An assessment system for mapping CAPE outcomes in an advanced pharmacy practice experience program.

OBJECTIVE To implement and evaluate an assessment system based on the 1998 Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education's (CAPE) Outcomes for students in advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). DESCRIPTION The system requires each preceptor to create a summative assessment tool by choosing the most important 20-30 CAPE competencies and sub-elements necessary for his/her pharmacy practice with each to be scored by him/her on a 4-point scale from "exceeds expectations" to "below expectations." Students' grades are determined by an examination committee based on the preceptors' assessments. The system contains a mechanism to assist students with competency deficits and permits a student's yearlong performance in the APPE program to be considered when assigning grades for individual APPE courses. EVALUATION The assessment system permits each student's performance in individual APPE courses to be mapped to the CAPE competencies for grading purposes. It permits class performance in an APPE program to be mapped to the CAPE competencies for quality assurance and school planning. CONCLUSION An assessment system based on the 1998 CAPE Educational Outcomes competencies has been successfully introduced for students in APPE training.