Support
One of APPEL’s primary goals is to support Training Establishments and Trainers to undertake their roles. This support is provided in a number of ways.
Handbooks
APPEL develops year-specific handbooks to support Trainers to deliver experiential learning placements.
Copies of these handbooks can be downloaded here.
Practice Educators
Each School of Pharmacy has one or two Practice Educators, whose role is to support those supervising or acting as Supervisors, Preceptors, or Senior Preceptors to the pharmacy students who have been placed by APPEL. Each Practice Educator has extensive pharmacy practice experience and works part-time with the schools of pharmacy. This practice-based experience means our Practice Educators are well placed to assist with any issues arising during a placement. If you have any concerns about a student on placement please contact APPEL. We will be happy to arrange a call or visit from a Practice Educator if required. Details on all the APPEL team, including Practice Educators, can be found here.
Helpdesk Support
The APPEL operations team can be contacted during office hours at ops@appel.ie if you have any queries or concerns.
Self-Directed Trainer Training Programme
The APPEL Trainer Training Programme allows Trainers to complete the required training when and where it suits them. The APPEL training programme is open to all pharmacists and to anyone involved in supervising APPEL students on placement. If you are interested in completing your training online, please contact ops@appel.ie.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
“Continuing professional development (CPD) is a continual process of lifelong learning which is focused on implementing learning in your professional practice and improving outcomes for patients”. (www.iiop.ie)
Training a student offers excellent CPD opportunities, including learning through teaching, peer-to-peer networking at APPEL events, learning from students, and reflecting on and developing Core Competencies including leadership skills and human resources management skills.
In 2020, 94% of our Supervisors and 87% of Preceptors agreed that supervising a student contributed to their CPD.
APPEL has developed sample CPD cycles, based on some feedback that pharmacists shared regarding their experiences of supervising students. These cycles are intended to illustrate how pharmacists can incorporate their own experiences of supervising students into their own professional learning journeys.
