Implementation and evaluation of evidence-based patient care application during a primary care advanced practice experience

ObjectiveTo implement and evaluate improvement in application of evidence-based recommendations during a primary care advanced practice experience.DesignDuring a five-week primary care advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE), three preceptor faculty members utilized primary literature evaluation exercises to enhance pharmacotherapy knowledge of clinical end points and strengthen student application in clinical decision-making and individualized care.AssessmentA 39-item case-based short-answer exam was developed to assess the impact of the educational activities. Pre- and post-tests from 74 students indicated a mean change of 30.3 point improvement in scores (SD = 14.6) (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIntegrating structured primary literature activities into a primary care rotation deepened understanding of evidence and strengthened application of literature-based therapeutic recommendations.