A prescription for Intraprofessional education: Bridging the gap between pharmacy and pharmacy technician students

Although interprofessional education (IPE) in pharmacy has gained momentum, a significant need for intraprofessional education (IntraPE) remains. Given the interconnected roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, intraprofessional collaboration is critical for effective teamwork, particularly as scopes of practice evolve. Despite IntraPE being an accreditation requirement, opportunities for sustainable, mandatory IntraPE activities in Ontario are limited. This project aimed to implement and evaluate a new annual in-person IntraPE activity for pharmacy and pharmacy technician schools in Ontario.

A four-hour workshop was piloted with students from the University of Toronto PharmD and Humber Polytechnic Pharmacy Technician programs. Participation was voluntary. Three learning objectives focused on recognizing and respecting diverse professional roles, communicating with trust and mutual respect during interprofessional decision making, and understanding the importance of collaboration across interconnected healthcare systems. The workshop included interactive team activities, case-based scenarios, and facilitated discussions.

SPICE-R2 (Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education Revised) was adapted to assess changes in students' beliefs and understanding of intraprofessional roles and responsibilities. The pre-score and post-score average was 40/50 and 46/50, respectively, indicating improvement despite a high baseline score. Students' perceptions were measured using a modified W(e)Learn Interprofessional Program Assessment. Ninety-four percent agreed or strongly agreed the experience promoted learning.

Overall, students were surprised by pharmacy technicians' scope of practice, recognized knowledge gaps between groups, and expressed interest in mandatory IntraPE opportunities. After a successful IntraPE event in March 2024, plans are underway for another activity in March 2025 with over 300 students from 9 institutions.