Pivoting an international experience preparation course during the COVID-19 pandemic

This case study describes the adaptation of a small group interactive course, originally designed to prepare student pharmacists for an international Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE), to a hybrid virtual course designed to prepare students to work across cultures and in many different professional environments. As the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted planned international experiences, a strategic pivot in delivery and content was necessary. The course content was changed to enhance student skills in cross cultural communication and humility, working through conflict, personal emotion regulation, and appropriately engaging with other cultures. Copyright © 2020, International Pharmaceutical Federation. All rights reserved.

From there to here: A virtual international APPE in London, England

(PUCOP) has offered an 8-week international advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in London, England at St. Bartholomew's Hospital since 2007. To date, 130 student pharmacists have participated within three focus areas: nuclear medicine, cardiology, and oncology. During this APPE, students participate in direct patient care and clinical research. Another key focus of this APPE is intercultural learning. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, this experience was hosted using a virtual platform during 2020. Justification/Documentation: COVID-19 impacted many hospitals, including St. Bartholomew's, causing limited time for dedicated research and education/training. Virtual APPE students and preceptors partnered to move research projects forward and develop educational materials. PUCOP students also focused on enhancing their intercultural skills as evidenced by growth in both the Intercultural Development InventoryTM and Cultural Intelligence AssessmentTM. Adaptability: This APPE demonstrated the feasibility of using virtual interactions for international APPEs and could be adapted to other settings. Given the demonstrated intercultural growth and research productivity virtual interactions could be considered when international student travel is not feasible (pandemic, cost, schedule availability). This APPE was successful due to the continued engagement with preceptors through video conferencing platforms (Microsoft Teams™) and messaging applications (WhatsApp™). Significance: Differences between in-person and virtual international APPEs assessments provided insight into how experiential education can be adapted and still meet the needs of the practice site and students. In the event international travel or APPEs are not feasible, virtual interactions can be an option. As demonstrated with this example, virtual experiences still allowed student pharmacists to experience healthcare in another country and broaden their knowledge, skills and attitudes. Student research projects still contributed to hospital quality improvement initiatives and clinical practice protocols. This virtual international research APPE can be a model for healthcare-related international training programs with or without a global pandemic.