title: Assessing empathy and self-efficacy levels of pharmacy students in an elective diabetes management course.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of a 6-week patient/provider interaction simulation on empathy and self-efficacy levels of diabetes management skills in third-year pharmacy students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacy students enrolled in a diabetes elective course were paired to act as a patient with diabetes or as a provider assisting in the management of that patient during a 6-week simulation activity. After 3 weeks, students switched roles. The simulation was designed with activities to build empathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and a self-efficacy survey were administered to assess change in empathy and confidence levels from baseline to the end of the activity. Completion of the activity resulted in significant improvement in total JSE scores. Additionally, significant improvements in overall self-efficacy scores regarding diabetes management were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 6-week patient/provider interaction simulation improved empathy and self-efficacy levels in third-year pharmacy students.
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy, Edwardsville, Illinois.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stahnke
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy, Edwardsville, Illinois.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Behnen
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D004645:Empathy; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: diabetes; empathy; self-efficacy; student pharmacist