| The purpose of this study was to describe the inception, development, and implementation of a unique curricular joint venture, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill)/Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Partnership Program and to determine the value of this new program model. The research questions focused on: (a) what was implemented to address both the pharmacist shortage/imbalance in North Carolina and the demands to accommodate an increased student population more representative of the general population, (b) consequences and reasons why implementation occurred as it did utilizing hybrid video teleconferencing (VTC) distance education, and (c) what worked. Finally, it was important to make connections between elements that drove education policy implementation (Dumas & Anyon, 2006; Honig, 2006) while considering factors of diffusion and adoption (Rogers, 2003).;This intrinsic case study followed a pre-structure case outline during analysis that was aligned with the case study's original conceptual framework and covered the time period from 2002 to the spring of 2006. Multiple data collection methods were applied to provide a rich and comprehensive description.;The description of the implemented program drew out the challenges of implementation and resulting consequences. Challenges included the many complex interactions that took place between and among policy, people, places, and technology influenced by economics, political, social networks, and culture perspectives or frameworks. A chronology approach (Yin, 2003) was used to compare identified themes to the case study's theoretical framework of educational policy implementation (Honig, 2006) and diffusions and adoption of innovations (Rogers, 2003). Findings from this case study indicated full implementation and efficacy of the UNC-Chapel Hill/ECSU PharmD Partnership Program. Each partnering university's willingness to compromise, be honest, trust, and create an atmosphere of collaboration was valuable to the overall effectiveness of the partnership program. Sustaining these factors will be vital for continued effectiveness.;The UNC-Chapel Hill/ECSU Doctor of Pharmacy Partnership Program has responded to the demand for more pharmacists using innovative technology without compromising the quality of pharmaceutical education. However, there remains the challenge of recruiting an appropriate number of qualified students and continuing efforts to strengthen ECSU's preparation programs. |
