PHArmacy Students as Educators (PHASE): Implementation and evaluation of an educator's curriculum for pharmacy students

Abstract

Background and purposeDesigned to address the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada's competency “teach pharmacy team members, the public, and other health care professionals,” the PHArmacy Students as Educators (PHASE) program was developed by the institute's entry-to-practice doctor of pharmacy program. The program's objective was to support students in developing the necessary skills to fulfill their role as pharmacist-educators. Educational activity and settingWe performed a two-year pilot (2017–2019) of the PHASE program which consists of a large-group didactic session followed by an academic half-day (AHD) session. Evaluation was conducted using Likert-scale and qualitative student survey data collected pre- and post-sessions to determine: (1) how the PHASE program supported students as future educators, and (2) students' perceptions and experiences related to teaching and learning. FindingsAll students in the 2020 and 2021 graduating cohorts were included in the study following consent. We determined that while respondents agreed to the statement, “A role of a pharmacist includes being an educator” (93.7% and 98.2% for 2020 and 2021 cohorts) at baseline, the proportion of strongly agree responses increased following the didactic session (P < .005). Of note, average Likert-score for respondents' confidence in educating increased following the AHD session (P < .001). Qualitative analysis identified an increase in students' self-rated ability for determining learners' needs, developing and conducting educational sessions, and confidence related to educating others. SummaryOverall, the PHASE program showed positive impact during the first two years of implementation and lessons learned from the pilot are discussed.