Purposeful practice: An introduction for pharmacy preceptors to support student success using the deliberate practice framework

PURPOSE: Deliberate practice (DP) is a framework in which goal-driven, structured activities are used to challenge individuals to improve and streamline processes and skills. The DP framework offers suggestions for creating purposeful practice opportunities to foster student skill development. Preceptors may leverage student purposeful practice to further improve skill development in the experiential setting. SUMMARY: DP includes 4 criteria: (1) an explicit goal or objective for skill improvement; (2) motivation to improve the skill; (3) immediate feedback; and (4) skill repetition. Fulfilling all aspects of DP is difficult in healthcare; purposeful practice activities can be designed using the DP framework but with some relaxed requirements. Purposeful practice can optimize student skill development while being more achievable in pharmacy. Preceptors can support student use of purposeful practice by assisting in learning plan development, allowing dedicated time to perform purposeful practice in a safe and controlled environment, and offering periodic observation with feedback. CONCLUSION: Preceptors can support student use of purposeful practice by using the DP framework to enhance skill development, moving students beyond the rote repetition that often occurs during routine workflow activities on rotation. Preceptors can facilitate purposeful practice activities by overseeing students' planning of activities, using online resources, and creating a repository of purposeful practice activities.