Experiential Education Builds Student Self-Confidence in Delivering Medication Therapy Management

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Pharmacist Training
• Medication Therapy Management

Background:

• Assessing the impact of practical training on pharmacy students' confidence in Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Understanding student perceptions and knowledge of MTM core components is essential for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) influence fourth-year pharmacy students' self-confidence in performing Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services.
• To identify the relationship between exposure to MTM learning opportunities during APPE and student self-confidence.

Main Methods:

• A pre/post-APPE anonymous electronic questionnaire assessed MTM knowledge, learning opportunities, and self-confidence using a 5-point Likert scale.
• Data were collected from fourth-year pharmacy students, analyzing factors like GPA and work experience.
• Statistical analysis compared pre- and post-APPE confidence levels and correlated confidence with MTM learning activities.

Main Results:

• Over 90% of students demonstrated MTM knowledge, with 68.2% completing MTM learning activities.
• Student self-confidence in MTM significantly increased post-APPE (3.27 to 4.02, p < 0.001).
• Students with MTM learning opportunities reported higher post-APPE confidence (4.20 vs. 3.64, p = 0.05).

Conclusions:

• APPE significantly enhances pharmacy students' self-confidence in providing MTM services.
• A notable decrease in perceived patient-centricity and anticipated post-graduation MTM engagement suggests a potential disconnect between APPE and real-world practice.
• Further investigation is needed to bridge the gap between pharmacy education expectations and the practical realities of MTM.