title: An elective course to engage student pharmacists in elementary school science education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and assess the impact of an elective course (HealthWISE) on student pharmacists' skills in communication and health promotion and elementary school students' knowledge of and attitudes toward science.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three colleges and schools of pharmacy collaborated to develop a 1-credit elective course that used online and classroom teaching and learning techniques to prepare student pharmacists to teach science in elementary school classrooms. Student pharmacists delivered 6 science lessons to elementary students over the course of 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In weekly journal reflections and a final paper, student pharmacists reported improved communication and health promotion skills. Elementary teachers reported they were satisfied with student pharmacists' performance in the classroom. On pretest and posttest evaluations, elementary students demonstrated increased science knowledge and enhanced enthusiasm for science following the lessons taught by student pharmacists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HealthWISE elective course provided positive benefit for student pharmacists, elementary school teachers, and elementary students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, PO Box 1495, Spokane, WA 99210-1495, USA. woodard@wsu.edu
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Woodard
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blankenship
authors.forename: Raymond M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Quock
authors.forename: Marti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.forename: Janni J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kinsler
mesh_terms: D000486:Allergy and Immunology / Q000193:education; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003142:Communication; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004772:Entomology / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D013663:Teaching; D014481:United States; D035141:Voluntary Programs