Michael D. Hogue1, Roger D. Lander
1, Kirk Avent
2, and Jeanette Davidson
2. (1) Pharmacy Practice, Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy, 800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, USA, (2) Jefferson County Department of Health, 1400 Sixth Avenue, South, Birmingham, AL, USA
BACKGROUND:
Samford University and the Jefferson County (Alabama) Department of Health (JCDH) have a formal relationship to provide experiential training to pharmacy students in public health. This represents the only opportunity Samford pharmacy students have to practice principles of adult immunization in international travel in a clinical setting.
OBJECTIVE:
1) To provide education in travel medicine, with emphasis on vaccines for international travel; 2) To provide hands-on experience in a travel clinic; 3) To teach management skills for mass influenza immunization, and; 4) To encourage students to engage in collaborative relationships with local health departments upon graduation.
METHOD:
Two faculty members from Samford serve as preceptors for students at the JCDH, with significant instruction provided by a registered nurse and the disease control health officer. Students keep a reflective journal of their experiences.
RESULT:
Results of student evaluations have shown that 100% of students who have completed the rotation with the JCDH (n=37) are always satisfied (3 point scale: always, frequently, never) with their experience in this area. Student reflective comments are also positive. Students score well on travel and adult immunization questions on their written exam.
CONCLUSION:
We believe that our interdisciplinary approach to the education of pharmacy students through a local health department in travel immunization and mass influenza immunization is unique. We believe our model is reproducible and could serve as a template for others interested in providing experiential training in this specific area of public health.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Identify opportunities for collaboration among schools and colleges of pharmacy, and local health departments.
2) Describe an interdisciplinary process for student education in travel clinics and mass influenza immunization clinics.
3) Identify possible long-term benefits to public health departments that may result from collaboration with a school or college of pharmacy.
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