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Objective. To characterize the use of team-based learning (TBL) in US colleges and schools of pharmacy, including factors that may affect implementation and perceptions of faculty members regarding the impact of TBL on educational outcomes. Methods. Respondents identified factors that inhibit or enable TBL use and its impact on student learning. Results were stratified by type of institution (public/private), class size, and TBL experience. Results. Sixty-nine of 100 faculty members (69%) representing 43 (86%) institutions responded. Major factors considered to enable TBL implementation included a single campus and student and administration buy-in. Inhibiting factors included distant campuses, faculty resistance, and lack of training. Compared with traditional lectures, TBL is perceived to enhance student engagement, improve students' preparation for class, and promote achievement of course outcomes. In addition, TBL is perceived to be more effective than lectures at fostering learning in all 6 domains of Bloom's Taxonomy. Conclusions. Despite potential implementation challenges, faculty members perceive that TBL improves student engagement and learning.

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The Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy state that the Academic Affairs Committee shall consider: the intellectual, social, and personal aspects of pharmaceutical education. It is expected to identify practices, procedures, and guidelines that will aid faculties in developing students to their maximum potential.

BackgroundTo estimate the prevalence of minor depression among US adults with diabetes, health care resource utilization, and expenditures by people with diabetes with and without minor depression.MethodsAmong adult 2003 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey respondents, diabetes was identified by diagnosis code and self-report. Depression was identified by diagnosis code plus ≥ one antidepressant prescription. Odds of having depression was estimated in people with diabetes and the general population, adjusted for sociodemographic variables (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity). Multivariate regressions evaluated factors associated with utilization and log-transformed expenditures for ambulatory care, hospitalizations, emergency visits, and prescriptions.ResultsIn 2003, 1932 respondents had diabetes, 435/1932 had diabetes and minor depression. Adults with diabetes were more likely than the general population to have depression (adjusted OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.56, 2.09). People with diabetes with versus without comorbid depression were more likely to be women, have lower incomes and health status, and more diabetes complications (all p < 0.05). In unadjusted analyses, ambulatory care visits were higher for those with versus without depression (17.9 vs. 11.4, p = 0.04), as were prescriptions (60.7 vs. 38.1, p = 0.05). In adjusted analyses, depression was not associated with increased resource use or higher expenditures in any category. Increased number of comorbid conditions was associated with increased resource use in all categories, and increased expenditures for ambulatory care and prescriptions.ConclusionPeople with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression as the general population. Screening for and treatment of depression is warranted, as is additional research into a causal relationship between diabetes and depression.

Objective. To further develop and evaluate a diabetes disease state management (DSM) program that provided direct patient care responsibilities to advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) students as members of healthcare teams. Design. Nine new clinics and 3 established sites that provide self-care management education to patients with diabetes were established and maintained in rural Colorado pharmacies and supported by students in APPE training for 48 weeks per year. Evaluation. The 12 clinics provided 120 APPE student placements in 2010-2011. Students' perceptions of their experiences were positive. Patients who completed the student-supported diabetes selfmanagement education program had improvements in blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid values. Conclusions. Twelve diabetes DSM clinics provided direct patient care opportunities to APPE students working as part of healthcare teams while expanding healthcare resources in underserved communities in Colorado.

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Objective. To assess outcomes from a rural, community pharmacy-based diabetes care and education program involving collaboration between local pharmacists and physicians, fourth-year pharmacy students, and University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy faculty members. Design. Fourth-year pharmacy students provided education and testing (hemoglobin A1c, blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid profiles) to diabetes patients, once a month for 6 months. Clinical notes with medication recommendations were faxed to each patient's physician following each visit. Assessment. Twelve pharmacy students made 533 recommendations to 29 physicians for 52 patients over 18 months. Overall, 32% of the recommendations were accepted based on subsequent medication orders and patient reports. Three of the physicians accepted 50%-60% of the recommendations they received while 4 did not accept any recommendations. Conclusions. Physician acceptance of pharmacy students' medication recommendations for patients attending a rural community pharmacy-based diabetes management clinic varied. Further study is needed to determine the reasons for this.