Young@Heart clinic: a feasibility study of an undergraduate pharmacy student-led blood pressure and healthy lifestyle clinic

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Student-led clinics offer a work-based learning (WBL) opportunity for undergraduate healthcare students to engage with professional activities in a real-life setting. Participation is posited to provide experiential learning and prepare students for clinical practice. This study aims to assess the feasibility of establishing and engaging undergraduate students in one such initiative through the collaboration between one School of Pharmacy and local authority. Methods The clinic was developed using a logic model and delivered in 2019–2020. A service specification and training were developed and provided to volunteering undergraduate pharmacy students. Anonymised service data were collected and process outcomes around student and public engagement were recorded to assess feasibility for longer-term embedding into the undergraduate programme. Key findings The clinic was operational for 20 days from November 2019 to February 2020. Student volunteers (n = 43, 36.7%) were trained and provided blood pressure screening and healthy living advice to 131 members of the public. Student drop-out occurred due to the voluntary nature of the initiative. Conclusions Collaborative working with the local authority facilitated this WBL experience outside conventional clinical environments. The study demonstrated the potential for students to participate in service provision. This offers value to the local population through a health prevention service when a structured approach to the design and delivery of the educational experience is undertaken. The study provides insight into how the WBL can work, what it requires (e.g. resource, preparation), and learning to inform the wider implementation of this WBL into the undergraduate curriculum.