Impact of a Journal Club Elective Course on Student Learning Measures

Abstract

Objective. To assess the impact of a journal club elective course on measures of student's longitudinal performance throughout an accelerated three-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Methods. Students were separated into two groups (those who did and did not complete a journal club elective). The following primary and secondary student outcomes were assessed using hierarchical linear regression analysis: score on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), overall course grade in the Pharmacotherapeutics IV course, overall course grade in the Research Design and Literature Evaluation II course, and average grade on acute/ambulatory care advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). Results. One hundred ninety-seven students were included in the study (73 students who completed the journal club elective and 124 students who did not). After controlling for baseline confounders, enrollment in the journal club elective was associated with students scoring 24.5 points higher on their overall scaled score on the PCOA. Enrollment in the journal club elective also appeared to add 2% to a student's overall grade in each of the courses and APPEs. All results were statistically significant. Conclusion. An elective journal club course can significantly improve multiple objective measures of pharmacy student learning. Components of this course, such as reading primary literature, presenting a journal club, learning from peers, and scaffolding of pharmacotherapeutic concepts are important elements to consider when designing a journal club curriculum.