Assessing student perceptions of the underserved at a Federally Qualified Health Center

Student Pharmacists’ Perspectives on Service-Learning Experiences in Free Clinics

“…Despite the increasing incorporation of servicelearning experiences in pharmacy curricula and a growing interest in developing socially responsible pharmacists, knowledge of student perceptions upon completion of service-learning experiences is limited. [17][18]24 The present study is, to our knowledge, the largest study of its kind to assess student perceptions after completion of pharmacyfocused service-learning experiences in free clinics. Our results show that many student pharmacists indicate that providing care to underserved or vulnerable populations is a professional obligation, and this was especially true for patients who had language or cultural barriers.…”

“…This theme was echoed in Chen and colleagues' study in which students who completed service-learning experiences developed a genuine concern for the patients encountered. 18 Additionally, service-learning experiences that expose students to patients who are dissimilar from themselves enable students to anticipate challenges in terms of communication and interaction with underserved patient populations. 19,20 The empathy expressed by the second-and third-year student pharmacists in this study underscores the value of student pharmacists having "real life" interaction with patients, and that classroom discussions on the impact of social determinants of health cannot supplant face-to-face experiences with patients.…”

“…This greater awareness of social determinants of health is similarly reflected in student perceptions regarding caring for patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). 18 However, some students indicated that free clinics did not address the larger, underlying issue regarding health care in the United States. More commonly, students identified the need for free clinics as part of the safety net system.…”

Pharmacy Student Learning During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in Relation to the CAPE 2013 Outcomes

“…Table 2 includes all articles that used assessment methods consistent with KH level 1, such as student or faculty-completed surveys post-APPE, the majority of which were not specified as being validated. [8][9][10][11][12][24][25][26]50,[53][54][55][56]61,65,66,[69][70][71]74,[76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88] Approximately three-quarters of the articles used studentcompleted surveys as the primary assessment method. Two-thirds of the 15 CAPE outcome subdomains were represented by APPE reports using assessment methods consistent with KH level 1, with self-awareness (4.1) being the most commonly represented subdomain for this level.…”

Confronting inequities: A scoping review of the literature on pharmacist practice and health-related disparities

“…Researchers considering pharmacist practice in the context of societal level 242 disparities (36.6%, n=34) tend to reference related US based reports/ programs focused on health 243 care disparities related to systematic patterns of prejudice, poverty, language barriers, geography, 244 and more. 85,86,87 Upon this foundation, research focuses on deficits in the pharmacists' awareness 245 about societal level health inequities, inexperience with marginalized populations at risk for 246 disparate health outcomes, [88][89][90][91] and gaps in services for rural or low SES groups, racialized 247 peoples, and/or populations with limited English proficiency or literacy. More specifically, this 248 latter area of research on health care disparities has examined racial/ethnicity differences in 249 immunization rates and other clinical services, 74,[92][93][94][95] reduced access to pharmacies, medications, 250 or services, particularly within rural or poor urban areas, [96][97][98][99] service gaps related to language or 251 health literacy supports, [100][101][102][103][104] or a general lack of interest/willingness of pharmacists to work in 252 underserved areas.…”