An elective course in differential diagnostics

Words matter: Comments in support of diagnosis education in pharmacy

Diagnosis education is explicitly included in the Draft Accreditation Standards 2025 and should be wholeheartedly supported. To address the staggering number of diagnostic errors in the US, the National Academy of Medicine advocates for diagnosis education for all health professions. Misperceptions of pharmacists' involvement in diagnosis are exacerbated by use of implicit language and euphemisms, and it's long overdue that we provide clarity. Pharmacists are engaged in diagnosis and diagnostic reasoning in everyday practice whether realized or not. Diagnosis education is implicitly included in US pharmacy curricula in the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process, and it is time to give students the language to engage in it responsibly to be practice-ready in all states. The explicit inclusion of diagnosis in the Draft Standards 2025 has positive implications for education, practice, and graduates.

A call to action: next steps to advance diagnosis education in the health professions

OBJECTIVES

Improving diagnosis-related education in the health professions has great potential to improve the quality and safety of diagnosis in practice. Twelve key diagnostic competencies have been delineated through a previous initiative. The objective of this project was to identify the next steps necessary for these to be incorporated broadly in education and training across the health professions.

METHODS

We focused on medicine, nursing, and pharmacy as examples. A literature review was conducted to survey the state of diagnosis education in these fields, and a consensus group was convened to specify next steps, using formal approaches to rank suggestions.

RESULTS

The literature review confirmed initial but insufficient progress towards addressing diagnosis-related education. By consensus, we identified the next steps necessary to advance diagnosis education, and five required elements relevant to every profession: 1) Developing a shared, common language for diagnosis, 2) developing the necessary content, 3) developing assessment tools, 4) promoting faculty development, and 5) spreading awareness of the need to improve education in regard to diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary stakeholders, representing education, certification, accreditation, and licensure, in each profession must now take action in their own areas to encourage, promote, and enable improved diagnosis, and move these recommendations forward.

Integration of mentored self-directed learning (MSDL) through both group and individual presentations in an accelerated modified block program

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Project aim was to examine the feasibility and logistics of mentored self-directed learning (MSDL) through group and individual presentations in an accelerated modified block curriculum. Perspectives of students and faculty members toward the incorporation of MSDL were also explored.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

During a two-week pharmacotherapy block, students made group presentations requiring two elements: a case presentation on curricular content (Element-1) and an inclusion of "novel" information students did not receive didactically (Element-2). Curricular content for Element-1 stemmed from a pharmacotherapy course on gastroenterology and nutrition, and individual presentations were scheduled during a semester-long skill-based course. Surveys on student perspectives were conducted at baseline, after group presentations, and after individual presentations. Faculty members also provided feedback and evaluations.

FINDINGS

Whereas 58% of students considered a case presentation (Element-1) more valuable for their learning than inclusion of Element-2, 78% of faculty's responses indicated the incorporation of both Elements was valuable. For the following individual presentations, 73% of students were willing and able to present a topic not extensively addressed in the didactic curriculum by employing MSDL. Students improved their confidence in preparing and making presentations for peers and faculty/preceptors through the MSDL activities (p < 0.025). At the end of this project, the faculty determined 88% of students were ready to give a presentation considered appropriate for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience.

DISCUSSION

MSDL through group and individual presentation activities were feasible and provided a valuable learning experience for students in an accelerated modified block curriculum.