Exploring Hidden Messages About Pharmacist Roles in Student-Designed Orientation T-Shirts

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Social Sciences in Health

Background:

• Student-designed orientation t-shirts are a common practice in pharmacy schools.
• These t-shirts can reflect and shape students' perceptions of the pharmacy profession.
• The concept of the 'hidden curriculum' influences professional identity formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how images and symbols on student-designed orientation t-shirts represent beliefs about pharmacists' roles.
• To explore the connection between t-shirt designs and the hidden curriculum in pharmacy education.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory qualitative study was conducted at a Canadian pharmacy school.
• Data collection involved student written responses, faculty/staff/student interviews, and focus groups.
• Thematic analysis was performed on data related to six orientation t-shirts from 2014-2019.

Main Results:

• Students and faculty largely agreed on t-shirt messages, emphasizing drug-related aspects of pharmacy roles.
• Few participants initially highlighted the importance of the pharmacist-patient relationship or care provision.
• Sponsorship logos on t-shirts generally did not raise significant concerns among participants.

Conclusions:

• Despite educational goals promoting the care provider role, pharmacy representations on t-shirts predominantly focus on drug expertise.
• The study underscores the influence of discursive practices and the hidden curriculum in shaping pharmacy students' professional identity.
• T-shirt imagery provides insights into the persistence of traditional pharmacist role perceptions within pharmacy education.