Ask More, Tell Less: Academic Coaching to Promote Student Reflection and Growth

In this episode of Pharmacy Fika, Stuart and the co-hosts are joined by Aleda Chen, PharmD, PhD (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) and Krisy Thornby, PharmD (Palm Beach Atlantic University). Both served on the 2025-26 AACP Academic Affairs Committee, whose report examines academic coaching in pharmacy education.  Coaching is learner-driven, inquiry-based, and built on goal setting and accountability. Our guests explain why moving faculty from “question answerer” to “question asker” matters and how to make it work curriculum-wide.  Plus, there is a lot of talk about persimmons.  

Intro and Fika Snack Sharing: 0:00 - 4:28

Academic Coaching: 4:29

Resources

1. Chen AMH, Rhoney DH, Thornby KA, et al.  2025-2026 Academic Affairs Committee Report: Advancing Competency-based Pharmacy Education and Academic Coaching.  Am J Pharm Educ 2026; 90: 102009.
2. King SM, Anas S, Carnicer Hijazo R, Jordaan J, Potter JDF, Low-Beer N. Twelve tips for designing and implementing an academic coaching program. Med Teach. 2024;46(9):1140-1146. 
3. Deiorio NM, Moore M, Santen S, et al. Coaching models, theories, and structures: An overview for teaching faculty in the emergency department and educators in offices. AEM Educ Train 2022; 6 (5): e10801.
4. Orr CJ, Sonnadara RR.  Coaching by design: exploring a new approach to faculty development in a competency-based medical education curriculum. Adv Med Educ Pract 2019; 10: 229-244.
5. Wilder JC, Diec S.  Exploring benefits of instructional coaching as a model to improve teaching practice in pharmacy education.  Am J Pharm Educ 2025; 89: 101382.
6. Branzetti J.  Developmental coaching for clinician educators: Just what the doctor ordered.  J Contin Educ Health Prof 2025: 45 (2): 113-18.
7. Hammoud MM, Deiorio NM, Moore M, Wolff M. Coaching in Medical Education. Edition 1 ed. Elsevier; 2022.
8. Santiesteban L, Young E, Tiarks GC, et al. Defining Advising, Coaching, and Mentoring for Student Development in Medical Education. Cureus. 2022;14(7):e27356.
9. Richardson D, Landreville JM, Trier J, et al. Coaching in Competence by Design: A New Model of Coaching in the Moment and Coaching Over Time to Support Large Scale Implementation. Perspect Med Educ. 2024;13(1):33-43.
10. Khamis S, Trečiokienė I, Liu Y, Laughlin D.  Coaching skill for educators: A psychological approach to teaching and learning (PSTU-09).  FIP World Congress 2026, Montreal, Canada, September 1, 2026.

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The Pharmacy Fika podcast is a positive and compassionate “place” (a virtual community) where pharmacy and other health professions educators gather to discuss teaching, learning, scholarship, and academic life… plus the snacks that support their best work. So grab your favorite beverage and listen to the Pharmacy Fika podcast with your colleagues.

The Co-Hosts are:

• Stuart T. Haines (Executive Producer), University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy – sthaines@olemiss.edu               
• Tina Brock, Monash University - tina.brock@monash.edu
• Jeff Cain, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy - jeff.cain@uky.edu 
• Kristin Janke, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy - janke006@umn.edu

Disclaimer (inspired by Whad’Ya Know?): All opinions expressed on the Pharmacy Fika podcast are well-reasoned and insightful. Needless to say, they are ours and our guests alone, and not those of our employing institutions.

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