Check-In: An Educational Activity to Address Well-Being and Burnout among Pharmacy Students

Abstract

Background: Chronic workplace stress that has not been adequately managed can result in burnout. Healthcare providers; including pharmacists, may be particularly susceptible to this phenomenon, prompting the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo to develop an active-learning activity to teach and reflect on healthcare provider burnout, called Check-In. Methods: Check-In was comprised of a 20 min online lecture on healthcare provider burnout, two pre-readings that highlighted burnout among physicians, and an optional one-on-one session between individual students and a faculty or staff member. A reflection guide was also shared among students and facilitators where students had to rate their current mental health on a 10-point scale and reflect on questions focusing on energy expenditure, self-care, and self-compassion within the past, present, and future. Results: Check-In was rewarding and overall positive for students and faculty. The personal connection with members from the school and the strategic timing of the activity within the curriculum notably contributed to the success of the activity. The short duration of individual sessions was the key criticism of the activity. Further research at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy will be explored to assess the long-term impact of Check-In on student well-being.