Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
Leadership, Education, and Advocacy for Pharmacy Students (LEAPS) Pilot Program
Anthony Bissey, PharmD Candidate; Brittany Holshouser, PharmD;
and Therese Poirier, PharmD, MPH, FASHP, FCCP, BCPS
Furthering leadership skills for all pharmacy students is important throughout the curriculum and as practicing providers. This co-curricular leadership development program is designed as a longitudinal experience available to all students at the School of Pharmacy. This is a co-curricular program with two modules per semester. The 2022-2023 academic year is the pilot offering for Leadership, Education, and Advocacy for Pharmacy Students (LEAPS).
- Any student enrolled in the School of Pharmacy is eligible to apply for participation in this program.
- Ten students participated in this pilot offering.
- Pre-session materials consist of guided questions, interviews, and self-reflections.
- Each of the four live sessions are facilitated by content creators, education specialization students, and clinical faculty. These live sessions are discussion-centered with facilitation of pre-session materials and case studies to apply these skills.
- Module content consists of self-reflections, opportunities for emotional and self-development, advocacy for inclusion, and applying the roles of individuals within a team.
- After the first session, students develop a personal leadership philosophy, and it is revised at the end of the subsequent modules.
- Materials are assessed through rubrics, outlines, and examples to guide students.
A survey comprised of the following questions is administered at the end of each module. Questions #1-5 are assessed with a Five-Point Likert Scale while #6-7 are open-ended questions.
- The content of the program met my leadership needs.
- The structure of the program facilitated my learning about leadership.
- The pre-session work was reasonable in terms of time commitment. (+ post-session work)
- The synchronous session was a valuable discussion time.
- The facilitators of the synchronous session were effective.
- What was the most valuable component in helping you learn about leadership?
- What suggestions do you have to enhance your learning about leadership?
Most valuable component in helping you learn about leadership:
- “Having open discussion about topics pertaining to leadership.”
- “Interactive discussions and examples on how to lead.”
- “Knowing what type of leader I am and how I can use it to help me lead.”
- “Learning about the different types of leadership and where I fall on the spectrum.”
In the future, we hope to expand recruitment measures, support further involvement from Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) chapter members, and develop a new wave of leadership modules for students. The goal is to design levels to the LEAPS program, with at least four modules comprising each level. We also hope to continue the opportunities for active PLS members to serve as leaders in this program.
- The cohort has provided valuable feedback and encouragement to continue this program.
- Collaboration with the education specialization faculty and students has greatly assisted us as we aim for another year.
- Utilization of pharmacists and preceptors, both internal and external to the School of Pharmacy, has facilitated growth in leadership and advocacy.