Abstract
A survey about orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs in schools/colleges of pharmacy was approved by the South College Institutional Review Board (IRB). The survey was sent electronically to Assistant/Associate Deans of Academic Affairs or administrators in similar positions at schools/colleges of pharmacy in October 2016. The survey was closed two months later, in December, with 50 responses. The data that was collected from the survey included characteristics and components of orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs, such as session content and the frequency sessions appeared. The survey also collected descriptive information from respondents regarding certain demographics related to their schools/colleges of pharmacy (e.g., public or private institutions, a 4-year program or a 3-year program). The data can be used by schools/colleges of pharmacy and other healthcare professions that wish to revise or establish orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs.
Keywords: Orientation, Boot camp, Pre-matriculation program, Pharmacy education, Healthcare education
Specifications Table
| Subject | Pharmaceutical Sciences |
| Specific subject area | Pharmacy |
| Type of data | Primary data, Tables |
| How data were acquired | A survey was sent electronically to Assistant/Associate Deans of Academic Affairs or administrators in similar positions in schools/colleges of pharmacy using Qualtrics. The survey appears in Supplementary material 1. |
| Data format | Raw, Cleaned and Analyzed |
| Parameters for data collection | A survey was sent to 138 Assistant/Associate Deans of Academic Affairs or administrators in similar positions in schools/colleges of pharmacy. |
| Description of data collection | A Qualtrics survey was sent to email addresses of school administrators. Participants were advised that submission of the survey will be interpreted as their informed consent to participate in this project. |
| Data source location | South College School of Pharmacy, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America (USA) |
| Data accessibility | Data are included in this article |
Value of the Data
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•
The data shows characteristics of orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs of schools/colleges of pharmacy in the USA. In addition, the data describes various components and the frequency that each component appears in such programs. The data can be used as a platform for the construction of new, or modify established orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs.
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The data can benefit schools/colleges of pharmacy and other healthcare professions that wish to evaluate and/or revise existing orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs.
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The data may inspire further research into characterization and refinement of orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs. Such programs are considered beneficial for students of various healthcare professions [1], [2], [3], [4]. Enhancements of orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs may further support diverse students from various backgrounds who matriculate into programs of healthcare professions.
1. Data Description
The data are survey results obtained from administrators in 50 schools/colleges of pharmacy in the USA [5], see Supplementary material 2. Supplementary material 1 shows the survey that was sent to schools/colleges of pharmacy. Table 1 shows basic information regarding schools/colleges of pharmacy whose administrators participated in the study (n = 50). This information includes certain demographics such as public versus private ownership, length of program (traditional, 4-year program versus accelerated, 3-year program), accreditation status, and year of program establishment. Table 2 presents the characteristics of orientations, boot camps, or pre-matriculation programs. This descriptive information includes which type of program is offered, if any, and the lengths and attendance policies of such programs. Table 3 comprises a diverse list of sessions that appear in orientations, boot camps, or pre-matriculation programs and the frequency in which they appear. The various sessions are grouped into four major session domains: (1) time management organization, critical thinking & problem solving; (2) professionalism and ethics; (3) personal interactions; and (4) curriculum and scientific review content.
Table 1.
Basic information regarding schools/colleges of pharmacy whose administrators participated in the study (n = 50).
| Survey questions | % responses |
|---|---|
| Is your school/college a public or a private institution? | |
| Public | 54 |
| Private | 46 |
| Is your school/college a 4-year program or a 3-year program? | |
| 4-year program | 82 |
| 3-year program | 10 |
| Other | 8 |
| What is the accreditation status of your school/college? | |
| Fully accredited | 98 |
| Candidate status | 2 |
| Pre-candidate status | 0 |
| What year was the school/college of pharmacy founded? | |
| 2015-present | 0 |
| 2010–2014 | 12 |
| 2005–2009 | 16 |
| 2000–2004 | 8 |
| Prior to 2000 | 64 |
Table 2.
Characteristics of orientations, boot camps, or pre-matriculation programs.
| Survey questions | % responses |
|---|---|
| Please indicate if your school/college has an orientation, a boot camp, or a pre-matriculation program (select all that apply) (n = 50) | |
| Orientation | 98 |
| Boot camp | 10 |
| Pre-matriculation program | 12 |
| Considering to administer in the next few years | 12 |
| How long is your orientation program? (n = 48) | |
| < 3 days | 50 |
| 3–5 days | 46 |
| > 1 week | 4 |
| How long is your boot camp or pre-matriculation program? (Select all that apply) (n = 11) | |
| < 3 days | 18 |
| 3–5 days | 46 |
| > 1 week, but < 2 weeks | 0 |
| 2 weeks or longer | 27 |
| Occurs later in the first quarter/semester | 9 |
| What is the expectation of student attendance at the boot camp or pre-matriculation program? (n = 35) | |
| Mandatory | 80 |
| Expected | 11 |
| Left to students | 9 |
Table 3.
Sessions that appear in orientations, boot camps, or pre-matriculation programs and their frequency (n = 48).
| Sessions included (select all that apply) | % responses |
|---|---|
| Time management organization, critical thinking & problem solving | |
| Time management & organizational skills | 71 |
| Test taking & study skills | 60 |
| Critical thinking & problem solving skills | 35 |
| Concept of co-curriculum & associated activities | 48 |
| Introduction to drug information resources | 15 |
| Accessing, using, and citing resources | 15 |
| Professionalism and ethics | |
| Professionalism | 85 |
| Review of academic standards and integrity | 79 |
| Professional communication skills | 44 |
| Identifying and avoiding plagiarism | 54 |
| Dress code/fashion show | 54 |
| Introduction to professional organizations | 77 |
| Cultural diversity & awareness | 46 |
| Personal interactions | |
| Importance of leadership | 50 |
| Team work & team building activities | 69 |
| Interactions with upperclassmen student pharmacists | 65 |
| Mentor (faculty) - mentee (student) interactions | 58 |
| Interactions with faculty | 73 |
| Interactions with alumni | 31 |
| Curriculum and scientific review content | |
| Curriculum overview | 88 |
| Experiential education overview | 79 |
| Chemistry | 10 |
| Biochemistry | 6 |
| Anatomy and physiology | 12 |
| Microbiology | 4 |
| Math/calculations | 8 |
| Statistics | 4 |
| Medical terminology | 8 |
2. Experimental Design, Materials and Methods
A survey instrument aimed to support a separate project of the authors regarding a pre-matriculation program [6] was designed by the authors. The goal of the survey was to collect data to identify similarities and differences concerning orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs in schools/colleges of pharmacy in the USA. The survey covered three main topics: (1) the characteristics of orientations, boot camps, and pre-matriculation programs; (2) the sessions that appear in such programs and how frequent they appear; and (3) certain demographics of schools/colleges of pharmacy whose administrators responded to the survey. Email addresses of Assistant/Associate Deans of Academic Affairs or administrators in similar positions in 138 schools/colleges of pharmacy were obtained from their respective websites. Qualtrics was used to send the survey to email addresses of administrators in October 2016. The survey was closed in December 2016. One reminder was sent to potential participants. While the data were collected anonymously, a survey question gave the respondents an opportunity to provide the name of their institution. Forty-eight from 50 respondents provided the name of their institution. Data were exported from Qualtrics to Microsoft Excel for processing and organization; as well as to produce a supplemental file and tables. No data were missing.
Ethics Statement
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of South College approved this study under the Exempt status. Participants in the study were communicated that submission of the survey will be interpreted as their informed consent to participate in this study.
Declaration of Competing Interest
None declared.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of South College School of Pharmacy for supporting this project.
Footnotes
Supplementary material associated with this article can be found in the online version at doi:10.1016/j.dib.2021.106938.
Supplementary materials
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Associated Data
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