Incorporating an immunization certificate program into the pharmacy curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Immunization Training Programs

Background:

• Integrating practical training into pharmacy curricula is essential for developing competent healthcare professionals.
• The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery program offers a standardized approach to immunization education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the methodology for incorporating the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery training into a Doctor of Pharmacy program.
• To assess the feasibility and student reception of this integrated immunization certificate program.

Main Methods:

• The immunization training program was implemented over three weeks during the spring semester.
• It formed a component of a required Pharmacy Care Lab sequence for third-professional-year students.
• Evaluation involved student response surveys and faculty feedback.

Main Results:

• Student feedback indicated a high level of satisfaction with the immunization training content and delivery.
• Over 44% of students provided positive open-ended comments on the course.
• Approximately 10% of students expressed reservations about the program being a mandatory curriculum component.

Conclusions:

• The integration of the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery program into the pharmacy curriculum was successfully achieved.
• Student feedback suggests the program is valuable, but consideration should be given to student opinions regarding mandatory inclusion.
• This model provides a framework for other institutions seeking to enhance their pharmacy students' immunization competency.