Impact of a Virtual Escape Quest Pharmacy Recruitment Activity for High School Students

This educational brief describes the design, implementation, and outcomes of a novel virtual escape quest recruitment activity for high school students.

Admissions faculty and staff collaborated with university instructional design staff, local high school students, and faculty mentors to design an educational virtual escape quest focused on pharmacy careers. The impact of the activity was assessed among high school students enrolled in health careers elective courses at 6 local high schools through pre and postactivity electronic surveys. These surveys included a knowledge-based assessment and a self-assessment of students' knowledge of, and interest in, pharmacy and health care careers.

The activity significantly improved knowledge of pharmacy careers, education pathways, and consideration of a career in pharmacy. The total score from the pre and postsurvey knowledge assessment also showed significant improvement, with an average score increase of 24.8%.

The virtual escape quest had a substantial impact on increasing knowledge of pharmacy education pathways and pharmacy careers, but only a small effect on changing interest in pharmacy careers in the studied population of high school students enrolled in a health career exploration elective. Further study is needed to determine the impact of this innovative recruitment activity on long-term interest in pharmacy careers and its applicability to other student populations.