A model core-curriculum for practical training has been developed for the six-year educational system for pharmacy students.While educational objectives and strategies are explained in detail in the core-curriculum there are few details of methods for evaluating students.In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the practical training curriculum,it is essential to evaluate students’understanding,and evaluation methods should therefore be considered when establishing teaching programs in the pharmacy department.In this regard,portfolio assessment has been receiving attention in medical education since it enables progress in clinical performance to be measured and aids professional development by encouraging students to reflect on their experiences.
The specific behavioral objectives (SBOs) in the core-curriculum associated with inpatient pharmaceutical care contain many affective objectives (10 of 24),whose achievement requires not only knowledge and technical ability but also communication and problem-solving skills.Since portfolios can be used to assess student capabilities that cannot be expressed numerically,we considered utilizing portfolios as an assessment tool for practical training for pharmacy students.Portfolio assessment was used in a SBO-based core-curriculum training program on inpatient pharmaceutical care for postgraduates that we had found to be effective in a previous study.
Portfolio assessment showed instructors that students were definitely making progress and reflecting on their own portfolios enabled students to learn much from their practical experiences,which was effective in further improving their capabilities.
