Evaluation of reflective structured dialogue on pharmacy students' perceived ability to communicate multiple perspectives

Abstract

Background: In an effort to better prepare students for difficult conversations in healthcare, the authors evaluated the impact of reflective structured dialogue on pharmacy students’ perceived ability to communicate multiple perspectives. Methods: Reflective practice was integrated into an ambulatory care elective starting in the Autumn of 2020. Students completed a Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) and a reflective written assignment. Students were provided with a six-question pre-survey at the start of the course and a ten-question post-survey at its conclusion. Results: Fourteen students completed the course over three terms and were included in this evaluation. More students reported being very or extremely confident in their ability to effectively communicate their own perspectives (53% vs 29%) and different perspectives (54% vs 7%) in the post-survey compared to the pre-survey. Conclusion: Reflective structured dialogue improved students’ perceived ability to communicate multiple perspectives, though benefits varied between students.