Elevating evidence-based medicine skills through an integrated sequence of activities in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences [abstract] Abstract uri icon
Overview
abstract
  • Objectives: To be practice-ready, student pharmacists must make clinical decisions with ambiguous and incomplete evidence. The purpose of this study was to determine how a sequence of evidence-based medicine (EBM) activities impacts students’ future approaches to, and confidence in, making decisions when clinical evidence is ambiguous. Method: During community pharmacy and ambulatory care Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs), students completed an integrated EBM sequence of activities centered on an ambiguous clinical issue. First, students were asked a drug information question related to a patient case, and given ten minutes to consult resources before submitting their responses via video recording. Next, they attended a facilitator-led, web-based video journal club based on the same clinical topic. Finally, they submitted a newsletter comparing and contrasting clinical evidence related to the topic. Students were surveyed afterwards to determine how the objectives were met using a Likert-type scale. Results: A total of 109 students completed the EBM sequence and 61 (56%) responded to the survey. Nearly half (49%) reported that the activity only somewhat influenced their approach to solving inconclusive or ambiguous evidence. On the contrary, the majority of students strongly agreed or agreed that the activity ‘required skills relevant to my career in pharmacy’ (89%) and ‘are activities I would expect to do as a pharmacist’ (67%). Implications: An integrated sequence of EBM activities in APPEs was perceived by students as relevant to their future career; however, the sequence did not have a substantial impact on how students would approach to making clinical decisions based on ambiguous evidence.

  • publication date
  • 2017
  • Research
    keywords
  • Decision Making
  • Drugs and Drug Therapy
  • Education, Medical
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Pharmacists
  • Students
  • Additional Document Info
    volume
  • 81
  • issue
  • 5