Scientific Poster Session IV - Original Research

Original Research
  Tuesday, November 14, 2023
  08:30 AM–10:00 AM

Abstract

Introduction: Doctor of Pharmacy programs are charged with developing students’ empathy based on the 2016 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standard 3 and the 2022 Curriculum Outcomes and Entrustable Professional Activities (COEPA). While empathy is essential to optimal patient care, its subjective nature makes it challenging to teach, and literature is lacking on best teaching practices. We developed a novel approach to teach and assess empathy in a pharmacy classroom simulation. Our study aimed to utilize a validated empathy scale to quantify the impact of this learning experience on students’ empathy development.

Research Question or Hypothesis: Will a simulated decision-making game in a pharmacy skills lab course improve empathy in pharmacy students?

Study Design: Cohort-based quality improvement project.

Methods: Third year pharmacy students participated in a classroom decision-making game that simulated a month in a patient’s life and issues related to the cycle of poverty. Prior to the game, students completed a voluntary, anonymous baseline demographics survey. They also completed a pre- and post-survey of the validated empathy tool, the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES-R), to measure the change in the scale score following the game. Students also provided free-text comments in the post-survey. We used descriptive statistics for demographic data, Shapiro-Wilk test of normality, and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test for survey scores (SPSS Version 29).

Results: Pharmacy students (n=37) showed a statistically significant improvement in empathy with an overall increase in composite KCES-R scores (z = -5.071, p < 0.001) after participating in the empathy game class session. Each of the 14 KCES-R items showed a significant increase (p<0.05) after the learning experience. Students’ free-text responses indicated the activity was insightful and effective for developing empathy in pharmacy students.

Conclusion: The empathy game simulation was a successful approach to increase empathy in third-year pharmacy students.

Presenting Author

Sheila Wilhelm PharmD, FCCP, BCPS
Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Authors

Alison Lobkovich Pharm.D.
Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Insaf Mohammad PharmD, BCACP
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University and Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn

Wiam Ouahab Pharm.D. Candidate
Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences