Impact of interprofessional education in underserved settings on pharmacy student empathy

To assess how the P2 interprofessional education (IPE) in underserved populations impact student empathy scores compared to an alternative empathy-based video for P1 students.

The validated Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale Revised (KCES-R) was administered to P1 students (n = 47) without IPE experience and P2 students (n = 21) who completed IPE during the 2023-2024 academic year. P1 student empathy was assessed before and after watching an empathy-based video as the control. P2 students completed KCES-R before and after their IPE. Both groups also took the KCES-R 30 days after their intervention of IPE or control video. The primary outcome of the difference in mean change of KCES-R empathy scores between groups was analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Secondary outcomes of mean change in KCES-R score by IPE site, change among P1s and P2s separately, and change among both groups combined were analyzed by a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test.

Baseline empathy scores were high in both P1s and P2s. Overall, empathy scores increased after IPE and the empathy-based video. There was no meaningful differences in change in KCES-R empathy scores between the P1 and P2 students when comparing interventions, or when comparing IPE sites.

Both P1 and P2 students at this institution had high baseline empathy scores. In students with high baseline empathy scores, a 4-6.5-h IPE experience may not be long enough to impact a change in student's empathy scores and sustain that change compared to our control group who watched an empathy-based video.