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Use of visual and performing arts to raise cultural awareness through obesity course within pharmacy education
Author(s) -
Jungsuwadee Paiboon,
Iwuchukwu Otito,
Patel Shreya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.02469
Subject(s) - creativity , attractiveness , curriculum , medical education , psychology , accreditation , the arts , context (archaeology) , cultural competence , pharmacy , medicine , pedagogy , social psychology , nursing , visual arts , art , paleontology , psychoanalysis , biology
The 2016 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards call for exposure to cultural factors within pharmacy curriculum. Current efforts to meet these standards using common pedagogical techniques have had some success; however, there is still a need to identify different ways of teaching and learning cultural competency. An obesity elective course offered in the third professional year used visual and performing arts as a student‐centered learning tool to raise cultural awareness and advocate for culturally inclusive treatment. Research question Can visual and performing arts be used as a student‐centered learning tool to raise cultural awareness and advocate for culturally inclusive treatment approaches? Study design Students were randomized into groups and charged with selecting one patient group at risk for weight based biases from a pre‐specified list. The groups were then required to use one form of visual and performing arts (e.g., song, print media, etc.) to raise cultural awareness and present culturally inclusive treatment options for their chosen at‐risk patient group. Methods The use of visual and performing arts was assessed on creativity, attractiveness, and content accuracy in the context of obesity. An online audience response system and a multiple choice quiz was utilized to assess student learning. Students’ perception of how well the activity met its intended aims was assessed through a survey questionnaire. Results Six groups consisting of 4 to 5 students completed the activity. Student scores on creativity, attractiveness and content accuracy ranged from 97.3% to 77.8%, with an average of 83.8%. On the quiz, 90% of students achieved a score of 85% or higher. For students’ perception, 86% of students agreed that the activity improved their understanding and 91% agreed the activity improved their awareness of cultural differences associated with weight biases. Conclusion Visual and performing arts can be used as a student‐centered learning tool to expose students to cultural disparities within pharmacy curriculum.