Walking the mile - Fostering diabetes self-management and psychosocial skills among pharmacy students through a hybrid advanced diabetes certificate elective course

Abstract

Background: Pharmacy school curricula contain required course content in diabetes management. However, patient-care skills like effective communication, lifestyle counselling, and the provision of healthy coping strategies require additional training opportunities that are not typically afforded in the required diabetes curriculum. Methods: A 2-credit hour elective course was created to provide third-year pharmacy students with first-hand experience in diabetes self-management and the psychosocial aspects of diabetes care. The course includes the certificate training programme "The Pharmacist and Patient-Centered Diabetes Care" offered by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Results: 110 pharmacy students completed four-course cohorts. Average capstone assessment scores were 92% for the patient case and 88.3% for hands-on diabetes management skills. 99.1% of students successfully obtained the APhA certificate with an average final assessment score of 85%. Students demonstrated an understanding of the psychosocial and behavioural aspects of diabetes care through simulation and case-based activities. Conclusion: The course had a positive impact on pharmacy students' proficiency in diabetes care and self-management skills, as evidenced by their performance within the APhA certificate programme. Through simulation activities, students gained firsthand experience and demonstrated an understanding of the psychosocial aspects of diabetes care.