Integrated Project-Based Teaching of Multiple Pharmacy Disciplines in a US-Based Summer Program for International...

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Drug Development
• Pharmacy Education

Background:

• The drug development lifecycle necessitates integrated knowledge from clinical, scientific, and regulatory domains.
• Pharmacy graduates require collaborative skills across these diverse areas.
• A team-based project was designed to bridge these knowledge gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a team-based project integrating clinical, scientific, and regulatory aspects of drug development.
• To assess the impact of this project on pharmacy students' learning and teamwork.
• To evaluate the project's effectiveness in fostering interdisciplinary understanding.

Main Methods:

• Implementation in a United States International Student Summer Program (ISSP) with international attendees.
• Students worked in interdisciplinary teams on a drug formulation recently approved in the U.S.
• Pre- and post-program surveys were administered to 427 attendees from 2021-2024 (online and on-campus).

Main Results:

• Student perspectives shifted from content focus to valuing teamwork.
• Content integration was perceived as most effective between clinical and science areas.
• Outcomes remained consistent across online and on-campus program delivery.

Conclusions:

• The cross-functional project effectively promoted teamwork and content integration.
• This project-based learning model can inform broader pharmacy curriculum design.
• The approach supports the development of essential skills for modern pharmacy practice.