Student Pharmacist Perspectives on Factors That Influence Wellbeing During Pharmacy School

Abstract

Objective. To explore first-year student pharmacist perspectives on the influence of individual, educational system, and health care system factors on their wellbeing during pharmacy school. Methods. As part of a required course, first-year student pharmacists were required to submit reflective essays detailing the factors that most significantly contributed to their wellbeing since starting pharmacy school. Reflections from students who consented to participate during the study period from February 2019 to July 2019 were included for analysis. Qualitative thematic analysis was performed using open and axial coding, hierarchical categorization, and representative theme determination through a process of iterative review and deliberation. Coders developed a codebook with operational definitions for each emergent code. Coders met biweekly with lead researchers to ensure consistency and reliability of data analysis and to address minor discrepancies in coding. All team members discussed and revised themes until consensus regarding final representative themes was achieved. Results. Forty-nine students (36.8% of the first-year class) submitted reflective essays for analysis. Five themes emerged for the factors most influential on student pharmacist wellbeing: workload; learning environment culture and values; meaningful pharmacy school experiences; relationships; and personal factors. Student pharmacists did not consistently identify health care system factors as influencing their wellbeing. Conclusion. Student pharmacists identified both education system and individual factors as influencing their wellbeing. Education systems should prioritize implementation of systematic strategies that address curricular and learning climate factors, maximize student engagement in meaningful experiences, optimize social connectedness, and provide individual student support.

Education Satisfaction among Pharmacy Graduates in Sweden

“…Building a common professional identity is complicated by the uncertainty and transformation of the professional role of pharmacists and the role of pharmacies in health care, resulting in an undefined professional identity both in Sweden and internationally [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Students’ wellbeing may also influence academic satisfaction [ 8 ] and educational factors such as workload, learning environment, and meaningfulness of educational activities may in turn affect wellbeing [ 9 ]. Students’ satisfaction with their education appears to be important in regard to success and failure to learn [ 10 ].…”

A Scoping Review of Well-being Assessment and Interventions in Student Pharmacists

“…The four main areas that individual students identified to help promote well-being were: personal health, time management, socialization, and the use of institutional resources. 22 The investigators found that student pharmacists who were more involved in cocurricular activities studied more, had higher GPAs, and had stronger relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. 16 Religion and spirituality of student pharmacists also positively affected their emotional and mental well-being, which are also important for student success.…”

“…These reflections were then used to find common themes, (availability and accessibility of institutional resources, personal time management and organizational strategies, personal mental health and physical health strategies, and activities that maintain social relationships) and a discussion and lecture on well-being then followed. 22 All of the aforementioned strategies have their own unique benefits and limitations.…”

Survey of Pass/Fail Grading Systems in US Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Programs

“…The evidence behind pass/fail grading systems suggests benefits to students, including increased well-being, cohort cohesion, motivation, and the encouragement of self-regulated learning and decreased anxiety and stress and competition within cohorts. [1][2][3][4] Furthermore, studies by Miller and Spring and colleagues have found that pass/fail grading systems do not, by default, negatively impact academic performance. 5,6 These benefits are exemplified by the fact that the majority of medical schools employ such a grading system; however, widespread adoption of a pass/fail grading system has not occurred within the pharmacy academy.…”