Presenters:
Kayla M Fang, Paulo Tchen
Authors:
Kayla M Fang, Paulo Tchen, Gilly C Lau, Chu Qi Yu
Poster Abstract:
Background: The Entry-to-Practice (E2P) PharmD curriculum at the University of British Columbia (UBC) offers both curricular and extracurricular community engaged learning (CEL) activities. An opportunity exists to utilize CEL activities in teaching about rural and remote pharmacy practice and health disparities faced by these communities.
Objective: To develop an elective for E2P PharmD students that utilizes CEL to educate on health disparities and population and public health (PPH) concepts in the context of underserved communities in rural and remote regions.
Methods: A literature search was conducted to explore the incorporation of PPH concepts and health disparities faced by rural and remote communities into pharmacy education. An environmental scan was conducted and included a survey of Canadian pharmacy programs and review of CEL in UBC health programs’ curricula.
Results: 37 articles were identified that highlighted the impact of health disparities in rural and remote communities and the importance of integrating public health concepts into the pharmacy school curriculum through a CEL model. Results of the literature search indicated opportunities for pharmacy schools to incorporate principles of public health in their curriculum. The environmental scan of five UBC health programs indicated that two described CEL opportunities within their curricula. Of the five Canadian pharmacy schools responding to the survey, all incorporate PPH concepts into the didactic curriculum, and three incorporate CEL into experiential.
Conclusion: Our findings provide a foundation for the development of a new elective about pharmacy practice in rural and remote communities and PPH concepts in addressing health disparities.
Key words: pharmacy education, rural communities, population and public health
