Strategies for Students to Optimize Their Learning Experience in Virtual Patient-Care Settings.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• COVID-19 Pandemic Impact
• Experiential Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted traditional pharmacy education.
• Virtual learning modalities became essential for continuing pharmacy practice experiences.
• Previous research highlighted challenges faced by educators and institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide student-centered strategies for success in virtual pharmacy education.
• To address the unique challenges of virtual introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).
• To offer actionable insights for pharmacy students navigating remote experiential learning.

Main Methods:

• Student perspectives and experiences were gathered.
• A response format was used to address existing literature.
• Strategies were developed based on practical student insights.

Main Results:

• Students identified key areas for improvement in virtual APPEs.
• Successful adaptation strategies for remote learning were proposed.
• The importance of student engagement and support in virtual settings was emphasized.

Conclusions:

• Student-led strategies can enhance the effectiveness of virtual pharmacy education.
• Proactive adaptation is crucial for maintaining high-quality pharmacy training.
• Further research should explore student-driven innovations in pharmacy experiential learning.