community setting.

Learning Objectives

  1. State the advantages and benefits to the population of having clinical services in a Community Pharmacy.
  2. Process, prepare and dispense medications including the adjudication process with patient insurance companies.
  3. Provide education to patients regarding their drugs and/or therapeutic monitoring.
  4. Provide/develop a wellness service to the population.
  5. Participate in discussions and assignments of human resource management and financial performance.
  6. Employ safe medication practices to reduce the chance of an adverse medication-related event.
  7. Improve therapeutic outcomes through increased pharmacist involvement in medication management services.
  8. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the technology used in community pharmacy practice.
  9. Demonstrate appropriate team behaviors and professionalism.

Advanced Institutional Rotation

Under the supervision of the pharmacy preceptor, the student will experience the operation and management of hospital pharmacy systems and the functions and responsibilities of a pharmacist in a hospital setting. Students should have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the medication use process and health care delivery in the hospital setting.

Learning Objectives

  1. Participate in the pharmacy and hospital’s quality improvement program.
  2. Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with other health professionals by presenting information in a practical, timely and well-organized manner.
  3. Understand the management of systems for storage, preparation and dispensing of medications.
  4. Describe the various policies, procedures, and protocols that are put in place for medication safety.
  5. Interact with other members of the health care team by going to various meetings that pharmacists are involved in.
  6. Prepare reports, monographs to support different Committees in the hospital where pharmacists are involved.
  7. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the technology used in hospital pharmacy practice.
  8. Demonstrate appropriate team behaviors and professionalism.

Ambulatory Care Rotation

The rotation is designed to offer the student the opportunity to experience first-hand the functions and responsibilities of a pharmacist in the Ambulatory Care setting. It is an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge of pharmacology, pharmaceutics, drug information, counseling skills, critical thinking, pathophysiology, and therapeutics to the care of patients, as well as sharing their knowledge with health care team members. The rotation will also help students develop the social skills necessary for a pharmacist to function as part of a health care team.

Learning Objectives

  1. Obtain accurate medication histories through various methods, including chart review, patient interview, etc.
  2. Review and analyze medical charts for proper pharmacological management.
  3. Review and analyze laboratory values and make appropriate therapeutic recommendations based upon these results.
  4. Educate patients on safe and effective prescription and non-prescription medication use.
  5. Conduct a patient program to promote health and wellness at the site and/or within the community.
  6. Collaborate with other health care professionals and fellow students to provide quality patient-centered care.
  7. Attend and participate in provider/staff meetings in order to become familiar with issues and concerns specific to providing health care to patients at the site.
  8. Be involved in the development and implementation of clinical ambulatory pharmacy programs and any associated outcomes studies conducted by the pharmacist.
  9. Develop an understanding of collaborative practice agreements/collaborative drug therapy management and how they apply to clinical pharmacy practice and/or other health care professionals.
  10. Answer drug information questions posed by the clinical staff and outpatient pharmacists in a professional and efficient manner.
  11. Attend chart rounds with medical providers in a given outpatient clinic if and when applicable.
  12. Provide patient education materials and counseling on medications as requested by providers.
  13. Develop new patient education materials as needed.
  14. Prepare a medication-related problem list and pharmacist care plan.
  15. Recommend and communicate your care plan effectively.
  16. Demonstrate appropriate team behaviors and professionalism.

Elective Rotations

Each elective rotation offers different and specific learning experiences based on the site and the type of specialties. Examples of potential rotations settings include any of the required rotation sites, research, management, drug information, education, managed care, long-term care, hospice, home health care, nuclear, etc. Students will select elective rotations to individualize their training and experience in preparation for their careers as well as to complement the experiences gained in the required rotations.

Learning Objectives

  1. Demonstrate the ability to retrieve, evaluate, and apply specific data in the decision-making process.
  2. Promote self-directed learning through a self-initiated, proactive, evidence-based practice.
  3. Demonstrate appropriate team behaviors and professionalism.
  4. Additional objectives assigned by the individual preceptor specific to this rotation experience. For patient care electives, preceptors may wish to refer to the Inpatient General Medicine, Ambulatory Care, Advanced Community, or Advanced Hospital learning objectives for guidance in tailoring an experience for the student.

This list is not intended to be all inclusive. The preceptor has the authority to adapt and to add other experiences that he/she feels the student will benefit from.

APPE Rotation Manual:

Copies of the LECOM School of Pharmacy Rotation Manuals and additional preceptor resources are available for download in each preceptor’s CORE ELMS account (www.corehighered.com/login-elms). If you have any questions or trouble accessing the materials, please reach out to the Experiential Office:

Erie, PA campus – rxrotations-PA@lecom.edu

Bradenton, FL campus – rxrotations-FL@lecom.edu