Emergency preparedness and response education in U.S. pharmacy curricula: Preparing student pharmacists to address public health needs

INTRODUCTION: Disasters impact multiple aspects of patient-centered care, including access to medications. Pharmacists' contributions and expertise during disasters necessitate guidance on incorporating emergency preparedness and response (EPR) training into Doctor of Pharmacy curricula to fully prepare students to serve as members of the response team. METHODS: A 16-item Qualtrics XM survey (Provo, UT: Qualtrics, LLC) was developed and administered to 142 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy member institutions in the United States. Responses were collected anonymously and analyzed in an aggregate form to ensure confidentiality. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and report findings. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 30% (42/142). Most programs embedded EPR content in a required course (70%). Nearly half of responding institutions lacked opportunities to practice EPR (43%). The most common type of EPR assessment was summative (30%). Community collaborations were most common with local (28; 67%) followed by the state health departments (22; 52%). Only 20% of respondents offered interprofessional collaborations. Respondents were supportive of pharmacists' EPR involvement at the state level (36; 86%) and of developing a network of EPR faculty and practitioners (28; 67%). DISCUSSION: EPR education is delivered in various formats across U.S. PROGRAMS: Most programs embedded EPR content in required courses; practice opportunities were limited. Additional resources are needed to deliver effective EPR education including faculty, training, and guidance on EPR curriculum. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of public health EPR in pharmacy curricula would represent valuable opportunities to advance interprofessional education initiatives nationally and enhance pharmacists' preparedness for future emergencies and disasters.