Skills Developed by Student Pharmacists Completing a Research Project in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Objective: To explore fourth-year student pharmacists’ perspectives of the skills they develop by completing a research project in the pharmacy curriculum at one United States College of Pharmacy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of fourth-year student pharmacists until thematic saturation was achieved. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify main themes. All records were reviewed by two researchers, and consensus was sought at each step of the analysis. Results: Eleven interviews were conducted. Three themes related to skills developed by students while completing a research project were apparent from the final reconciled code list: Theme 1—critical analysis skills; Theme 2—residency preparedness skills; and Theme 3—interpersonal skills. Critical analysis skills helped students review the literature and appropriately translate the findings into clinical settings. Residency preparedness skills described how students perceived completing a research project would prepare them for a residency program. Interpersonal skills were inter-related and consisted of collaboration, communication, conflict resolution, leadership, and project management skills. Conclusions: These study findings should be considered by curriculum committees as changes to the pharmacy program are considered. Future research is suggested to explore other perspectives of the research process.