Improvement of Health Awareness among Pharmacy Students through Holding a Women's Health Care Cafe / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

In Japan, there are insufficient measures to ensure that women can maintain good health while working. In addition, many women have limited health literacy, making it difficult for them to access information on physical and mental health problems that are specific to them. In this context, it is essential for pharmacists to become the first point of contact for women seeking information about their physical health, as they are familiar with healthcare providers in the community. To address this issue, we organized a Women's Health Care Cafe for pharmacy students to provide them with an opportunity to learn about women's health.

Questionnaire Survey on the Comprehension of the Relationship between Alcohol Degradation and Gene Polymorphisms among Pharmacy Students and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Test-Linked Video Lectures / 社会薬学

Excessive drinking causes of social problems and economic loss, and has adverse physical and mental effects. If the gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), an important enzyme in the degradation of alcohol, is known, it is possible to avoid drinking alcohol to a level that exceeds its decomposition ability and prevent adverse physical and social effects. In the future, pharmacy students will contribute to improving the health of local residents as pharmacists; therefore, it is necessary for them to understand alcohol metabolism and related problems. In this study, we investigated the degree of understanding of alcohol degradation pathways, related enzymes, and polymorphisms among second- and third-year pharmacy students in their twenties before and after watching a test-linked video lecture on the subject. Third-year students (61.3 points) scored higher than second-year students (45.7 points) on average due to the learning effect. However, both the second- and third-year students did not show a high level of comprehension before the lecture. After the video lecture related to the test was shown to students, the same test was performed again. Comparing the test scores before and after the video lecture, both the second- and third-year students demonstrated a higher average score (86.1 and 93.3 points, respectively), a significant increase. From these data, it was proved that the test-linked video lecture we created could be used as an effective tool by pharmacy students to understand alcohol metabolism in a short time.

3. Learner Support for Medical Students Who Can't Communicate Well in Clinical Clerkship / 医学教育

In this paper, as support for “student who is not good at communication”, a fictional case of a pharmaceutical student will be examined from the followingthree perspectives. The first, from a developmental and social psychological perspective, is the possibility of “unlearning or mislearning of communication” and “discrepancy between the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self.” In support, learning assertion skills can be effective. The second is from a clinical psychological perspective, in terms of “social anxiety disorder” and “narcissism”. In support, pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy will be discussed. Third, from the perspective of neurodevelopmental syndrome, the possibility of “autism spectrum disorder” is considered. In this case, involvement that enhances self-understanding and self-affirmation will be important. Educators and supporters are required to make an accurate assessment of the cause of the difficulty.

The Understanding of “Group Home” in Pharmacy Students, and the Impact of Test-linked Video Lectures: A Survey / 社会薬学

To acquire “practical abilities in community health and medical care”, it is necessary to understand the work tasks in the context of welfare and working care facilities and smoothly promote inter-professional work. It is considered that the time when pharmacy students fully understand the outline of “group home”, which is one of the working care facilities, is during the class or practical training period. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey in the context of 4-6th grade students. In addition, to improve the knowledge of students with insufficient comprehension, video lectures were created; comprehension was evaluated in both pre-post-tests. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the video lecture was evaluated based on the analysis of the students’ understanding. The most common cognitive methods and periods for both 4th and 6th graders were “friends/family” and “before entering university”, respectively. As a result of the pre-test, the correct answer rate of each item and the total average score （50.0% and less than 50.0 points, respectively） suggested a low level of understanding regardless of the grade. On the other hand, the correct answer rate of each item and the total average score （70.0% and 70.0 points or more, respectively） in the post-test showed a high degree of understanding; further, they were significantly increased compared to those with respect to the pre-test, indicating the effectiveness of the video lecture. From the above results, we devised a test-linked video lecture that can be used as an effective tool for the understanding of the outline of “group home”.

Validity of Test-linked Lecture on Disease Prevention by Pharmacy Students for Dementia Café Visitors and Evaluation of Continued Comprehension Degree / 社会薬学

This study aimed to assess the impact of a lecture on knowledge about dementia prevention conducted by pharmacy students for visitors at dementia café. A pre- and post-intervention design was used to evaluate comprehension, effectiveness, and retention of knowledge. The lecture focused on the diet and sleep regime recommended for dementia prevention. First, before the lecture, the visitors were asked to complete a written test that contained three multiple choice and four open-ended questions. The pre-test also asked questions related to a poster on the subject, to which the visitors were exposed in the café. After the lecture, a post-test was conducted with the same content as the pre-test. The analysis revealed that the post-test scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores. Furthermore, participants took a remade test with three multiple choice and three open-ended questions. This additional test related to the questions on which the participants received low scores in the pre-test. The evaluation of the remade test was conducted over a period of four months. During all four months of the evaluation, the scores for the remade test were found to be above 75. The validity of the lecture and of knowledge retention were proved through these tests. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the lectures contributed to an increase in the knowledge of dementia prevention among the visitors at the café.

Questionnaire Survey on the Pharmacy Students’ Attitudes and Opinions following the Dementia Supporter Education Lecture / 社会薬学

Although pharmacy students receive professional education regarding dementia, it is the current state that many pharmacy students cannot learn the countermeasures to treat people with dementia. We conducted the “Otani dementia supporter education lecture” which improved a lecture by Caravan Mate targeting pharmacy students, and subjected the students to a questionnaire survey after the lecture. One hundred and forty-nine students participated and there were most percentages of third grades by 40.9%. After attending the lecture, most of the students opined that one can help a patient with dementia by understanding the patients’ feeling. It was the answer obtained by the lecture for the students to ensure that a pharmacist responds to consultations and requests from their family with a dementia patient. The first information that the students additionally wanted to know about dementia pertained to a method for the early detection of dementia. The results of text mining on the correspondence for patient with dementia showed that categories of “dementia patient,” “correspondence,” “understanding the patients’ feeling,” and “tact,” independently had strong mutual relations. Moreover, the results of text mining on the feedbacks obtained for the lecture showed that categories such as “dementia patient,” “When close person and one were,” “A chance was obtained,” and “correspondence” independently had significant mutual relations. Students who participate in this lecture understand that it is necessary to contact with dementia patients appropriately and feel that there is a need to become a presence that can support dementia patients as a pharmacist in the future. Therefore, this lecture was effective in motivation to correspondence to a person with dementia.

Test-Linked Lectures on Genetic Testing-Related Knowledge for University Festival Visitors: Effectiveness Evaluation / 社会薬学

In this study, we conducted test-linked lectures (using a pre-test and a poster related to the pre-test) to understand the contents of “genetic testing-related knowledge” for university festival visitors. We also assessed their level of understanding and the effectiveness of the lectures pre- and post-test, by dividing the visitors into groups according to gender, medication, and age. First, pharmacy students performed a pre-test (9 questions, each with 4 answer choices) on “flow of genetic information, protein structure and function, relation between gene and protein/living body, basic knowledge of genetic testing and sampling method” for the visitors. Second, lectures were conducted using posters that included the contents of the pre-test. Finally, a post-test was performed with the same content as that of the pre-test. The results revealed a high correct-response rate (more than 65%) for the post-test in most groups (except for some groups with visitors in their 70s). In addition, compared to the overall pre-test scores, those of the post-test showed a significant increase. Thus, we elucidated that test-linked lectures contribute to the comprehension degree improvement in visitors aged from their teens to their 60s ; the validity of lectures using pre-test and poster was also proved.

The Practice of Community Health Activity by Pharmacy Students during the University Festival and Evaluation of the Effectiveness / 社会薬学

In order to perform community health activities during the university festival, pharmacy students gathered data and conducted lectures in the form of small group discussions (SGD). They measured participants’ bone densitometry, and then provided them with information about how to effectively prevent bone disease. The aim of this study is to assess whether students’ lectures on the “prevention of calcium-related disease” led participants in the University Festival to understand the following: (1) the benefits of absorption of calcium, (2) the risks of absorption of calcium, (3) which vegetables are calcium-rich, and (4) the risks of calcium overdose. First, participants responded to pretests comprising questions on the 4 above-mentioned topics. Next, they were subjected to bone density measurement, and pharmacy students explained the importance of “prevention of calcium-related disease.” Finally, participants carried out posttests (with the same contents as the pretests), and received advice based on the results of their posttests and bone densitometry measurements. Total scores on the posttests (98.4 points) were significantly higher than those on the pretests (53.3 points). Based on this, researchers concluded that the pharmacy students’ lectures substantially improved participants’ understandings about “prevention of calcium-related disease.”

Implementation and Effects of an Interprofessional Collaborative Workshop by Students / 社会薬学

The dawn of Japan’s super-aged society is accompanied by various problems, including increased social security expenditures and greater nursing care burden as well as reduced labor force. Targeting 2025, when Japan’s baby-boomer generation will be aged ≥75 years, the government’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is promoting the establishment of local comprehensive support and service provision systems (Comprehensive Community Care Systems). Although such comprehensive community care systems will require medical professionals to provide treatment through collaborative interprofessional cooperation with colleagues in other fields, effective cooperation has currently not been established because of a lack of understanding regarding the roles and functions of other occupations. Considering that the promotion of interprofessional-based collaborative learning prior to university graduation will be important for resolving this problem, we organized a workshop for medical students based in Ehime Prefecture and evaluated its usefulness based on questionnaire surveys administered before and after the workshop. Consequently, it was ascertained that pharmacy, medical, and nursing students had a heightened awareness of “the importance of interprofessional collaboration” after the workshop as against before the workshop. Students’ degree of comprehension of the nature of the work in each category increased significantly. These results demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of students familiarizing themselves with the learning and work content of other fields by working with colleagues in different medical fields as observed in this workshop. They also expect that student-led study groups will contribute to promote the comprehensive community care systems.

Introduction of Selection and Admission of Doctor of Pharmacy Students in Pharmacy Schools of Universities in USA / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for improving the quality of pharmacy education in China.METHODS:Based on domestic and foreign related literatures in recent years,and the information from pharmacy school official websites of USA,to introduce to summarize the characteristics of the selection and admission methods and requriements of Doctor of Pharmacy students in pharmacy schools of universities in USA.RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS:The pharmacy education of USA developed rapidly in recent 10 years.To ensure the quality of pharmacist,the pharmacy schools attached great importance to selection and admission process of Doctor of Pharmacy students in USA.They did not only pay attention in academic scores,such as Pharmacy College Admission Test score(PCAT),Grade Point Average(GPA) in university before applying to pharmacy school,also used different ways to investigate others' evaluation and self-evaluation,the ability of the applicant to perform social activities by recommendation letters,personal statement and experience in extracurricular activity.Based on material evaluation and applicant comparison,according to proportion selection and applicant interview,oral and communication skills of the applicant were investigated.Finally,admission committee of pharmacy college makes decision.Compared with China,the pharmacy schools of American univerisities choose Doctor of Pharmacy students more comprehesively and pay more attention to the comprehensive ability beyond the applicant's score,which form a relatively complete system.

The Students' Evaluation of Practice Sites and Preceptors in Pharmacy Experiential Education

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the current status of experiential education, by analyzing pharmacy students' satisfaction and evaluation for practice sites and preceptors for 3 years from 2014 through 2016. METHODS: Students evaluated the practice sites and preceptors using a 5-point and a 4-point Likert scale, respectively. Analysis was performed based on the types of curriculums and practice sites. In addition, sub-analysis was conducted based on the types of health-system pharmacy and the community pharmacy. RESULTS: Total 203 students responded to the survey questionnaires. The 3-year average score of students' satisfaction with practice sites was 4.25. In the sub-analysis conducted based on the types of health-system pharmacy, the score was higher in the tertiary hospital pharmacies than that of the general hospital pharmacies (4.49 vs. 4.06, P<0.001). For community pharmacy, the difference in the score of the 3-year analysis was not significant, depending on the types (4.51 vs. 4.33, P=0.054). The average score of students' evaluation on the preceptors was 3.37 in the 3-year analysis. The score was significantly higher for the preceptors of tertiary hospital pharmacies than those of general hospital pharmacies (3.61 vs. 3.25, P<0.001). For community pharmacy, no significant differences were found, depending on the types of pharmacy (3.53 vs. 3.43, P=0.309). CONCLUSION: The students' satisfaction with practice sites and preceptors in pharmacy experiential education was high. However, it varied greatly depending on the types of educational institutions. Mutual effort between university and educational institutions is required, to narrow the gap in the degree of students' satisfaction.

Providing Effective Feedback within Pharmacy Practice Education

Experiential education is a core curriculum of pharmacy education. In experiential education, formative feedback is an integral component of learning and teaching process. Feedback is defined as information provided by a preceptor regarding student's performance based on direct observation. With effective feedback, students can have opportunities to reinforce or correct behaviors and to acquire knowledge or skills. Students highly value and appreciate feedback. They rank provision of effective feedback as one of the most important qualities of preceptors. Preceptors, however, lack an understanding of feedback or practical skills necessary for providing effective feedback. As a result in reality, the feedback provided to students can be differentially effective in improving students' learning. This article describes a theoretical understanding of feedback including definition and value, as well as types of feedback. In addition, practical aspects in providing feedback, such as contents, timing, techniques, and models, are addressed. By understanding the value of feedback and mastering various feedback skills, preceptors will promote students' learning and enhance educational outcomes of experiential education.

Assessment of Medical and Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge & Perceptions about Generic Medicines’ Prices & Quality in Kabul- Afghanistan.

Objective: This study aimed to assess medical and pharmacy students‟ knowledge and perception about generic medicines‟ prices and quality in Kabul Afghanistan. Method: Convenience sampling was perfomed. The sample size was determined using RAOSOFT calculator by using 95% confidence interval with a margin of error of 5%. Results: Among the calculated sample size of 255, in total 220 (response rate 86.27%), 95 pharmacy and 125 medical students agreed to participate in the survey. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. Overall, 67.84% of the respondents had knowledge about generic medicines, while 80.39% expressed their concern about the quality of generic medicines. During the analysis it was found that 98.2% respondents were strongly agreed that can control the cost of the treatment if generic medicines are used, and 65% of the interviewees suggested that highest patient prices of branded medicines has increased inclination towards the prescription of generic medicines. While in regards to the quality of generic medicines 44.8% of the respondents asserted, that safety, effectiveness and quality of generics is their major concerns. Conclusion: The current study emphasizes that awareness and knowledge about generic medicines is required. Concerns about the quality and prices of generic medicines should be addressed to ensure the access of safe and cost-effective generic medicines.

Changes in Degree of Recognition and Understanding of Pharmacy Students and Its Evaluation in Palliative Care Education / 医薬品情報学

<b>Objective: </b>In this study, we evaluated the change in degree of recognition and understanding of palliative care as pharmacy students’ years advanced.<br><b>Methods: </b>A questionnaire survey consisting of 11 items about recognition of narcotics and 27 items about understanding of palliative care was conducted with first- to fifth-year pharmacy students.  We divided the questions about the image of narcotics into groups and classified the questions about their knowledge of palliative care into the categories based on some reports.<br><b>Results: </b>Among the three groups of questions about the image of narcotics, the degree of “right recognition of narcotics” increased, and those of “wrong recognition of narcotics” and “sense of resistance to narcotics” decreased as pharmacy students’ years advanced.  Additionally, questions about their knowledge of palliative care were categorized into three: “basic guidelines for cancer pain relief and methods of narcotic use,” “role of pharmacists in palliative care and support for patients,” and “pharmacologic characteristics of narcotics.”  Their degree of understanding of each category increased with an increase in years.  Both the recognition of narcotics and understanding of palliative care changed in the fourth- and fifth-grade year students compared to the first-, second-, and third-year ones.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>These results suggest that the recognition and understanding of palliative care changed along the same trends as pharmacy students’ years advanced.  Therefore, it is important that pharmacy students acquire appropriate knowledge to play an active role in palliative care.

Perception Gap between Preceptors and Pharmacy Students on Introductory Pharmacy Practice Education in Community Pharmacy Practice Setting

OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate the perception gap between preceptors and pharmacy students on community pharmacy experiential education. METHODS: The online survey was performed for 55 preceptors and 215 pharmacy students separately from April 1 to April 30, 2014. The preceptors were who completed community pharmacy practice experience at least a session and the students were who involved in community pharmacy practice for more than 21 days. The questionnaires were prepared based on the lesson contents guideline of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Education of Community Pharmacy by Korea Association of Pharmacy Education. The survey questions were consisted with demographic characteristics, evaluation of student and preceptors, benefits and disadvantages of pharmacy practice for both groups. RESULTS: A total of 27 (49.1%) preceptors and 103 (47.9%) pharmacy students responded to the survey questionnaires. Preceptors indicated that students lacked face-to-face communication ability with patients, caregivers, and physicians. One of the Benefits of participating in pharmacy practice education as a preceptor included the improvement of self-esteem (70.37%). Disadvantages were identified as workload burden due to teaching and preceptor responsibilities at the same time. All students responded that benefits of experiencing pharmacy practice education were helping them determine their career, and they would consider working in community pharmacies (68.93%). However, handling over-the-counter drugs and communicating with doctors or nurses were identified as barriers. In addition, preceptors and pharmacy students expressed necessity of the standard text books and curriculums. CONCLUSION: This study identified the perception gap on community pharmacy experiential education between preceptors and pharmacy students. For the successful implementation of pharmacy practice experience, the effective and appropriate methods should be developed.

Pharmaceutical Students’ Awareness of Drug Abuse and Assessment of the Effects of Education / 医薬品情報学

<b>Objective: </b>In this study, we evaluated to examine the short-term educational effects for drug abuse prevention, including lectures and students’ awareness of drug abuse.<br><b>Method: </b>A questionnaire consisting of eleven items and SD method-based image survey were conducted three times, prior to and following the lectures and after the summer vacation for first-year students of the Department of Pharmacy.<br><b>Results: </b>The numbers of responses to the questionnaire surveys conducted prior to and following the summer vacation were 323 (response rate: 95.8%) and 332 (response rate: 97.9%), respectively.  When asked: “Do you think that people should be allowed to use cannabis (illegal herbal drugs) as long as they do not cause any trouble to others”, 2.8 (3.4) and 6.9 (6.6)% of students answered “Yes” after the lectures prior to the summer vacation and following it, respectively; there were both increased.  Following the summer vacation, 28.6% of students answered “Yes” to the question: “Have you ever seen or heard of people using cannabis or illegal herbal drugs ?”  A total of 2.1% of students had been “solicited to use cannabis or illegal herbal drugs”, and all of them stated that it would be “easy to obtain illegal herbal drugs”.  As the reason for drug abuse by young people, 140 students (42.2%) cited “curiosity”, and 81.6%, or 271 students, stated that they would “refuse” to use any illegal drugs even if they were asked to do so.  The results of the SD method-based image survey suggested significant changes in students’ awareness of drug abuse during the summer vacation; they had the image of little risk on drug abuse prevention following the vacation.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>The effects of learning were not maintained in some first-year students because they faced a variety of temptations during the short summer vacation and their normative consciousness and images of drug abuse easily changed.  Therefore, it is necessary to provide lectures for new students to help them acquire accurate knowledge of drug abuse, enhance their normative consciousness, and increase their self-awareness as health care professionals, develop curriculums on a continuing basis, and deploy specialists so that students with psychological problems as identified by the survey, including stress, escapism, mental weakness, and anxiety, can consult them.

Attitude Survey of Pharmacy Students before and after Long-term Practical Training, and the Evaluation of Pre-clinical Training / 社会薬学

We conducted a questionnaire survey involving 270 interns in the year 2011 at the pharmaceutical department of Teikyo University, in order to clarify pre- to post-practical training changes in: 1) the degree of pre-clinical training’s usefulness, 2) desired workplace in the future, 3) degree of satisfaction, 4) confidence degree of practical training, etc. The degree of pre-clinical training’s usefulness exceeded 80% in all training periods. Regarding the desired workplace in the future, a large proportion of students answered that they want to become a pharmacist in a pharmacy or hospital, both before and after their practical training in all training periods. Also, it was estimated that students decide their career with reference to their practical training experience. In terms of the degree of satisfaction with practical training, the proportions of those who answered “Satisfied” or “Somewhat satisfied” were: 95.1% in the 1st, 95.6% in the 2nd, and 86.1% in the 3rd periods. The confidence degree significantly increased after practical training in all periods. Because the confidence degree showed a tendency to be higher before the 3rd period of training compared to the other two periods, it was considered that students’ experience of practical training led to increased confidence degree. Regarding communication abilities, the degrees of before-after confidence degree and pre-clinical training’s usefulness were low, and, hence, it was suggested that pre-clinical training needs to be further improved regarding these areas.

Development of communication education that facilitates first-year pharmacy students' respect for patients / 医学教育

Pharmacists must have a holistic understanding of patients and should make efforts to communicate with patients to support their medical therapy. In this study, we analyzed the effects of communication education by role-playing on first-year students who did not possess pharmaceutical knowledge or an image of pharmacists. All 248 first-year pharmacy students were educated about communication through the following four steps: 1) understanding the basics of communication, 2) the importance of role-playing by pharmacists and patients, 3) observation of role-playing by senior students and patients, and 4) observation of role-playing by classmates and simulated patients. After each step, students were given time to reflect and to write their impressions. These written comments were classified into the following four categories: 1) communication with patients, 2) respect for patients, 3) the role of pharmacists, and 4) the student's own attitudes and skills. As a result of our education program, more than 90% of the first-year students were able to understand the role of a pharmacist and why a pharmacist requires communication skills. The communication education made the students more aware of the patient in health-care.These results suggest that education increasing first-year students' understanding of and respect for patients is an essential component of professional education.