Teaching motivational interviewing in a blended learning environment

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Adult Learning Theory

Background:

• Motivational interviewing (MI) is a crucial skill for pharmacists.
• Traditional teaching methods may not fully equip students with MI proficiency.
• Blended learning offers a flexible and effective approach to skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of a blended learning program for teaching motivational interviewing (MI) to third-year pharmacy students.
• To evaluate changes in MI knowledge and skills post-training and one year later.
• To assess students' abilities in recognizing and formulating MI responses.

Main Methods:

• Integration of the comMIt e-learning program into a pharmacy communication course.
• Assessment via e-learning quizzes, in-class practice sessions, and video assessments.
• Pre- and post-training surveys on MI skills, with a one-year follow-up survey.

Main Results:

• Sixty students showed significant improvement in MI skills from pre- to post-surveys.
• Twenty-seven students completed the one-year follow-up survey.
• While overall scores declined, students maintained the ability to formulate appropriate MI responses.

Conclusions:

• Blended learning, combining e-learning and practice, facilitates successful learning and retention of MI skills.
• The comMIt program effectively equips pharmacy students with essential MI competencies.
• Sustained ability to formulate MI responses suggests long-term skill retention.