Using Instagram Stories to supplement a required self-care pharmacy course.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Social Media in Higher Education
• Self-Care Therapeutics

Background:

• Social media platforms like Instagram are highly popular, especially among young adults.
• Limited research exists on Instagram's application in pharmacy education.
• Student perspectives on using Instagram for self-care pharmacy coursework are largely undocumented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, implement, and evaluate a teaching innovation using Instagram Stories.
• To supplement a required self-care pharmacy course with social media content.
• To gather student perceptions on the utility of Instagram for course material.

Main Methods:

• An Instagram account was created to share supplementary course content.
• Content included Q&A, product demonstrations, and discussions on over-the-counter products.
• Anonymous surveys and focus groups were used to collect student feedback.

Main Results:

• 51 out of 89 students completed the survey; 30 followed the Instagram account.
• Students found the content reinforced class information and provided additional details.
• Perceptions varied regarding the account's usefulness for exam preparation and real-life application.

Conclusions:

• Utilizing Instagram Stories is a feasible method for supplementing self-care pharmacy courses.
• This social media approach was well-received by students.
• Integrating social media can potentially increase students' perceived relevance of course content.