A Scoping Review of Calls to Action in Pharmacy Education

Calls to action in pharmacy education are frequently observed in the literature, with little information about their authors, audience, or focus, especially regarding whether these calls led to any changes. This scoping review aims to (1) quantitatively and qualitatively characterize the calls to action in pharmacy education and (2) examine the traits of published articles typically associated with effective advocacy.

A systematic literature search for the scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Of 3287 articles, 232 were included and extracted for their specific call to action, including topics, audience, and call quality. Two-thirds (66.7%) of the calls were initiated by faculty groups, 49% were commentaries, opinions, or editorials, and 39% were focused on the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. More than 90% of the articles were published between 2013 and 2023, with 26% published in 2023 alone. Most calls were directed to colleges/schools of pharmacy (81%). Only 21% of articles had a strong call to action with next steps or recommendations for enacting change.

The most frequently published calls to action were related to the pharmacy curriculum, authored by faculty groups, directed to pharmacy programs, and published in the postpandemic years, but were often not sufficiently strong to elicit change. To evoke change, calls to action should include several key characteristics according to this scoping review, such as being written in active voice, to a specific audience, with clearly stated problems, and with actionable solutions that could be implemented.