title: A mnemonic for pharmacy students to use in pharmacotherapy assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce pharmacy students to a patient-centered mnemonic to aid them in remembering the most important parameters when assessing a patient's drug therapy and to determine whether use of the device improved students' clinical examination scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Second-year pharmacy students were randomized to an intervention group or a control group. A 30-minute presentation on the rationale of the mnemonic and how to apply it to clinical scenarios was given to the intervention group and then a case-based multiple-choice clinical examination was administered. Students in the control group completed the same examination first and then were given the mnemonic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five students completed the examination. Examination scores of students in the intervention group were 6% higher than those of students in the control group (p = 0.04). A 6-question survey instrument was administered to both groups and the majority of students agreed that they would use the mnemonic when assessing patients during their upcoming practice experiences. One-hundred percent of the students stated that the mnemonic definitely or probably helped them (or would have helped them) think critically when assessing the patient cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacy students who used a mnemonic device for pharmacotherapy assessment exhibited better decision-making skills and made fewer errors than students who did not use the mnemonic.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente, 975 Sereno Drive, Vallejo, CA 94589, USA. Christine.X.Bruno@kp.org
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Bijal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Linn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D055815:Young Adult