Development and evaluation of the pharmacy alumni employment experience questionnaire

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the ‘Pharmacy Alumni Employment Experience Questionnaire’ (PAEEQ). Methods: Literature review and Herzberg’s ‘motivation-hygiene’ theory were used to derive PAEEQ domains: satisfaction with the profession, achievements in the workplace, and preparedness to practice. Content and face validities were assessed by 11 experts and five pharmacy alumni. To evaluate the construct validity and reliability, PAEEQ was tested on 136 Qatar University College of Pharmacy alumni and the principal component analysis (PCA) and internal consistency reliability were performed. Results: Content and face validities suggested a questionnaire with 12-item, 14-item, and 13-item domains measured on 5-point Likert scales, and open-ended questions. PCA resulted in four-factor, two-factor, and two-factor structures for the three domains, respectively. Strong factor loadings and high Cronbach’s alpha scores were revealed. The final version of PAEEQ consists of 27 items. Conclusion: This initial assessment suggests PAEEQ appropriateness for use. However, the findings are sample-dependent and further external validation is warranted.