Abstract
The authors surveyed the field in 1997 to determine the extent of utilization of service learning principles in the pharmaceutical education community. This manuscript reports the results of a follow-up survey consisting of the original survey and two additional items, preformed six years later in 2003. A raw response rate of 55% of schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States was achieved with the follow-up survey. Data were analyzed for the aggregate sample and for institutions that had responded to both surveys. The use of service learning was found to have increased substantially, both as a required and as an elective offering. A synopsis of qualitative responses is also presented. The authors conclude that service learning in some form has been adopted by a majority of institutions in the United States. The confluence between service learning, community engagement, and initial pharmacy practice experiences is also discussed.