Using facebook within a geriatric pharmacotherapy course

Objective

To evaluate using an Internet-based social networking site within an elective geriatric pharmacotherapy course.

Design

Thirty pharmacy students enrolled in a geriatric pharmacotherapy elective course were invited to join a closed Facebook (Facebook Inc, Palo Alto, CA) group to enhance communication among students and faculty members within the course. Creating a discussion board was the primary activity in the course. Each week, 3 students were assigned to post a healthy aging topic, and other students in the class were expected to post their comments and reactions. The healthy aging topics also were discussed during class.

Assessment

Students wrote reflections about their experiences using Facebook for the activities within this course. A survey instrument also measured students'' opinions about using Facebook for educational purposes.

Conclusion

Using Facebook allowed students to discuss topics more openly and encouraged classroom discussions of healthy aging topics.     

Factors affecting prepharmacy students' perceptions of the professional role of pharmacists

Objective

To assess prepharmacy students'' perceptions of the professional role of pharmacists prior to enrollment in pharmacy school, and the association between perceptions and student demographics.

Methods

A 58-question survey instrument regarding pharmacists'' roles, work experiences, and demographics was developed and administered to students (N = 127) enrolled in an organic chemistry laboratory experience at Purdue University.

Results

Theory of planned behavior subscales (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control) were influenced by students'' grade point average, gender, and application to pharmacy school, while unpaid work experience affected professional commitment. Students evaluated work experience related to their pharmacy studies more positively than non-pharmacy-related areas in the theory of planned behavior subscales.

Conclusions

Evaluating students'' perceptions may be beneficial in helping pharmacy educators design their curricula, as well as allowing admissions committees to select the most qualified students to promote the development of positive perceptions toward the professional role of pharmacists. Grade point average (GPA) and application to pharmacy school were associated with significant differences for the theory of planned behavior and professional commitment subscales.     

Peer-Level Patient Presenters Decrease Pharmacy Students' Social Distance From Patients With Schizophrenia and Clinical Depression

Objectives

To create a doctor of pharmacy curricular experience that will decrease students'' social barriers to interaction with and treatment of mentally-ill patients.

Design

We created a survey instrument to measure 4 aspects of students'' conceptions of schizophrenia and clinical depression: (1) understanding of the medical nature of each disease, (2) understanding of patient behavior, (3) belief in the efficacy of treatment, and (4) social distance. We delivered this instrument before and after a neuropsychiatry curriculum including “peer-level patient presenters” in addition to the traditional first-year pharmacy curriculum.

Assessment

Social-distance scores significantly decreased in first-year pharmacy students who attended peer-level patient presentations, indicating increased willingness to interact with persons with schizophrenia and clinical depression. In addition, students'' understanding of the causes of illness, behavior of patients, and most importantly, efficacy of drug counseling for these diseases increased.

Conclusions

Changes to the curriculum including the addition of peer-level patient presentations can quantitatively decrease pharmacy students'' social barriers to the treatment of mentally-ill patients.     

Anonymous Peer Assessment of Medication Management Reviews

Objectives

To investigate whether pharmacy students'' anonymous peer assessment of a medication management review (MMR) was constructive, consistent with the feedback provided by an expert tutor, and enhanced the students'' learning experience.

Design

Fourth-year undergraduate pharmacy students were randomly and anonymously assigned to a partner and participated in an online peer assessment of their partner''s MMR.

Assessment

An independent expert graded a randomly selected sample of the MMR''s using a schedule developed for the study. A second expert evaluated the quality of the peer and expert feedback. Students also completed a questionnaire and participated in a focus group interview. Student peers gave significantly higher marks than an expert for the same MMR; however, no significant difference between the quality of written feedback between the students and expert was detected. The majority of students agreed that this activity was a useful learning experience.

Conclusions

Anonymous peer assessment is an effective means of providing additional constructive feedback on student performance on the medication review process. Exposure to other students'' work and the giving and receiving of peer feedback were perceived as valuable by students.     

Cultural competence knowledge and confidence after classroom activities

Objectives

To determine change in cultural competency knowledge and perceived confidence of second-year pharmacy students to deliver culturally competent care after completing a required cultural competency curriculum.

Design

Cultural competence material was covered in the second-year PharmD curriculum through lectures, laboratories, and an experiential/out-of-class assignment.

Assessment

Eighty-five second-year (P2) pharmacy students completed a survey which assessed influence of classroom activities related to cultural competence. Mean values for knowledge and perceived confidence were significantly higher for posttest compared to pretest (p < 0.01), after cultural competency activities. Focus groups were used to solicit students'' opinions on instructional effectiveness, relevance of activities, and areas for enhancement.

Conclusion

The cultural competency curriculum increased pharmacy students'' awareness of and confidence in addressing cultural diversity issues that affect pharmaceutical care delivery.     

Improvisational Exercises to Improve Pharmacy Students' Professional Communication Skills

Objective

To create and implement improvisational exercises to improve first-year pharmacy students'' communication skills.

Design

Twelve 1-hour improvisational sessions were developed and added to an existing/established patient communication course to improve 3 basic skills: listening, observing and responding. Standardized patient examinations were used to evaluate student communication skills, and course evaluations and reflective journaling were used to evaluate students'' perceptions of the improvisational exercises.

Assessment

The improvisational exercises markedly improved the students'' performance in several aspects of standardized patient examination. Additionally, course evaluations and student comments reflected their perception that the improvisational exercises significantly improved their communication skills.

Summary

Improvisational exercises are an effective way to teach communication skills to pharmacy students.     

An elective course in information mastery

Objective

To design and implement an elective course in information mastery and assess its impact on students'' ability to identify information needs and formulate clinically relevant, evidence-based answers.

Design

A semester-long (15-week) elective course was offered to third-year (P3) doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students that outlined the necessary knowledge and skills for using information mastery in evidence-based practice.

Assessment

Results of a pre- and postcourse survey instrument demonstrated an increase in students'' knowledge of information mastery and confidence in and familiarity with the practice of evidence-based medicine in pharmacy. Students who had completed the elective were able to provide higher quality search strategies and evidence-based answers to a clinical question than other P3 students, and P4 students who did not participate in the elective.

Conclusion

An elective course in information mastery improved students'' knowledge and understanding of information mastery as it pertains to practicing evidence-based medicine.     

Comparison of attitudes, beliefs, and resource-seeking behavior for CAM among first- and third-year Czech pharmacy students

Objectives

To assess and compare first- and third-year Czech pharmacy students'' attitudes toward CAM, CAM use, CAM evidence, recommending CAM to patients, and including CAM in the pharmacy curricula.

Methods

The CAM Health Belief Questionnaire (CHBQ) was translated from English to Czech and administered to 250 first-year and 187 third-year students.

Results

The students'' mean CHBQ score was 48.5, affirming positive attitudes toward CAM. Vitamins, herbs, massage, and relaxation were the most commonly used therapies among students. Czech students reported significantly low use of evidence-based resources on CAM. Ninety percent of the pharmacy students surveyed would recommend CAM and 89% believed pharmacists should be knowledgeable of CAM. Ninety-one percent of first-year vs 78% of third-year students supported CAM education (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Czech students have positive attitudes about CAM, but are less likely to access evidence-based information. They agree pharmacists should be educated about CAM.     

Canadian Pharmacy Students' Knowledge of Herbal Medicine

Objective

To determine fourth-year Canadian pharmacy students'' knowledge of herbal medicine and whether that knowledge is associated with mandatory instruction in herbal medicine.

Methods

Standardized multiple-choice tests assessing students'' herbal knowledge were distributed to all fourth-year BSc pharmacy students at 5 pharmacy schools in Canada.

Results

The Quebec response rate was too low to include in the analysis. Herbal knowledge test scores were positively associated with having previously taken an herbal medicine class and completion of a pharmacy practicum. However, postsecondary education, age, and gender were not associated with herbal knowledge test scores. Students at the University of British Columbia had the highest score, followed by Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.

Conclusion

Pharmacy students'' knowledge of herbal medicine varies depending on the school attended and higher herbal knowledge test scores appear to be most closely related to mandatory herbal instruction.     

Pharmacy students' approaches to learning in undergraduate and graduate entry programs

Objectives

To compare longitudinal data with previous cross-sectional data regarding Australian undergraduate pharmacy students'' approaches to learning, and explore the differences in approaches to learning between undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts.

Methods

Longitudinal, repeated measures design using a validated self-report survey instrument were used to gather data.

Results

Undergraduate students'' preferences for meaning directed, undirected, and reproduction-directed approaches to learning displayed the same pattern across the 2 studies; however, application-directed scores increased significantly in the second half of the undergraduate degree program. Commencing postgraduate students'' approaches to learning were similar to finishing undergraduate students, and this group was significantly more oriented towards meaning-directed learning compared to undergraduate students.

Conclusions

Pharmacy students'' maturation in approach to their learning was evident and this bodes well for pharmacists'' engaging in life-long learning and capacity to work in increasingly complex health settings.     

Guest speakers in a professional development seminar series

Objective

To evaluate the impact guest speakers have on student development in a professional development seminar series.

Design

Over a 5-semester period, presentations were given by 18 guest speakers as part of a professional development seminar series.

Assessment

A 28-item survey instrument was constructed and administered to 68 students to assess the impact of the guest speakers on the students'' professional development. Forty-six (68%) students completed the survey instrument, and the results demonstrated the value of the guest speakers, most notably in the areas of career development and professional responsibility.

Conclusion

Exposing pharmacy students to guest speakers from varied pharmacy career paths positively impacted students'' knowledge of career options and professional development.     

Pharmacy Students' Attitudes Toward a Required Public Health Course and Developing a Public Health Program

Objective

To determine pharmacy students'' attitudes towards a required public health course and developing a public health program.

Method

Two hundred ten first-year pharmacy students enrolled in a public health course at a large private pharmacy school were surveyed. A 24-item adjective rating scale and a 10-item scale were used to measure students'' attitudes towards the course and developing a public health program.

Results

Of 198 respondents, two-thirds found the course to be extremely or very appealing, of practical value, and only slightly demanding and difficult. The majority of the students indicated that establishing a public health program would be an opportunity to help the community and make a difference. Few students indicated that it would be a poor use of time or an example of busy work.

Conclusion

Pharmacy students had positive attitudes towards a required public health course and developing a public health program. Strategies to mold positive attitudes into actual behaviors of engaging in public health activities are needed.     

A mental health elective to improve pharmacy students' perspectives on mental illness

Objective

To evaluate the impact of a mental health elective on pharmacy students'' perceptions and stigmatizing views of mental illness.

Design

An elective was designed that featured an advanced overview of psychopharmacology; student training in motivational interviewing; a presentation by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) local chapter; introduction to pharmacy collaborations with peer support specialists, social workers, and psychiatrists; mock patient counseling sessions; and a required psychiatric patient interview at a local community mental health center.

Assessment

A survey instrument with 17 Likert-scale items was constructed to measure 2 distinct areas: social distance and stigmatizing views. The survey instrument was administered at the beginning and end of the spring 2010 semester to pharmacy students enrolled in the mental health elective course and to a control group of pharmacy students enrolled in an unrelated clinical elective. The course had a positive impact on pharmacy students'' perceptions of mental illnesses. Students'' social distance and stigmatizing views of mental illnesses improved, while no significant change in views occurred among students in the control group.

Conclusion

Advanced training in psychiatric medicine and exposure to mental health care are vital to prepare pharmacy students to provide unbiased, patient-centered care to this population.     

A Blended Learning Approach to Teaching Basic Pharmacokinetics and the Significance of Face-to-Face Interaction

Objective

To assess pharmacy students'' attitudes towards a blended-learning pharmacokinetics course.

Design

Narrated visual presentations and animations that illustrated kinetic processes and guided students through the use of software programs used for calculations were created. Other learning techniques used included online self-assessment quizzes, practice problem sets, and weekly face-to-face problem-solving tutorials.

Assessment

A precourse questionnaire to assess students'' level of enthusiasm towards the blended-learning course and to solicit any concerns they had was administered at the beginning of the course. A postcourse questionnaire that included the same 4 Likert-scale items from the precourse questionnaire and follow-up open-ended questions was administered. Individual changes in level of enthusiasm were compared for individuals who completed both the precourse and postcourse questionnaire. Students'' concerns about the blended method of learning had decreased postcourse while their enthusiasm for the benefits of blended learning had increased.

Conclusion

Students'' initial concerns about the blended learning experience were focused on their ability to communicate with the instructor about the online components, but shifted to their own time management skills at the end of the course. Face-to-face interactions with each other and with the instructor were more highly rated than online interactions in this course.     

Active-learning strategies to develop health literacy knowledge and skills

Objective

To implement active-learning exercises in a required pharmacy course and assess their impact on students'' knowledge and confidence in identifying and communicating with patients with low health literacy, as part of a required course in cultural competency, health literacy, and health beliefs.

Design

Active-learning activities including administering health literacy assessments, identifying informal signs of low health literacy, conducting mock patient counseling sessions, rating the readability of drug information, analyzing information in drug advertisements, and writing patient education materials were incorporated into the 6-sesssion health literacy portion of the course.

Assessment

A pretest and posttest showed that students'' knowledge of health literacy increased, and a retrospective pretest found improvement in students'' confidence in their ability to care for patients with low health literacy. In-class discussions provided informal evidence that students gained new knowledge from the active-learning activities.

Conclusion

The addition of active-learning activities was effective in teaching health literacy concepts to pharmacy students.     

A capstone advanced pharmacy practice experience in research

Objective

To implement a required capstone experience in research for pharmacy students, assess course outcomes, and solicit mentors'' and students'' opinions regarding the structure and efficacy of the course.

Design

Fourth-year pharmacy students chose a research project, selected a mentor, and completed a 5-week capstone advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE), during which they wrote a research paper and presented their research at a poster session.

Assessment

Eighty students completed the capstone experience in 2008-2009 and 56 faculty and non-faculty pharmacists served as mentors. Based on their responses on a course evaluation, the students'' experience with their mentor and course instructor were positive. Thirty-one mentors completed a survey on which they indicated their overall support of the capstone project, but wanted their role to be better defined and felt the students needed to have additional training in statistics, survey question design, and the IRB process before completing the APPE.

Conclusion

The capstone APPE was perceived by students and mentors as a positive learning experience that allowed the student to take information from the curriculum and apply it to a real-world situation. Additional research is needed to determine whether pharmacy students will use the research skills acquired in their future careers.     

Pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising

Objectives

To assess pharmacy students'' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA).

Methods

A cross sectional, self-administered, 106-item survey instrument was used to assess first, second, and third professional year pharmacy students'' knowledge about DTCA regulations, attitudes toward DTCA, and evaluation of DTC advertisements with different brief summary formats (professional labeling and patient labeling) and in different media sources (print and television).

Results

One hundred twenty (51.3%) of the 234 students enrolled participated in the study. The mean percentage knowledge score was 48.7% ± 12.5%. Based on the mean scores per item, pharmacy students had an overall negative attitude toward DTC advertisements. Students had an overall negative attitude toward television and print advertisements using the professional labeling format but an overall positive attitude toward the print advertisement using the patient labeling format.

Conclusions

Lectures discussing DTC advertising should be included in the pharmacy curriculum.