Comparison of Student Pharmacists' Knowledge Retention Utilizing Electronic Health Records Versus Simultaneously Completing Simulated Experiences

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of standardized patients or the addition of interprofessional student teams with standardized patients to the use of a simulated electronic health record improved student knowledge retention and perceptions. Methods. This was a prospective cohort study assessing three cohorts of first-year student pharmacists in pharmacy skills laboratory activities that occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The primary objective of the study was to compare knowledge retention of the case material between groups at one month. Each year, an element of simulated experience was added onto the previous year's case. In 2018, students completed the case using only the electronic health record web application. In 2019, the previous year's experience was combined with an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with standardized patients. In 2021, the 2019 experience was supplemented with student physician assistants. Case scores and student perceptions were also compared between groups. Results. Of the 260 potential participants, 238 students were included in the primary analysis. Results showed that with the addition of interprofessional team-based care and standardized patients, significant improvement was demonstrated in knowledge retention assessments at one month. Mean knowledge retention assessment scores for the 2018, 2019, and 2021 groups were 63.8%, 71.7%, and 76.1%, respectively. Significant improvement was also found in student perceptions. Conclusion. Adding standardized patients and interprofessional team-based care to a pharmacy skills laboratory that uses a simulated electronic health record significantly improved student knowledge retention and perceptions.