Teaching clinical skills online in pharmacy education: a scoping review

Background The integration of online teaching and learning in pharmacy curricula has increased since the worldwide rapid transition to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, how clinical skills were taught online in pharmacy education, including the types of skills, approaches and technologies used, and the outcomes remain poorly understood. Objective To provide an overview of the types of clinical skills taught online in pharmacy education; and to identify the purposes, teaching strategies, technologies used, educational settings, enabling and limiting factors, and reported outcomes to inform future curriculum development in pharmacy education. Methods The scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Scoping Review methodology. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ERIC databases using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the records were independently screened by four reviewers. Any discrepancies during the screening process were resolved through discussion. The data were extracted and then analyzed using content analysis and thematic analysis. Results A total of 349 studies were retrieved and proceeded to title and abstract screening. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 152 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, of which sixty-four articles were included in the final review. Online synchronous, asynchronous, and blended learning were implemented in pharmacy education to teach clinical skills, including communication skills and therapeutic decision-making skills. Clinical skills were most often taught online to improve the learning process. Learning outcomes measured by self-assessment or by educators were most commonly reported. Enablers, including institutional readiness and technology infrastructure, and barriers, including institutional unpreparedness and inadequate design, were also identified. Conclusion This scoping review provides guiding information to integrate online teaching and learning into pharmacy curricula, particularly for clinical skills development. By including multiple stakeholders' perspectives, this review offers useful insight for academics and faculty leaders to successfully teach clinical skills online to pharmacy students.