Pharmacy student-led health education campaign initiative

Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2019 Mar;11(3):292-295. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2018.12.010. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Abstract

Background and purpose: To describe the development and assessment of a health education campaign and determine its potential for integration into a bachelor of pharmacy curriculum.

Educational activity and setting: Pharmacy students developed a "hands-on" health campaign for delivery to university students. A health promotion topic was chosen and delivered each year for 2015-2017; sexual health, diabetes, and antimicrobial resistance, respectively. All health campaign participants were screened for cardiovascular risk factors. University students who participated in the health campaign in 2017 also completed a questionnaire assessing their understanding and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.

Findings: In the three health campaigns conducted from 2015 to 2017, 1010 university students and adults were screened. Pharmacy students expressed a high level of professional achievement and satisfaction and felt that the activities provided a meaningful learning experience. Similarly, supervising pharmacists reported satisfaction with students' competency.

Summary: The use of a health education campaign is an alternative model to educate pharmacy students on communication and critical thinking skills, as well as provide an opportunity for service learning.

Keywords: Health campaign; Pharmacy students; Service learning.

MeSH terms

  • Health Education / methods*
  • Health Education / standards
  • Health Education / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Promotion / methods
  • Humans
  • Malaysia
  • Program Development / methods
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Students, Pharmacy / statistics & numerical data*
  • Thinking
  • Universities / organization & administration
  • Universities / statistics & numerical data