1119. Impact of Real-World and Real-Time Interdisciplinary Cases on Infectious Diseases Content Knowledge and Confidence in Pharmacy Students Enrolled in an Infectious Diseases Elective Course

Abstract

BackgroundThe Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) requires students to demonstrate competence in interprofessional education. In 2018, an “interdisciplinary” active learning infectious disease (ID) elective course was created for pharmacy students in the fall semester of the third professional year. Through the use of real-time patient cases and acting healthcare professionals, students are able to have multiple interdisciplinary experiences without leaving the classroom. The objectives of this course are to improve both content knowledge and levels of confidence in making recommendations to healthcare providers. The purpose of this study was to assess those objectives.MethodsThe course meets once weekly for 3 hours. Maximum enrollment is 35 students. All activities are performed in groups of 3-5 students and each group is assigned a case on day 1. Cases are intentionally developed to give each group a nominal amount of information, similar to a real world experience where there is minimal patient data available on day 1 of a hospital admission. Students are given the phone numbers to the microbiology lab and attending physician. The attending physicians are represented by ID pharmacists across the country who have volunteered to serve in the roles. Students are to call the physicians/lab daily for updates and to make pharmacotherapy recommendations as the patient progresses through their hospital stay. The case is complete when a full care plan is accepted by the physician. Student groups then give a formal case presentation to their classmates. Students voluntarily take a pre- and post-survey at the beginning and end of the course to assess ID content knowledge and rate their perceived level of confidence in making recommendations to a physician. This study was IRB approved.ResultsSurvey completion rate was 100%. There was a statistically significant increase in students’ confidence levels in making real-time recommendations to providers after completing the course (P< 0.001). A significant increase was also seen in ID content knowledge (P< 0.0001).ConclusionAfter taking an interdisciplinary ID elective course, pharmacy students’ ID content knowledge improved and they felt more confident in making therapy recommendations to physicians.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures