Scoping Review of Programmatic Well-Being Interventions and Outcomes to Support Pharmacy Students.

OBJECTIVES: Recent literature highlights various well-being initiatives implemented across pharmacy programs; however, there is much heterogeneity in their implementation and limited studies assessing the impact and success of these initiatives on pharmacy students' well-being. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the effectiveness of strategies implemented by pharmacy schools to improve the well-being of pharmacy students. FINDINGS: In total, 23 studies were included, and well-being strategies were categorized into 3 groups: organizational wellness programs, curriculum design and educational course activities, and specific relaxation or meditation activities. Strategies included yoga meditation, structured mindfulness courses, and self-directed mindfulness with digital smartphone applications. The majority of studies assessed outcomes of stress, burnout, and mindfulness, though other well-being domains such as resilience and belonging emerged. Some also assessed perceptions and acceptability of the interventions through qualitative approaches. SUMMARY: Despite the heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures, this review provides a comprehensive scope of well-being domains, assessment tools, interventions, and approaches targeted at pharmacy students and highlights the strongest evidence for interventions on reducing stress. Pharmacy programs can benefit from approaches at both the organization level and those fostering individual accountability by exposing students to a variety of self-help well-being strategies that develop protective factors and motivate them to sustain well-being practices themselves as a shared approach. This scoping review addresses a critical gap by gaining an understanding of the current landscape of well-being initiatives and their effectiveness to better guide pharmacy programs on strategies that are most likely to improve student well-being.

Assessing Factors That Influence Pharmacy Student Burnout and Identifying Recommendations to Support Student Well-Being.

OBJECTIVE: Literature indicates concerning rates of burnout and declining well-being among students. Although well-being initiatives have increased, a gap exists in identifying factors that impact pharmacy student well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors students perceive that influence their burnout and identify recommendations to improve student well-being. METHODS: First- (PY1), second- (PY2), and third-year (PY3) pharmacy students enrolled in the didactic curriculum were invited to participate in this exploratory study. Focus groups were organized by program year to explore the experiences that may be unique to each group. A semistructured interview format was used to discuss factors contributing to student burnout and fulfillment, as well as solicit recommendations for strategies to improve student well-being. Inductive coding was used to identify themes. RESULTS: Twelve students participated in 6 sessions: 1 PY1 interview (n = 1 student), 1 PY2 focus group (n = 2 students) and 1 PY2 interview (n = 1 student), and 3 PY3 focus groups (n = 2-3 students/focus group). Common factors identified as contributing toward burnout included having too little time, overwhelming academic workload, competitive culture, and noncoursework commitments. Factors contributing to student fulfillment included life outside of pharmacy school, well-being resources, and activities aligned with future goals. Participants recommended several strategies to improve student well-being, including curricular changes (eg, course schedule layout, pass/fail grading), culture strategies, and well-being resources. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the impact of workload and competitive culture on student burnout. This study fills a literature gap regarding the factors influencing student burnout and informs strategies for fostering student well-being in pharmacy education.