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Introduction: This study aims to present an implementation of reflective professional development portfolios in pharmacy programs. The overall aim with the project is to stimulate pharmacy students’ professional development. Reflection can be a way to deal with new knowledge and increase professional confidence and competence. Since the process of learning professional values, attitudes and behaviours starts early, an emphasis on students’ development is crucial.

Methods: New written reflective assignments have been introduced in about 10 different courses in the pharmacy programs at Umeå University, Sweden. Students’ level of reflection was measured (on a 6-degree level of reflection scale) to establish students’ level without any further introduction to reflective thinking and learning in the current curricula.

Results: Preliminary results show low reflection in the first introduction course in the program (mean 3.08, 22% reflective, n¼49) and the level has only slightly increased at the 6th semester (mean 3,48, 48,8% reflective, n¼66) and on the 10th semester (mean 3,5, 50% reflective, n¼46). Interrater reliability was calculated by Cohens kappa k¼0,37-0,63. Results from more courses, feasibility, and interrater reliability are going to be evaluated and calculated this spring and presented at the conference.

Conclusions: Umeå University are introducing “Reflective professional development portfolios (RPDP)” as a learning activity integrated in all theoretical courses as writing assignments combined with mentor discussions (4 occasions) and summative portfolios (2 assignments) in the pharmacy curricula. Assessments and feedback on reflective writing of portfolios are planned to occur on several occasions and different levels including level of reflection, discussions on professionalism, and content. This baseline measurement can be used to assess the suggested curricula developments.

A selection of cellulose pulps was investigated for their chemical changes during the required process steps to viscose dope. The selection of the pulps was based on pulping process, original wood type and intrinsic viscosity. In total, five sulfite pulps and four sulfate pulps were chosen, of which all but one sulfate pulp were of dissolving grades. The physical and chemical properties of the pulps were analyzed as well as important qualitative parameters of the cellulose intermediates during mercerization, pre-aging and in the final viscose dope. Pre-aging curves were reported as a measure of each pulp's reactivity with respect to oxidative degradation, where high hemicellulose content and small pore area and pore diameter were found to hamper cellulose degradation. The correlations in pre-aged pulps of intrinsic viscosity to Mz, Mv and Mw were found to be ambiguous and show the need for a description of total molecular weight distribution of the alkali celluloses to better understand the degradation behavior of each pulp, instead of only intrinsic viscosity. It was also shown that R18 and R10 are insufficient analyses to determine pulp, and to predict viscose quality. Further, many pulps, independently of initial hemicellulose content, reached the same level of hemicellulose content after mercerization. The presence of crystalline hemicelluloses could be a possible cause for this level-off behavior, combined with hemicelluloses resistant to caustic lye treatment. The change of both low-molecular-weight celluloses and PD in the process to viscose dope was investigated due to the importance of these variables on dope spinnability and viscose fiber strength. Caustic resistance of cellulose and hemicelluloses and a more rigid fiber structure in some pulps are suggested to contribute to the different degradation behavior.

Several grades of cellulose pulps were investigated for their influence on the product quality of a cellulose ether, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (EHEC). The selection of the pulps was based on pulping process, original wood type and intrinsic viscosity. In total, five sulfite pulps and four sulfate pulps were chosen, of which all but one sulfate pulp were of dissolving grade. The physical and chemical properties of the pulps were analyzed as well as important qualitative parameters of the final product EHEC. The influence of pulp properties on EHEC quality was investigated by multivariate data analyses.Principal component analysis showed that due to the influence of all variables, the pulps aligned in groups in accordance to the selection criteria pulping process and wood type. Partial least square regression revealed that high gel formation in EHEC is explained by the pulp properties high intrinsic viscosity and high Mw in combination with high caustic absorption rate and high total caustic absorption. The amount of hemicelluloses, in particular xylose, also contributed to gel formation. High cloud point for an EHEC solution was explained by a high MSEO and low DSEt of the EHEC molecules, where in turn a high MSEO could be predicted by a high pore area, high PD and a low caustic absorption rate. A low DSEt could on the other hand be predicted by a low hemicellulose content and hence a high R18. In a separate model, the same pulp properties explaining MSEO and DSEt also predicted cloud point directly. Fock reactivity and viscose dope filterability, both test methods originating from the viscose manufacturing, were shown to predict cloud point but have low predictability on other EHEC quality parameters.The models achieved can thus be utilized to predict final EHEC product qualities for new pulps within the design set of the chosen pulps.