title: Impact of an elective diabetes course on student pharmacists' skills and attitudes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of an elective diabetes course on student pharmacists' skills and attitudes about diabetes management.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-credit elective course on diabetes was developed that included a 1-week simulation experience during which students completed daily insulin injections, glucose checks, carbohydrate counts, and kept a daily log.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A preintervention and postintervention survey was administered to assess students' attitudes toward and confidence in performing and teaching patients various diabetes self-management skills. Students' confidence in performing and teaching diabetes self-management skills significantly improved. Students' reflective writing assignment, diabetes logbook, weekly quizzes, and group presentation were also evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A diabetes elective, which included a 1-week simulation of living as a diabetic patient, was an effective teaching method to increase students' confidence in performing and teaching diabetes self-management skills.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Minneapolis, MN, USA. swestber@umn.edu
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Westberg
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bumgardner
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frueh
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D013339:Students, Pharmacy