Carolina J P W Keijsers1,2, Wieke S Segers2, Dick J de Wildt3, Jacobus R B J Brouwers2, Loes Keijsers4, Paul A F Jansen2. 1. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch. 2. Department of Geriatric Medicine and Expertise Centre Pharmacotherapy in Old Persons, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht. 3. Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht. 4. Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Abstract
AIM: The only validated tool for pharmacotherapy education for medical students is the 6-step method of the World Health Organization. It has proven effective in experimental studies with short term interventions. The generalizability of this effect after implementation in a contextual-rich medical curriculum was investigated. METHODS: The pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills of cohorts of students, from years before, during and after implementation of a WHO-6-step-based integrated learning programme were tested using a standardized assessment containing 50 items covering knowledge of basic (n = 25) and clinical (n = 24) pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy skills (n = 1 open question). All scores are expressed as a percentage of the maximum score possible per (sub)domain. RESULTS: In total, 1652 students were included between September 2010 and July 2014 (participation rate 89%). The WHO-6-step-based learning programme improved students' knowledge of basic pharmacology (mean score ± SD, 60.6 ± 10.5% vs. 63.4 ± 10.9%, P < 0.01) and clinical or applied pharmacology (63.7 ± 10.4% vs. 67.4 ± 10.3%, P < 0.01), and improved their pharmacotherapy skills (68.8 ± 26.1% vs. 74.6% ± 22.9%, P 0.02). Moreover, satisfaction with education increased (5.7 ± 1.3 vs. 6.3 ± 1.0 on a 10-point scale, P < 0.01) and as did students' confidence in daily practice (from -0.81 ± 0.72 to -0.50 ± 0.79 on a -2 to +2 scale, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The WHO-6-step method was successfully implemented in a medical curriculum. In this observational study, the integrated learning programme had positive effects on students' knowledge of basic and applied pharmacology, improved their pharmacotherapy skills, and increased satisfaction with education and self-confidence in prescribing. Whether this training method leads to better patient care remains to be established.
AIM: The only validated tool for pharmacotherapy education for medical students is the 6-step method of the World Health Organization. It has proven effective in experimental studies with short term interventions. The generalizability of this effect after implementation in a contextual-rich medical curriculum was investigated. METHODS: The pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills of cohorts of students, from years before, during and after implementation of a WHO-6-step-based integrated learning programme were tested using a standardized assessment containing 50 items covering knowledge of basic (n = 25) and clinical (n = 24) pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy skills (n = 1 open question). All scores are expressed as a percentage of the maximum score possible per (sub)domain. RESULTS: In total, 1652 students were included between September 2010 and July 2014 (participation rate 89%). The WHO-6-step-based learning programme improved students' knowledge of basic pharmacology (mean score ± SD, 60.6 ± 10.5% vs. 63.4 ± 10.9%, P < 0.01) and clinical or applied pharmacology (63.7 ± 10.4% vs. 67.4 ± 10.3%, P < 0.01), and improved their pharmacotherapy skills (68.8 ± 26.1% vs. 74.6% ± 22.9%, P 0.02). Moreover, satisfaction with education increased (5.7 ± 1.3 vs. 6.3 ± 1.0 on a 10-point scale, P < 0.01) and as did students' confidence in daily practice (from -0.81 ± 0.72 to -0.50 ± 0.79 on a -2 to +2 scale, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The WHO-6-step method was successfully implemented in a medical curriculum. In this observational study, the integrated learning programme had positive effects on students' knowledge of basic and applied pharmacology, improved their pharmacotherapy skills, and increased satisfaction with education and self-confidence in prescribing. Whether this training method leads to better patient care remains to be established.
Authors: Carolina J P W Keijsers; Larissa van Hensbergen; Lotte Jacobs; Jacobus R B J Brouwers; Dick J de Wildt; Olle Th J ten Cate; Paul A F Jansen Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2012-11 Impact factor: 4.335
Authors: Carolina J P W Keijsers; Jacobus R B J Brouwers; Dick J de Wildt; Eugene J F M Custers; Olle Th J Ten Cate; Ankie C M Hazen; Paul A F Jansen Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2014-10 Impact factor: 4.335
Authors: T P de Vries; R H Henning; H V Hogerzeil; J S Bapna; L Bero; K K Kafle; A f Mabadeje; B Santoso; A J Smith Journal: Lancet Date: 1995-12-02 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: David J Brinkman; Carolina J P W Keijsers; Jelle Tichelaar; Milan C Richir; Michiel A van Agtmael Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2016-02-17 Impact factor: 4.335
Authors: Carolina J P W Keijsers; Johanna E de Wit; Jelle Tichelaar; Jacobus R B J Brouwers; Dick J de Wildt; P G M de Vries; Paul A F Jansen Journal: Eur J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2015-03-11 Impact factor: 2.953