A Music Assignment to Develop Pharmacy Students' Empathy Toward People with Opioid Use Disorder

Objective. To determine the effectiveness of using music to assist pharmacy students in developing empathy toward patients with opioid use disorder. Methods. Students were given an extra credit assignment as part of an elective course in neuropsychiatry. Students were to listen to the autobiographical album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, about the life of rock music star Nikki Sixx and his struggles with heroin addiction. They were then required to write a reflection about how the lyrics and music from the album affected their personal views on persons with opioid use disorder. Results. Eighteen of 25 students in the course completed the assignment. Students' response to the assignment was universally positive. Many commented on their previous views that opioid use was a choice and a problem for law enforcement to manage. Students stated how their perspectives changed significantly after listening to the music and developing an appreciation for the symptoms and problems related to opioid use disorder and attempts to abstain. Many students remarked how the musical accompaniment to the lyrics and narration helped shape their emotional response.Conclusion. Health professions students often have difficulty understanding mental illnesses, including substance use disorders. Music can be used to enhance student's empathy toward patients with mental health and substance use disorders. Music and other art forms may be especially useful when teaching subject matter related to the affective domain.