Development of a Study Abroad Elective Course for Pharmacy Students
Sarah E. White, PharmD, RPh
Pacific University School of Pharmacy – College of Health Professions, Hillsboro, Oregon
Introduction
Methods (continued)
Discussion
Although there is great interest in global health and outreach opportunities among pharmacy students, University‐sponsored study abroad opportunities did not exist at our three‐year pharmacy school until the fall of 2010. In 2007, faculty and students from three programs in the University’s College of Health Professions (CHP), Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Dental Health, began the first interdisciplinary study abroad program. This involved a ten‐
day trip to Nicaragua to serve the abandoned elderly during Winter Break. In order to incorporate pharmacy students in this unique experience, several areas needed to be addressed for successful implementation. The objectives for developing this course were to increase pharmacy student involvement in an international, interprofessional study abroad program, and to increase pharmacy
students’ global health awareness.
The course was ultimately classified as an Independent Study Course (ISC) and goals and responsibilities were developed. All students are required to complete course evaluations at the conclusion of the trip and data are reviewed by course faculty members every year. Students are assigned a grade of ‘Pass’ or ‘No Pass’ based on fulfillment of the course requirements. The keys to successful development of this course involved multiple factors: conducting needs assessments as a means to identify pharmacy‐specific ways for students to contribute to the team; recruiting students early in the year; presenting the potential cost to all interested students early during recruitment; choosing an Independent Study Course as the course type which enabled financial aid assistance for trip expenses and allowed for the application
process; giving students an elective credit which may have increased interest; and purposely integrating pharmacy students into the team as medication experts. Due to the nature of the Independent Study Course, both second and third year students are eligible to apply.
Methods
Four critical issues were identified when developing the course:
#1: Determining the need for pharmacy involvement
In order to include pharmacy students in this project, a needs assessment was performed. A pharmacy practice faculty member attended the trip in 2008, one year in advance of intending to take students, and worked with the currently participating disciplines to evaluate the ways that pharmacy could contribute to this existing service learning project. Gaps in currently offered services were identified as well as potential future benefits from the addition of pharmacy students.
#2: Recruiting student participants
Some limitations to recruiting students included lack of previous pharmacy student experiences, cost (~$2,500 per student), and time commitment required. The goal is for each program to have four students as a means to facilitate interprofessional collaboration as well as to help cover faculty costs. #3: Identifying the appropriate course type
An Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) elective course was the first proposal. This became an obstacle because of the out‐
of‐country experience as well as the need to coordinate 6‐weeks worth of rotation responsibilities around a ten‐day trip. The next option was a formal didactic elective, but this course type did not fit the ‘first come, first served’ basis of an elective course since applications were desired in order to select students that best fit the criteria for the team (i.e. teamwork, Spanish language skills, etc.).
#4: Integrating students into the existing program
Since the program ran smoothly for the first three years without
pharmacy students, it needed to be clear how they would be incorporated into the program. Prior to the trip pharmacy students provided education to the team on travel medicine as a way to promote the pharmacy students’ abilities. Each year every program offers education to the caregivers in Nicaragua, and a topic was
chosen for pharmacy as well.
Results
Continued pharmacy student interest and participation since implementation of the course are positive signs. The next four students have already been selected for the 2012 course with one
student repeating the experience for a second year. Building from the ISC model, the next goal is to transition into an interprofessional CHP course that would make it a truly interprofessional elective.
Areas of need that that were identified for pharmacy include: consulting with other medical providers regarding medication regimens; educating caregivers on proper medication storage and effects of aging on medication use; providing recommendations for medication use to other team members; identifying potential medication donations for future trips; and expanding interprofessional partnerships between more disciplines. Prior to implementation of this course, there were no University‐
sponsored study abroad opportunities for pharmacy students. The first year the program was offered to pharmacy students (2009), no students attended due to the cost or being unable to commit to the trip; at that time it was not classified as a course of any kind.
Due to lack of student participation the first year, recruiting began much earlier in the year for the fall 2010 trip, giving students more time to plan for the large expense and time commitment. Also, by
this time the faculty member had attended the trip twice and had
gained more knowledge to give pharmacy students a better picture
of how they would be integrated into the program. Four students applied and those four students were chosen for the team.
In 2011, nine students applied for the four spots. The four that were chosen enrolled in the newly created Independent Study Course which allowed them to access additional financial aid up to the cost of participating in the trip.
Conclusions
This elective course has given second and third year students the opportunity to participate in a study abroad experience that had not previously been available to pharmacy students. This course allows them to learn about healthcare and culture in another country, be trained from the perspective of other healthcare professionals, further develop their patient care skills, and integrate their practice into a unique, interprofessional environment.
Contact Information
Sarah E. White, Assistant Professor
Pacific University School of Pharmacy
222 SE 8th Avenue, Suite 451, Hillsboro, Oregon 97123
swhite@pacificu.edu
(541) 789-5919