Debate as an Active Learning Pedagogy Among Pharmacy Students in a Public Health Course

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Pharmacy curricula increasingly incorporate public health and health policy.
• Engaging pedagogical methods are crucial for effective knowledge acquisition in complex subjects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the educational impact of a debate activity on pharmacy students' understanding of public health and health policy.
• To evaluate student perceptions of a debate's value in learning about healthcare systems and policy.

Main Methods:

• Second-year pharmacy students participated in a Lincoln-Douglas debate on universal healthcare coverage.
• Knowledge was measured using a pre- and post-debate quiz; perceptions were assessed via Likert scale and open-ended questions.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in knowledge was observed, with scores rising from 66.5% to 80.7%.
• Students reported enhanced understanding of diverse healthcare systems and improved literature review and communication skills.
• The majority of students (96% response rate) found the debate to be educationally valuable.

Conclusions:

• Debate activities effectively enhance pharmacy students' knowledge of controversial public health and health policy issues.
• This active learning strategy improves critical assessment skills and prepares students for future professional challenges.
• Student feedback indicates a positive perception of debates as a valuable learning enrichment tool.