Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study
Abstract To keep up with the contemporary health landscape, there is an imperative need for healthcare professionals to practise health advocacy through health promotion on the individual, population, and systems levels. In the Academic Year of 2020/2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) D...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04877-y |
| _version_ | 1797414798902689792 |
|---|---|
| author | Li Hui, Candice Lau Jolin Xin Ni Wong Julian Azfar Paul John Gallagher Leroy Koh |
| author_facet | Li Hui, Candice Lau Jolin Xin Ni Wong Julian Azfar Paul John Gallagher Leroy Koh |
| author_sort | Li Hui, Candice Lau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract To keep up with the contemporary health landscape, there is an imperative need for healthcare professionals to practise health advocacy through health promotion on the individual, population, and systems levels. In the Academic Year of 2020/2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Pharmacy implemented a new spiral curriculum integrating basic, clinical, and systems sciences with one of its aims to deepen students’ health advocacy internalisation and prepare them as future health advocates. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Questionnaires were disseminated across three time-points to elicit students’ levels of internalisation of health advocacy, which were then categorised into levels, and a Mann–Whitney U test was conducted. In comparison with prematriculation, no significant difference was found after students underwent the first year of the curriculum, while a significant difference was found after students underwent two years of the curriculum. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted after each Academic Year to gain deeper insights into the questionnaire results. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that curricular integration in the first year was perceived to be lacking. However, with learnt knowledge constantly reinforced and more experiential learning opportunities incorporated throughout the second year, students found the integrated curriculum beneficial in instilling confidence to practise health advocacy. This study offers insights into the prospects of a spiral integrated curriculum in imparting health advocacy, and may even suggest its potential to be applied to other educational settings. Future follow-up studies can also be conducted on the same study population to evaluate long-term impacts and areas for improvement of the curriculum. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:39:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74bd74c073b24f5782ab3054c39bb53a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:39:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-74bd74c073b24f5782ab3054c39bb53a2023-12-03T12:26:32ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202023-11-0123111210.1186/s12909-023-04877-yEvaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods studyLi Hui, Candice Lau0Jolin Xin Ni Wong1Julian Azfar2Paul John Gallagher3Leroy Koh4Department of Pharmacy, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of SingaporeAbstract To keep up with the contemporary health landscape, there is an imperative need for healthcare professionals to practise health advocacy through health promotion on the individual, population, and systems levels. In the Academic Year of 2020/2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Pharmacy implemented a new spiral curriculum integrating basic, clinical, and systems sciences with one of its aims to deepen students’ health advocacy internalisation and prepare them as future health advocates. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Questionnaires were disseminated across three time-points to elicit students’ levels of internalisation of health advocacy, which were then categorised into levels, and a Mann–Whitney U test was conducted. In comparison with prematriculation, no significant difference was found after students underwent the first year of the curriculum, while a significant difference was found after students underwent two years of the curriculum. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted after each Academic Year to gain deeper insights into the questionnaire results. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that curricular integration in the first year was perceived to be lacking. However, with learnt knowledge constantly reinforced and more experiential learning opportunities incorporated throughout the second year, students found the integrated curriculum beneficial in instilling confidence to practise health advocacy. This study offers insights into the prospects of a spiral integrated curriculum in imparting health advocacy, and may even suggest its potential to be applied to other educational settings. Future follow-up studies can also be conducted on the same study population to evaluate long-term impacts and areas for improvement of the curriculum.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04877-yPharmacyEducationCurriculum designIntegrationSpiral curriculumHealth advocacy |
| spellingShingle | Li Hui, Candice Lau Jolin Xin Ni Wong Julian Azfar Paul John Gallagher Leroy Koh Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study BMC Medical Education Pharmacy Education Curriculum design Integration Spiral curriculum Health advocacy |
| title | Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full | Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study |
| title_short | Evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum: a mixed-methods study |
| title_sort | evaluating the internalisation of the intrinsic role of health advocacy of student pharmacists in a new integrated bachelor of pharmacy curriculum a mixed methods study |
| topic | Pharmacy Education Curriculum design Integration Spiral curriculum Health advocacy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04877-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lihuicandicelau evaluatingtheinternalisationoftheintrinsicroleofhealthadvocacyofstudentpharmacistsinanewintegratedbachelorofpharmacycurriculumamixedmethodsstudy AT jolinxinniwong evaluatingtheinternalisationoftheintrinsicroleofhealthadvocacyofstudentpharmacistsinanewintegratedbachelorofpharmacycurriculumamixedmethodsstudy AT julianazfar evaluatingtheinternalisationoftheintrinsicroleofhealthadvocacyofstudentpharmacistsinanewintegratedbachelorofpharmacycurriculumamixedmethodsstudy AT pauljohngallagher evaluatingtheinternalisationoftheintrinsicroleofhealthadvocacyofstudentpharmacistsinanewintegratedbachelorofpharmacycurriculumamixedmethodsstudy AT leroykoh evaluatingtheinternalisationoftheintrinsicroleofhealthadvocacyofstudentpharmacistsinanewintegratedbachelorofpharmacycurriculumamixedmethodsstudy |