Evaluation of a murder mystery activity to teach patient communication interviewing skills.

Introduction: While gamification has been used in pharmacy education, more research is needed to establish that these methods are effective. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a murder mystery activity to teach patient communication and interviewing skills to first year pharmacy students in a pharmacy skills laboratory.

Methods: A non-medical murder mystery activity was used to introduce and provide practice on communication techniques needed for obtaining a medical history.

Fostering empathy and self-efficacy in pharmacy students through service learning.

Background: Pharmacy student proficiency in direct patient interactions is an integral component of the doctor of pharmacy curriculum. Service-learning experiences offer pharmacy students valuable opportunities to develop self-efficacy and empathy while serving communities with unmet needs. The objective of this review is to evaluate the impact of service-learning experiences on the self-efficacy and empathy of pharmacy and other health professions students.