Educating international students about medication access and usage in the US: A pilot project

Abstract

Objective

To (1) describe an educational program for international students about medication access and use, (2) assess perspectives on the session Participants: A College of Pharmacy and Office of International Affairs at a large, public university presented on the U.S. pharmacy system during biannual international student orientation. Methods: During seven, 20-minute presentations, a facilitator discussed the role of pharmacists, defined terms, and reviewed processes. Anonymous, voluntary post-presentation surveys were analyzed to identify common themes. Results: An 86% response rate was achieved (n = 1496). Majority of students (98%) found this workshop helpful; a majority felt comfortable filling a prescription (96%) or asking the pharmacist a question (97%). More than 95% understood key terms. Common themes included health insurance and cost. Conclusions: This educational model equipped international students with knowledge to navigate the U.S. medication use system. Other universities may apply the program to prepare international visitors to access and safely use medications.

Keywords:

• Community pharmacy services
• school health services
• health education
• global health

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States. This research was exempt from Institutional Review Board approval.