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To evaluate a flipped drug literature evaluation course for first-year pharmacy students. A drug literature evaluation course was flipped during the 2014 winter semester. Homework from 2013 was transformed into activities and lectures were transformed into multiple short YouTube videos. Average examination scores increased from 75.6% to 86.1%. Eighty-two of 94 students completed the postcourse survey in 2014. Compared to traditional lecture, 59.8% of students indicated they preferred the flipped course. Additionally, students felt the course was important, the in-class activities were helpful, and some of the YouTube videos could be improved. We found length of the video to be significantly correlated with the percentage of videos viewed. The flipped model should be considered in drug literature evaluation courses that seek to increase the amount of active learning in the classroom.

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effect of PBL on problem-solving, self-directed learning, and critical thinking ability of pharmaceutical students through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and meta-analysis of RCTs. In 2021, 57 third-year pharmacy students from China Pharmaceutical University were randomly divided into a PBL group and a lecture-based learning (LBL) group. Mean scores were compared between the two groups for problem-solving, self-directed learning, communication skills, critical thinking, and final exam grades. Students' feedback on the implementation of PBL was also collected. A meta-analysis was subsequently performed. Two authors independently conducted a comprehensive search of two databases (PubMed and CNKI). Eligible studies with effective data were included and the valuable data were extracted for analysis. Quality of involved studies was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. All analyses of statistics were conducted using the 'metafor' package in R software. The PBL group had significantly higher mean scores for problem-solving (8.43±1.56) and self-directed learning (7.39±1.19) than the LBL group (7.02±1.72 and 6.41±1.28, respectively). The PBL group also showed better communication skills (8.86±1.47) than the LBL group (7.68±1.89). The mean level of critical thinking was significantly higher in the PBL group than the LBL group (p = 0.02). The PBL group also had better final exam grades (79.86±1.38) compared to the LBL group (68.1±1.76). Student feedback on PBL implementation was positive. The outcome of subsequent meta-analysis including 8 eligible studies involved 1819 participants showed that the use of PBL significantly improved problem-solving ability (SMD = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.25-1.99) and PBL was also associated with better performance in self-directed learning (SMD = 1.55, 95% CI = 0.64-2.45). However, there was no significant difference in the final exam score in the PBL group compared to the LBL control group (SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = -0.08-0.53). This study found that PBL is an effective teaching method for pharmacy students.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to extend our understanding of escape room pedagogical design by investigating the impact of escape room puzzle content on changes in students’ immediate recall knowledge and demonstration of interprofessional skills during a subsequent simulation. Methods. Students from nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy programs were randomized to complete an escape room themed around acute management of sepsis (intervention group; n=133) or general acute care (control group; n=129) prior to participating in a simulated patient discharge case conference. Students completed a knowledge assessment before the escape room, immediately after the escape room, and immediately after the simulation. Additionally, students completed the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) before and after the experience along with a post-program evaluation. Faculty rated student achievement of interprofessional learning objectives during the simulation using a standardized rubric. Results. Students in the intervention group had higher scores on the knowledge test administered immediately after the escape room. All participants’ ISVS-21 scores increased from before to after the activity. Interprofessional learning objectives, as evaluated by faculty, were met by 248 (94.7%) students. Conclusion. Participating in an interprofessional escape room activity with specific puzzle content improved students’ immediate recall knowledge. In both groups, self-assessed interprofessional socialization improved, and a high percentage of students achieved the interprofessional learning objectives in a subsequent simulation. Escape rooms can be an innovative pedagogical tool that can positively impact immediate recall knowledge and interprofessional collaborative skills of health professions students.

Recently, flipped classrooms (FCs) have gradually been used in Chinese higher education settings. However, few studies have focused on the effects of FCs on interdisciplinary curricula. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an FC on the engagement, performance, and perceptions of students and on teacher-student interaction in a pharmaceutical marketing course. A clustered randomized controlled study was conducted, with 137 junior-year pharmacy undergraduates using an FC serving as the intervention group, in contrast to students using lecture-based learning (LBL) as the control group. Flanders' interaction analysis system (FIAS) was used to measure teacher-student interaction, and questionnaires regarding attitudes toward and satisfaction with the teaching model were administered. The students in the FC group scored significantly higher than those in the LBL group (88.21±5.95 vs. 80.05±5.59, t = -8.08, p = 0.000) on pharmaceutical marketing. The multiple linear regression results showed that the FC model had a significant impact on student performance (β = 8.16, p<0.0001). The percentages of teacher talk in the FC and LBL groups were 21% and 96%, respectively (χ2 = 2170.274, p = 0.000); however, the percentages of student talk in the FC and LBL groups were 75% and 2.6%, respectively (χ2 = 2012.483, p = 0.000). Compared with the LBL group, most students in the FC group held more positive attitudes toward the teaching model; the mean scores for the 8 attitude attributes in the FC group were significantly higher than those in the LBL group (p = 0.000). There were significant differences in the ratings of satisfaction with teacher-student interaction (p = 0.000), the students' learning attitude (p = 0.000), the teacher's preparatory work (p = 0.000), the teaching objective (p = 0.000), and the teaching effect (p = 0.000) between the two groups. Compared with LBL methods, implementing the FC model improved student performance, increased teacher-student interaction and generated positive student attitudes toward the experience. As an effective pedagogical model, it can also stimulate pharmacy students' learning interest and improve their self-learning abilities.

Background Over the course of the past few years, the area of medical education has experienced a substantial movement towards the establishment of online learning platforms and resources. This study aimed to to evaluate the efficacy of an online simulation learning intervention, MyDispense ® , compared to traditional classroom learning in terms of enhancing knowledge, satisfaction, and self-confidence among participants. Methods A multicentre randomized controlled study was conducted among pharmacy students who were assigned either intervention MyDispense ® or control traditional classroom learning groups. They were eligible if they previously had experience with online simulation learning. A previously validated questioner were used to measure the outcome of knowledge, satisfaction and self-confidence. Results Both the intervention and control groups revealed significant improvement in knowledge, the P value for pre-post knowledge scores for each group was < 0,001. Despite these internal improvements, this study’s findings showed no statistically significant differences ( p  > 0.05) between the intervention and control groups on knowledge gain, satisfaction, or self-confidence. This represents comparable outcomes irrespective of the group’s exposure to intervention. Conclusion The study evaluated the efficacy of online simulation learning intervention MyDispense ® in comparison to traditional classroom learning. While both strategies effectively improved knowledge, satisfaction, and self-confidence, the findings demonstrated that the online simulation yielded equivalent learning benefits. MyDispense ® could be an alternative to traditional education in situations where face to face learning is not feasible, with comparable learning outcomes. Clinical trial number not applicable.

Advances in Health Sciences Education (AHSE) has been at the forefront of the cognitive wave in health professions education for the past 25 years. One example is research on productive failure, a teaching strategy that asks learners to attempt to generate solutions to difficult problems before receiving instruction. This study compared the effectiveness of productive failure with indirect failure to further characterize the underpinning cognitive mechanisms of productive failure. Year one pharmacy students (N = 42) were randomly assigned to a productive failure or an indirect failure learning condition. The problem of estimating renal function based on serum creatinine was described to participants in the productive failure learning condition, who were then asked to generate a solution. Participants in the indirect failure condition learned about the same problem and were given incorrect solutions that other students had created, as well as the Cockcroft–Gault formula, and asked to compare and contrast the equations. Immediately thereafter all participants completed a series of tests designed to assess acquisition, application, and preparation for future learning (PFL). The tests were repeated after a 1-week delay. Participants in the productive failure condition outperformed those in the indirect failure condition, both on the immediate PFL assessment, and after a 1-week delay. These results emphasize the crucial role of generation in learning. When preparing novice students to learn new knowledge in the future, generating solutions to problems prior to instruction may be more effective than simply learning about someone else’s mistakes. Struggle and failure are most productive when experienced personally by a learner because it requires the learner to engage in generation, which deepens conceptual understanding.

Background An increasingly ageing population and the resulting multimorbidity is a growing challenge for healthcare systems. A solution to tackle this problem is interprofessional collaboration. Interprofessional education, as an early meeting point, could foster a future successful interprofessional collaboration. So, the aim of our pilot study was to assess whether the “interprofessional collaboration between medical and pharmacy students to improve medication safety in polypharmacy” (PILLE) project changed the perception of medical and pharmacy students towards interprofessional collaboration. Methods PILLE consisted of three parts: (1) A mandatory 90-minutes interprofessional seminar; (2) A voluntary 120-minutes practical training; (3) A voluntary half-day interprofessional tandem work shadowing at a General Practitioner’s (GP) office. We used a controlled study design. Medical and pharmacy students from the intervention group attended the seminar (1). Medical students of the control group attended an interactive 90-minutes monoprofessional seminar only. Working together on cases was the similarity of both seminars. The students from the intervention group could attend (2) and (3). The outcome of interest was the change in students’ perception towards interprofessional collaboration after participating in PILLE, using pre- and post-questionnaires with the validated German version of Student Perceptions of Physician-Pharmacist Interprofessional Clinical Education (SPICE-2D) instrument. Descriptive and statistical evaluation was conducted. To assess if there is a significant pre-post-difference in the SPICE-2D overall score within the individual groups, paired t-tests were executed. To investigate if there is a significant change in SPICE-2D overall score difference between the medical students control and intervention group, an unpaired t-test was performed. Results In total, 436 students participated: 96 medical students and 116 pharmacy students in the intervention group, and 224 medical students in the control group. The participating students from both professions already had a pronounced positive perception at baseline. All pre-post-mean-differences within the individual groups and between the medical students control and intervention group were not statistically significant. Conclusion Participating medical and pharmacy students already had a positive perception at baseline. A one-time and short-term mandatory seminar of 90-minutes seems not to be sufficient to measure a change in perception. Future interprofessional education projects should focus on frequent meeting points between students.

Objective. To demonstrate the feasibility of integrating the computer simulation, MyDispense, into a therapeutics course and to measure its effects on student perception and learning. Methods. We conducted a prospective study with an experimental phase and an implementation phase. In the first phase, students were randomized to complete a therapeutics case using MyDispense or traditional paper methods in class. In the second phase, all students completed two therapeutic cases using MyDispense in class with the option to complete four additional outside-of-class cases using MyDispense. Students completed pre- and post-tests in class and three surveys. Results. In the experimental phase, mean test scores increased from pre- to post-test for both MyDispense and traditional paper groups, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Students in the traditional paper group reported statistically significant gains in confidence compared to the MyDispense group. In the implementation phase, mean test scores again increased, however, student perception of the use of MyDispense for therapeutics was negative. Completing the optional outside-of-class cases, however, was positively and significantly correlated with the midterm and final examination scores. Conclusion. Implementation of MyDispense in therapeutics may be feasible and has positive effects (eg, correlation with exam scores, capacity for immediate feedback, and potential for effective self-study). With short-term use and in the absence of assessment methods that also require seeking information from patients, students prefer to learn via traditional paper cases.

Objective. To evaluate mental health first aid (MHFA) skills using simulated patients and to compare self-reported confidence in providing MHFA with performance during simulated patient roleplays. Methods. Pharmacy students self-evaluated their confidence in providing MHFA post-training. Two mental health vignettes and an assessment rubric based on the MHFA Action Plan were developed to assess students’ observed MHFA skills during audio-recorded simulated patient roleplays. Results. There were 163 students who completed the MHFA training, of which 88% completed self-evaluations. There were 84% to 98% of students who self-reported that they agreed or strongly agreed they were confident providing MHFA. Postnatal depression (PND) and suicide vignettes were randomly assigned to 36 students. More students participating in the PND roleplay took appropriate actions, compared to those participating in the suicide role-play. However, more students participating in the suicide role play assessed alcohol and/or drug use. Ten (71%) participants in the PND roleplay and six (40%) in the suicide roleplay either avoided using suicide-specific terminology completely or used multiple terms rendering their inquiry unclear. Conclusion. Self-evaluated confidence levels in providing MHFA did not always reflect observed performance. Students had difficulty addressing suicide with only half passing the suicide vignette and many avoiding suicide-specific terminology. This indicates that both self-reported and observed behaviors should be used for post-training assessments.

Background Drug information training is restricted to pharmacy students due to the lack of opportunities for training and the inadequate number of drug information centers. Drug information simulation requires manpower and is time-consuming to arrange. MyDispense (MD) is widely accepted by numerous pharmacy schools and plays a major role in training students for various courses in the pharmacy curriculum. However, the students’ performances and perceptions of MD in drug information training involving nonjudgmental queries are yet to be established. Objective To compare the student’s success and perceptions of virtual versus in-person simulation in providing drug information. Methods A cross-over study design was used to compare student performance and perception of virtual and in-person simulation. A total of one hundred and forty-nine students consented to participate in the study. They were randomly allocated, with 75 assigned to the MD group and 74 to the in-person simulation group for exercise (1) Then, the students crossed over to in-person simulations and MD for exercise (2) A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire consisting of ten items was developed and validated to assess their perception regarding the learning experience of drug information exercises. Simple logistic regression was used to compare the students’ success rate, and the mean value of students’ responses was compared using non-parametric tests. Results In exercise 1, a significant association of student success with MD was observed with task 2 (Identify the patient’s background; p  = 0.001) and task 3 (Identify background information of the drug information query; p  = 0.002). The students expressed a significantly higher confidence level ( p  = 0.000) when dealing with virtual patients, as reflected in their success rate regarding the identification of the background of the patient and the nature of the drug information question during exercise 1. However, students’ responses to the item related to the confidence level had no significant difference in exercise 2 ( p  = 0.382). Further, in-person and MDs had no significant differences regarding student perception of the remaining tasks in both exercises. Also, the student performances were comparable between virtual and in-person simulation in exercise 2. Conclusion The students’ performances and perceptions were comparable between virtual and in-person simulations at different times. Therefore, MD can be implemented to train the students regarding drug information services and handle nonjudgmental queries at community pharmacies.