Live and learn: Utilizing MyDispense to increase student knowledge and confidence in caring for patients with diverse religious backgrounds

Abstract

Background

The American Council for Pharmacy Education outlines that pharmacists should be able to “recognize social determinants of health to diminish disparities and inequities in access to quality care.” This randomized, cross-sectional study assessed students' knowledge and confidence in caring for patients with diverse religious backgrounds. Students were assigned to either a series of religious cases created in MyDispense or a control group to read a pamphlet on religious considerations in patient care.

Impact

First-year pharmacy students, 44 of 82 (response rate 53.7 %), consented to participate in an optional study, and were randomized to complete one of two religious educational interventions: an interactive simulation activity delivered via MyDispense (n = 23) or the control group of reading an educational pamphlet (n = 21). Both the MyDispense simulation and the control group improved pre- and post-assessment knowledge-based questions and confidence to achieve the three learning objectives.

Recommendations

There were three significant limitations to this study. The first was the use of a control group that limited the sample sizes making it difficult to show meaningful changes. The second that students had limited experience with the MyDispense platform making the ease of completing the active-learning religious simulations confounded by also learning the dispensing system. Finally, control group students utilized the pamphlet during the post-assessment, which was not the intention of the study design and significantly limited the ability to identify changes within and between the groups.

Discussion

Future studies will need to use alternative study design methods to determine how religious cultural sensitivity may best be incorporated into the pharmacy curriculum.