A model for motivating PharmD students to pursue a PhD degree

Abstract 

Objective

To evaluate a mechanism designed to encourage pharmacy students to purse a PhD degree.

Design

A model in use at Ohio Northern University (ONU)'s College of Pharmacy is described and provides research experiences and motivation for pharmacy students to pursue a PhD degree. The model described establishes a method for the recruitment and funding of undergraduate and pharmacy research students in a pharmacology laboratory.

Assessment

Since 1997, the pharmacology laboratory has trained approximately 30 undergraduate and pharmacy students. These students have participated in research projects that led to more than 20 peer-reviewed publications. Former students from the laboratory were asked to fill out a web-based questionnaire of their research experience and its impact on career decisions. All respondents overwhelmingly agreed that the research experience aided in the learning of lecture material and in obtaining critical thinking skills in the practice of pharmacy. Furthermore, four of the students have earned a PhD degree and 10 students have other advanced degrees (e.g., MD, MSc).

Conclusions

Although this model has been successfully used to encourage PharmD students to pursue a PhD degree in biomedical research, it can also be applied to any pharmacy discipline that offers a PhD degree program. Moreover, this model provides a template for encouraging pharmacy students to participate in biomedical research at liberal arts institutions with a primarily teaching focus.

Keywords: Undergraduate research, Pharmacy school, PhD, Mentoring