Design and implementation of a pilot student wellness program at a school of pharmacy

In response to concerns about student stress and well-being, a volunteer wellness task force was formed to promote a culture of wellness at the school of pharmacy (SOP). The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of this pilot wellness program.

A task force was formed to design and implement a pilot wellness program for pharmacy students. Interventions included: orientation to wellness program, sessions on nutrition and mindfulness, in-class brain breaks, and promotion of on-campus resources. Student wellness was assessed at baseline with a questionnaire including sociodemographic data, perceived stress levels using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), wellness practices, and use of wellness resources. Program feedback was obtained using a post-questionnaire to identify student perceptions and preferences for wellness activities.

Pharmacy year one through three students (n = 166) were included in the pilot wellness program, with 92.2% and 88.8% completing the baseline and post-questionnaires, respectively. There were notable changes in wellness practices compared to baseline including an increase in weekly exercise and sleeping >4 hours a night. There was greatest use of and satisfaction with 5- to 10-min in-class wellness breaks. The mean student PSS-10 baseline score was 20.14 while the post-implementation mean score was 19.62.

This study demonstrates the potential for implementing a faculty-driven wellness program despite limited resources. The design, implementation, and lessons learned from this pilot program may serve as a practical framework for institutions seeking to promote student wellness.