Pilot Evaluation of Generation Rx Ambassadors Virtual Training to Prepare Students for Medication Safety Outreach

Abstract

Objective. To describe the creation of a virtual training program (Generation Rx Ambassadors) and evaluate a pilot offering's impact on knowledge and perceived abilities in delivering medication safety outreach through the Generation Rx program.Methods. Generation Rx (GenRx) is a prevention education program used by student pharmacists to teach safe medication practices in the community. An asynchronous virtual course, called Generation Rx Ambassadors (Ambassadors), was developed to train facilitators on best practices for GenRx delivery. The training was piloted in a mixed student cohort and evaluated using a preprogram/postprogram survey assessing participants' objective knowledge gains and self-perceived abilities to appropriately deliver GenRx education.Results. Fifty-two health sciences undergraduate and graduate students as well as Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students completed the pilot offering of Ambassadors. Regardless of degree status or discipline, participants demonstrated significant knowledge gains for all outcomes except defining medication misuse behaviors (for which there was initial strong mastery). Prior to Ambassadors training, many participants indicated a perceived ability to effectively deliver GenRx education; however, corresponding objective knowledge assessment did not support this belief. Training through the Ambassadors program appropriately aligned participants' perceived abilities with actual content knowledge for most program learning outcomes.Conclusion. These pilot findings suggest that Ambassadors is an effective training tool on best practices for GenRx delivery. More generally, this work reiterates a need to formally train student pharmacists ahead of community outreach activities, particularly in the prevention education arena. Future evaluation will focus on replicating this study with an expanded cohort size and assessing participants' ability to deliver GenRx education in community-based settings.