Student perspectives on caring and connectedness in the PharmD classroom.

Introduction: Mental health concerns are increasing exponentially within the college student population. Successfully coping with the stress of adjusting to college can be difficult particularly for students majoring in science- and health-related disciplines like pharmacy. This study aimed to understand how well-being is integrated and could be improved upon within the learning environment from the students' perspective.

Methods: Several college of pharmacy faculty collaborated with campus wellness staff through an initiative that aimed to integrate mental health and well-being strategies into the learning environment. At the end of each semester, pharmacy students responded to open-ended questions meant to evaluate their perspectives of the professor participating in the well-being program. Grounded theory was used to code the responses.

Results: Four themes emerged from the student responses: (1) Instruct in a creative, consistent, and clear manner; (2) Be genuine; (3) Establish a welcoming environment; and (4) Invest in students. Pharmacy students experienced their classrooms as more than just a place to learn class material but as an environment that valued the students as people.

Conclusions: The study highlights the role of faculty as educators of classroom material and of including practices that facilitate a sense of connectedness and caring within the classroom.