A snapshot of student study strategies across a professional pharmacy curriculum: Are students using evidence-based practice?

Pharmacy Students’ Perception of an Elective Course on Evidence-based Learning Strategies

“…This reinforces the previous recommendation for pharmacy educators to teach evidence-based learning strategies, in addition to course contents. 6,11 The small sample size, which limits generalizability of the findings, and use of crude survey instruments to assess learning outcomes are some of the limitations to this study. Social desirability response bias, prior interest in evidencebased learning strategies, and use of a 4-point Likert scale may have also influenced responses to survey questionnaires and outcomes.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] For instance, various benefits have been shown from retrieval practice or testing oneself, which researchers have advocated as a means of enhancing, and not just assessing knowledge in educational policy. 2,3,6 Another evidence-based learning strategy is elaboration, which involves connecting new information to pre-existing knowledge or learning by asking "how" or "why" questions. 2 Adopting healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, physical exercise and proper nutrition has also been found to improve cognition, learning and storage of memories.…”

“…4,[7][8][9] Despite these findings, many students, including pharmacy students, predominantly use less effective study techniques, eg, rereading and highlighting notes. 6,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Moreover, recent surveys reported poor sleep quality, high levels of perceived stress, and inconsistent feeling of overall well-being of pharmacy students, which could affect their overall mental health and academic performance. [18][19][20][21][22][23] Given that pharmacy students must learn an enormous amount of information at a rapid pace, it is critically important that they use evidence-based strategies, and practice healthy lifestyle habits to enhance encoding, storing and recalling learned information.…”

Moving Students to Deeper Learning in Leadership

“…Incorporating retrieval practices will ensure students have durable long-term memories (Karpicke & Roediger, 2010), which will be needed to develop their deeper learning. Persky and Hudson (2016) suggest that before students can begin to learn more deeply, they need to begin to move away from poor study habits (i.e.-re-reading) which result in short-term recall to highly effective study habits (i.e.-retrieval practices) to build better long term recall in order to transfer their learning to other contexts beyond a pending course examination.…”

Study Behaviors Associated with Student Pharmacists’ Academic Success in an Active Classroom Pharmacy Curriculum

“…Despite evidence of the importance of using effective study behaviors and strategies and their association with high academic performance, Persky found that pharmacy students tended to rely heavily on rereading or rewatching videos as a primary study strategy. 12,13 Over time, the same students decreased their use of practice testing.…”