Implementation and evaluation of a pharmacy family program to foster community and inclusion

Learning communities in the form of student-faculty families in pharmacy education provide a structure to foster community and inclusion. The purpose of this work is to describe how a new Pharmacy Family (PF) program was implemented and to evaluate the impact on students.

Our PF program was developed with the goals of building community, promoting a sense of belonging, providing students with opportunities to share and receive advice, and providing a venue for surveillance of student concerns. Each family was comprised of one to two faculty/instructor leaders and three to four doctor of pharmacy students from each cohort and met longitudinally over the course of the academic year. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected to assess student perceptions and program satisfaction.

A total of 233 students (66.2%) completed the survey and the majority (66%) were satisfied with the program. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions revealed four themes that contributed to students' satisfaction ratings: meeting content, relationships, atmosphere, and timing. Students with high satisfaction frequently noted that the program fostered connections, mentoring opportunities, and a safe space to share concerns. Students that were neutral or dissatisfied frequently commented on the timing of meetings and inability to form deeper connections.

Student-faculty families can be implemented to improve community and engagement within pharmacy education. Our program was most successful in providing a venue for students to share concerns. Addressing meeting times and adjusting the structure to promote community building is warranted to achieve program goals.