Development and review of a team project for undergraduate pharmacy students

Objective: This paper describes a team project designed for 15 Bachelor of Pharmacy students. The project was a coordinated survey of non-prescription medicine customers in Queensland, Australia that aimed to provide both community pharmacy and research experience for the students. Method: The students received research training and each was stationed in a pharmacy for 5 days during mid-August 2004. The method involved approaching all eligible customers buying non-prescription medicines for a brief interview. Student diaries were maintained daily for critique of the research methods and reflective learning. Results: A review of the diaries confirmed that learning objectives were met. Students suggested minor improvements to the questionnaire and approaches to enhance the survey response rate. Pharmacy staff were very supportive of the study. Conclusion: The project diary allowed critique of the methods in anticipation of future research. It is feasible to conduct comprehensive pharmacy-based data collection involving a team of 15 students