Perception of Pharmacology Instruction and Confidence in Independent Prescription Among Osteopathic Medical Graduating Seniors

Abstract

The prescription of medicines is one of the most critical acts performed by physicians. With millions of drugs prescribed every year, poor prescribing may potentially impact patient safety and healthcare costs. Pharmacology curriculum varies in length, content, instruction methods, and assessment even within similar health‐related programs. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students' perceptions of these variations and their effects on their confidence to independently prescribe is not thoroughly studied.MethodsThis study reviewed the DO graduating seniors' evaluation of time devoted to clinical pharmacology and therapeutic management instruction and how confident they are to write safe and indicated orders and prescribe therapies or interventions in various settings without direct supervision. This study reviewed and analyzed a secondary database of the graduating seniors' survey published by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine from 2012‐2013 to 2020‐2021.ResultsThe graduating seniors reported that the time devoted to clinical pharmacology instruction as appropriate increased from 78% in 2012/2013 to 87% in 2020/2021. On the other hand, no change in the percentage of graduating seniors who reported that the time devoted to therapeutic management instruction was appropriate in 2012/2013 and 2020/2021. The percentage of graduating seniors who feel very confident and somewhat confident to prescribe therapies or interventions in various settings without direct supervision was below 70% between 2012/213 and 2018/2019. Over the last two academic years, 2019/2020 and 2020/201, the percentage increased to 93% and 77%, respectively.ConclusionWhile most of the DO graduating seniors reported that the time devoted to clinical pharmacology and therapeutic management instructions as appropriate, their current confidence level to prescribe independently might highlight the need to update the pharmacology curriculum to emphasize the development of prescription skills.