Student pharmacist perceptions of public health content in U.S. college of pharmacy didactic curriculums, experiential curriculums, and extra-curricular activities

Background: Pharmacists and student pharmacists can make important contributions to protecting and improving the health of the nation, and various stakeholders are advocating for greater responsibilities in a range of activities including emergency preparedness, immunizations, and health promotion. Current accreditation standards for U.S. colleges of pharmacy (COP) require public health topics in the curriculum. Although there is much interest in the essential relationship between pharmacy and public health, nationwide surveys assessing public health content in COP curriculums or student pharmacists' awareness of public health topics have not been conducted since the 1970s. This study's primary objective is to collect data on student pharmacists' awareness of public health content in didactic and experiential curriculums and exposure to public health through extra-curricular activities. The secondary objective is to compare the student survey data with data obtained from pharmacy faculty on the same topic that we recently conducted. Methods: A 33-item, peer-reviewed, web-based survey was distributed to 1 faculty member (designated by COP administration) and 1 student (designated by leadership position in the COP) at each accredited COP in the U.S. The survey collects data on subject matter covered, method of implementation, and demographic characteristics of the colleges. Results: Pending. Conclusion: The results of this pilot study will provide preliminary data on the extent to which student pharmacists are exposed to public health content through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities, the possible discrepancies between faculty and student perceptions of this content, and the directions for future research regarding student pharmacists and public health.