Don’t Just Teach…Co-author

By: Charlie Wright, PharmD, BCPS; Barrett Carter, PharmD, BCPS; Jessica Carter, PharmD, BCPS; Ian Hendryx, PharmD Candidate 2026

As the landscape of pharmacy education evolves, faculty roles are changing as well. Precepting clinical experiences and heavy teaching loads often supplant the foundational concept of working in academia: scholarship. Given potential time constraints and the risk of burnout, including student learners in scholarly activities is a win-win for both parties. 

Building Professional Identity 

Professional Identity Formation (PIF) is the process of internalizing the values, behaviors, and norms of a professional community, enabling an individual to “think, act, and feel” as a member of that community.¹ When learners engage with faculty in scholarly work, they begin to see themselves as contributors to the field. This transition from observation to application helps students practice what they have learned in a tangible, meaningful way for the pharmacy profession. Actively contributing to academic publications and research enables learners to engage with the broader pharmacy community. Core principles students have learned in the classroom, such as how to ask questions, seek evidence, and draw their own conclusions, align closely with the mindset of a pharmacist. Participating in scholarly activity further helps learners shift their professional perspective and begin viewing themselves in active roles rather than passive recipients of knowledge. 

Enhancing Student Career Prospects

In an increasingly competitive residency and job market, having scholarly work on a curriculum vitae can enhance learners’ appeal to future employers. Involvement in scholarship also provides learners with skills often underemphasized in traditional pharmacy coursework. These factors set learners apart, enhancing their aptitude, experience, and marketability for future positions.²

Many students enter pharmacy school with little to no research experience. The research process can be demystified by having a faculty mentor. Opportunities to engage in scholarship allow learners to work through the research process from forming a hypothesis to analyzing data to producing a deliverable. Participating in this process first-hand allows learners to see the components of an often shrouded, complex process.

Further, writing for publication teaches scientific writing skills that emphasize clarity and organization. Students must learn to synthesize complex information, and working with a faculty mentor allows this additional avenue for teaching. For some learners, this may spark interest in research or academic careers. 

Benefits to Faculty 

Faculty members also benefit greatly from involving student learners in their scholarly endeavors. Students serve as a conduit to maintain momentum on projects that may be lost to competing responsibilities or other time constraints. By bringing fresh perspectives, students often bring enthusiasm to projects. In addition, co-authoring with learners can significantly increase a faculty member’s scholarly output. In terms of career progression, many institutions are placing an increased emphasis on scholarly works in promotion decisions.³ Beyond increasing scholarly output, involving learners fosters collaboration within an organization. A culture of mentorship strengthens professional relationships between students and their professors and, in turn, contributes to an institution’s overall academic vitality.

Best Practices

Student participation in scholarly activities offers multiple benefits to both faculty and learners, but also presents limitations. Barriers may include a lack of student experience or time constraints. Anticipating barriers to scholarly work at your institution is the first step in involving learners in a project. Factors that motivate students to engage in research may vary across institutions but could include community health, professional development, or mentoring relationships.⁴ Table 1 outlines best practices for faculty and students who seek to engage together in scholarly activity.

Table 1: Best Practices

Strategies for Faculty	Strategies for Learners
Best Practice #1: Establish clear and concise expectations.
-Define timelines, roles, and responsibilities. -Identify the scholarly output format. -Share templates and examples.	-Clarify the scope of the project. -Determine the level of independence expected. -Communicate concerns promptly.
Best Practice #2: Create a structured experience.
-Align the project with student goals. -Create checklists to reduce students’ cognitive load. -Guide student progress and momentum with regular check-ins.	-Prepare for meetings. -Accept and incorporate feedback. -Track edits thoughtfully.
Best Practice #3: Engage in reflection and debrief often.
-Offer formative feedback. -Share examples of previous reviewer feedback.  -Model resilience by discussing failed submissions.	-Take ownership of the project. -Propose ideas for improvement. -Ask how a scholarship shapes your career goals.
Best Practice #4: Celebrate and showcase success.
-Encourage students to present at conferences to build confidence and improve visibility. -Provide networking opportunities.  -Invite high-performers to return as near-peer mentors for future projects.	-Seek opportunities to share findings. -Accept invitations to network or present. -Consider further projects with the same mentor or in the same area. -Share your experience with other students.

Engaging pharmacy students in scholarly work transforms them from passive learners into active contributors, strengthening PIF while enhancing their competitiveness for residencies and future careers. Further, faculty can boost scholarly productivity, foster a culture of collaboration, and advance both individual careers and institutional academic vitality. How could you incorporate learners in your next project? 

References (in AMA style): 

1. Janke KK, Bloom TJ, Boyce EG, et al. A Pathway to Professional Identity Formation: Report of the 2020-2021 AACP Student Affairs Standing Committee. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2021;85(10):8714. doi:https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe8714
2. Deal EN, Stranges PM, Maxwell WD, et al. The Importance of Research and Scholarly Activity in Pharmacy Training. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. 2016;36(12):e200-e205. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.1864
3. Viswesh V, Hassell K, Coyne L, Erstad BL. Ten Tips for Pharmacy Faculty Members for Successfully Navigating Promotion and Tenure. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2020;85(1):8414. doi:https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe8414
4. Mersfelder TL, Sohn M, Girand HL. Factors influencing the involvement of Doctor of Pharmacy students in research and scholarship projects. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. 2021;13(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2021.03.020 

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Author Bio(s):

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Pulses is a scholarly blog supported by a team of pharmacy education scholars.