A patient focused and outcomes-based experiential course for first year pharmacy students

A first year experiential course for an entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy prog ram is described. The course objectives were to introduce students to the c ompetencies required to practice pharmacy and to provide patient care. Stud ents completed six modules related to expiry dates; telephone reminder and call-back programs; refill histories; ACE inhibitor use in heart failure; a nd population health targeted at medication-induced headache (MIH) sufferer s; and were required to discuss and document their activities. Ninety one s tudents examined 10,361 prescription products and found 255 out-dated; inte rviewed 524 and 424 patients, respectively, to remind them about uncollecte d medications and to identify drug-related problems; assessed the refill hi stories of 1,582 patients receiving HMG CoA reductase therapy for complianc e and 721 heart failure patients for ACE inhibitor use; and designed public awareness programs for MIH. First year students were successfully introduc ed to the competencies required to practice pharmacy and contributed to pat ient care.