Implementation of a longitudinal early immersion student pharmacist health system internship program

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Health-System Pharmacy Practice
• Experiential Learning

Background:

• Traditional pharmacy education often lacks early, in-depth health-system exposure.
• Student pharmacists benefit from practical experience integrated with academic training.
• Health-system pharmacy encompasses diverse areas like distribution, patient care, and administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the initiation, implementation, and benefits of a longitudinal, early immersion student pharmacist internship.
• To provide student pharmacists with comprehensive exposure to health-system pharmacy operations and administration.
• To enhance pharmacy education through practical, early-career immersion.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a two-year longitudinal internship program for student pharmacists.
• Structured exposure to distributional operations, direct patient care, and pharmacy administration.
• Progressive involvement, starting with foundational operations and progressing to specialized patient care (e.g., oncology).

Main Results:

• Student pharmacists gained practical experience in distribution and patient care activities.
• Interns contributed to quality improvement projects and served as pharmacist extenders.
• The program provided a foundation in health-system pharmacy prior to Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations.

Conclusions:

• A longitudinal, early immersion internship effectively enhances student pharmacist education.
• The program successfully integrated practical experience with academic learning in a health-system setting.
• Early exposure to diverse pharmacy roles prepares students for future practice.