Fourth Year Medical Students Perceive High Educational Value to Innovative Geriatric Pharmacology Educational Tools Integrated into a Clerkship Elective
Authors: Gorman A. Laurel , Berry Andrea , Dangiolo Mariana 
Published: June 2021

Background

Several studies support that integrating pharmacotherapeutics education into clerkships can enhance clinical pharmacology knowledge and reinforce concepts essential to learners as they transition into prescribers, but little data is available on effective approaches to implement educational activities in time compressed and/or remote site clerkships. In terms of specific topics, the AAMC has indicated that improvements in vertically integrated geriatric pharmacotherapy are especially critical given the prevalence and morbidity/mortality associated with geriatric prescribing errors. To solve this problem, we developed electronic interactive geriatric pharmacology self‐learning module (SLM) tools covering geriatric principles, practical therapeutics, and guides on writing a geriatric medication review and utilizing appropriate geriatric prescribing resources. We integrated the resources into a fourth year (M4) case‐based geriatric elective.

Purpose

The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate learner perceptions of the educational quality and effectiveness of these innovative resources in enhancing the following themes: 1) Understanding 2)Awareness 3)Confidence in geriatric prescribing and medication reviews 4)Attitudes toward geriatric prescribing.

Methods

To determine baseline attitudes and confidence about geriatric pharmacotherapy, 9 M4 students selecting the elective were administered a Likert survey (anchored 1–5 where 1=definitely no and 5=definitely yes). After completing all interactive pharmacology electronic activities and two computer case geriatric medication reviews, students then completed a second Likert survey with 12 questions addressing themes on educational value of the learning tools and 8 geriatric pharmacology knowledge questions.

Results

A preliminary data analysis showed learners strongly agreed that the SLMs and electronic resources enhanced understanding, increased awareness of complexity and patient safety, and changed attitudes on geriatric prescribing as well as utilization of geriatric therapeutic resources. Learners mostly agreed that they improved geriatric prescribing confidence. Learners valued the design of the SLMs as well, with most agreeing they were convenient, efficient, clinically relevant, and interactive. Performance on geriatric pharmacotherapy questions also improved.

Conclusions

Our findings support that the geriatric pharmacotherapy SLMs were effective. M4 learners also perceived high educational value to the educational activities. They liked the convenience, flexibility, self‐regulation, and electronic distribution features given they completed the elective remotely. In addition to increasing understanding and awareness of geriatric prescribing complexity and patient safety, learners strongly agreed that the educational activities improved their ability to write geriatric medication reviews and utilize geriatric resources essential to wise medication management. Many perceived that the experience would impact their attitudes and approaches in managing elderly patients. In conclusion, these pharmacology electronic resources are an effective and feasible vertical integration approach to improve complex geriatric therapeutic education during clerkship.

Support or Funding Information

This project was funded by a University of Central Florida College of Medicine Innovations in Medical Educations Grant.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.