New Procedure as of May 2024
The PharmD Experiential Learning APPE Reflective Day procedures were created in Spring 2024 with intention to mitigate burnout and promote student wellness.
The new procedures are in effect as of May 1, 2024.
Relevance
In response to the growing recognition of the importance of student wellbeing, the USask PharmD EL Office has embedded a reflective day on the fourth (4th) Friday of each APPE rotation.
By designating a day during each APPE rotation for reflection, students have the time to internalize and incorporate their self-evaluation and feedback discussed in the midpoint evaluation meeting with their preceptor and seek out resources and supports for their wellness and success. This intentional break is positioned at the midpoint of the rotation to allow students to recharge, refocus, and proactively shape the trajectory of their remaining rotation. Therefore, the reflective day should occur after the midpoint evaluation meeting has been completed.
The procedures outlined on this page provide direction to students and preceptors about the expectations for use of this day.
Scheduling
2024-2025 Reflective Days
In each APPE rotation, the reflective day is scheduled for the fourth (4th) Friday of the rotation.
For APPE rotations in 2024-2025, the reflective days are scheduled as follows:
| Block # | Rotation Dates | Scheduled Reflective Day |
| Block 1 | May 6 - June 28, 2024 | May 31, 2024 |
| Block 2 | July 2 - August 23, 2024 | July 26, 2024 |
| Block 3 | August 26 - October 18, 2024 | September 20, 2024 |
| Block 4 | October 21 - December 13, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
| Block 5 | January 6 - February 28, 2025 | January 31, 2025 |
| Block 6 | March 3 - April 25, 2024 | March 28, 2025 |
Note: In circumstances where the student schedule varies from Monday to Friday (e.g., the student is not scheduled to be on site the Friday of week 4 of an APPE rotation), the student and preceptor should discuss early in the rotation when the midpoint meeting and reflective day will subsequently occur. It is important that the reflective day always occur around the midpoint of the rotation (weeks 4 and 5).
The reflective day should occur after the midpoint evaluation meeting has been completed.
Midpoint Self-Evaluation and Evaluation Due Dates
New for 2024-2025
Midpoint evaluations are to be completed and discussed between student and preceptor on the fourth (4th) Thursday of the APPE rotation in order to enable the student to reflect on their preceptor's feedback during the reflective day.
Students are required to submit their midpoint self-evaluation on the fourth (4th) Tuesday of the APPE rotation or at least 48 hours in advance of their scheduled midpoint meeting with their preceptor if different.
Time Away from Site
Students will not attend their rotation on site during this day. Even if the student and preceptor feel it is a good idea for the student to be on site, they are to take time away from on-site activities to reflect and plan for the second half of their rotation.
Making Up Time
The student does not need to make up the time away from site on the reflective day.
If a student meets with the EL Office and/or preceptor for support and/or remediation on the reflective day, this time will not be counted toward rotation hours and time in lieu on another rotation day will not be given.
Reflection Activities
A reflective day will look different for each student and will likely vary block to block for an individual. All students are expected to engage in some form of active reflection.
Students are encouraged to spend their reflective days in activities that fall under these four categories:
Reflect
What have I been doing well and what do I want to work on moving forward?
Recharge
How can I take care of myself today?
Refocus
What do I need to have in place to be successful in the second half of the rotation?
Remediate
Would I benefit from additional support from the EL Office to improve my performance?
Examples activities may include:
- goal-setting/creating personal learning objectives
- connecting with peers or mentors
- creating a learning plan
- initiating self-study to address knowledge gaps identified in the rotation
- engaging in self-care and wellbeing activities
- connecting with the EL Office for support (see below)
Use of Reflective Day for Support and Additional Resources
The EL Office staff have reserved time on each reflective day to be available to arrange one-on-one meetings to provide support to students and preceptors.
The midpoint evaluation form prompts the preceptor and student to flag to the EL Office when a student may benefit from outreach from the EL Office.
Two main reasons to connect with the EL Office include:
- academic support (i.e., remediation) if a student is not meeting expectations and would benefit from additional resources to get on track to successfully complete the rotation
- wellness support in the form of connection to Student Wellness, Outreach, or other health services if a student would benefit from additional resources for their wellbeing
Reflection Seminars
Reflection seminars are arranged by the EL Office in APPE blocks 3, 4, and 5. The purpose of the reflection seminar is for students to learn from and with one another as they share their reflections from a recent rotation.
Students are required to attend at least one reflection seminar during their APPE year.
Reflection Prompts
The general theme of the Reflection Seminars is professional identity formation. Students will be required to select one reflection prompt and prepare a short verbal summary of their response to share with their peers and the facilitator. More direction regarding preparation for Reflection Seminars will be provided to students prior to their session.
While completing rotations, students should consider these reflection prompts to make note of impactful critical events or provocative moments that serve to shape their professional identity:
| Key Theme |
Prompt |
| Professional Identity Reinforcement |
Consider a memorable patient outcome or success story that you contributed to in a rotation. How did this positive outcome impact your sense of fulfillment and purpose as a future pharmacist? |
| Professional Identity Challenge |
Reflect on an encounter during a rotation that challenged your previous notions about the role of a pharmacist. How did this encounter influence your understanding of your professional identity? |
| Ethical Decision Making | Describe a moment during a rotation where you had to make a difficult ethical decision. How did this experience shape your perception of your role and how you navigate professional and ethical dilemmas? |
| Professional Development | Recall a time during a rotation when you encountered a gap in your knowledge or skills that challenged your confidence as a future pharmacist. How did you navigate this situation and what did you learn about yourself as a developing professional? |
| Interprofessional Collaboration | Describe a time during a rotation when you collaborated with other healthcare providers. How did this experience influence your understanding of your role within the healthcare system and your professional identity as a pharmacist? |
| Effective Communication | Describe a challenging encounter with another person during your rotation. How did you navigate this interaction, and what did you learn about the importance of effective communication as a pharmacist? |
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it fair for all students and preceptors, every student is expected to take the reflective day off site during each APPE rotation to facilitate an opportunity for rest and resetting for the second half of the rotation.
No, documentation for reflective days is not required. Students are entrusted to spend the day in active reflection to whatever extent feels necessary for them.
For students who are obtaining support/remediation and are asked to complete a learning plan, specific instructions will be provided regarding submission of the document.
Students are required to attend at least one Reflection Seminar on a scheduled reflective day, but are otherwise encouraged to spend the other reflective days however they like.
While the reflective days offer a scheduled opportunity to have a formalized meeting with the EL Office for students who require more support to be successful in their rotation, all students are encouraged to engage in reflection activities that feel meaningful and productive for them. If any student wishes to meet with the EL Office team, they are certainly invited to reach out.
Students can choose to engage in whatever reflective activities they feel are most appropriate for their own growth and development on the reflective days. Reflection about critical events and provocative moments experienced during rotations can be augmented in group settings, but students are reminded to always keep all identifying information about patients, colleagues, sites, and others confidential.
No, there are no reflective days scheduled in IPPE rotations. Simply, the four-week rotations are too short to dedicate one full day off site to reflection. All students should be engaging in reflective practices throughout the rotation and should focus these efforts around the midpoint evaluation to make a plan for how to improve in the second half of the rotation.