Isha Patel1, Jason W Guy2, Yun Han3, Jett Paraoan4, Wallace Marsh5, Mark S Johnson6. 1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Administration and Research, Marshall University School of Pharmacy (MUSOP), One John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755, United States. Electronic address: pateli@marshall.edu. 2. College of Pharmacy, The University of Findlay, Findlay, OH 45840, United States. Electronic address: guyj@findlay.edu. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, United States. Electronic address: hanyun@med.umich.edu. 4. CVS Pharmacy, 306 West Atlantic Avenue, Emporia, VA 23847, United States. Electronic address: jparaoan10@su.edu. 5. The University of New England College of Pharmacy, Portland, ME 04103, United States. Electronic address: wmarsh@une.edu. 6. Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, 1775 N. Sector Court, Winchester, VA 22601, United States. Electronic address: mjohnson@su.edu.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Fellowship opportunities are seen by pharmacy students and graduates as an option to assist in furthering pharmacy knowledge in a specific field or area of interest. Pharmaceutical industry fellowships are the most common pharmacy fellowship available to students. There has been little research on what motivates students to pursue a fellowship and what student characteristics may help predict interest in a fellowship. METHODS: A survey was distributed to P1, P2, and P3 students. The survey took 10-15 min to complete and contained 28 questions. The difference in students' characteristics between fellowship interested students and non-fellowship interested students were examined using chi-square tests and t-tests for categorical variables and continuous variables, respectively. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of pursuing a fellowship. RESULTS: Age, work experience, and attendance during a fellowship roundtable were all found to be statistically significant predictors of pursuit of a fellowship. Financial obligations, family obligations, and feeling unprepared were the most common reasons for not pursuing a fellowship. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Students earlier in the curriculum were more likely to express interest in pursuing a fellowship. Overall, students felt ill-prepared for the fellowship application process. In addition, fellowship roundtables may be useful for pharmacy programs to help students in their pursuit of fellowships.
INTRODUCTION: Fellowship opportunities are seen by pharmacy students and graduates as an option to assist in furthering pharmacy knowledge in a specific field or area of interest. Pharmaceutical industry fellowships are the most common pharmacy fellowship available to students. There has been little research on what motivates students to pursue a fellowship and what student characteristics may help predict interest in a fellowship. METHODS: A survey was distributed to P1, P2, and P3 students. The survey took 10-15 min to complete and contained 28 questions. The difference in students' characteristics between fellowship interested students and non-fellowship interested students were examined using chi-square tests and t-tests for categorical variables and continuous variables, respectively. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of pursuing a fellowship. RESULTS: Age, work experience, and attendance during a fellowship roundtable were all found to be statistically significant predictors of pursuit of a fellowship. Financial obligations, family obligations, and feeling unprepared were the most common reasons for not pursuing a fellowship. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Students earlier in the curriculum were more likely to express interest in pursuing a fellowship. Overall, students felt ill-prepared for the fellowship application process. In addition, fellowship roundtables may be useful for pharmacy programs to help students in their pursuit of fellowships.