Using student produced videos to increase knowledge of self-care topics and nonprescription medications

ObjectiveTo develop and implement a video production project to increase student knowledge of self-care and nonprescription medication topics.MethodsFaculty created an innovative instructional design in which students produced videos to teach the public about common self-care topics and nonprescription medications. Videos were viewed by student peers, faculty, and community pharmacists. Before viewing the videos, a pre-exam was administered on a volunteer basis to second- and third-year pharmacy students to assess the baseline knowledge of self-care topics and nonprescription medications for second-year students and to assess the retention of knowledge learned regarding self-care topics and nonprescription medications of third-year students. Immediately after viewing the videos, a post-exam was administered to both groups. The exam evaluated students' knowledge of 14 self-care topics before and after the self-care video viewing.ResultsSixty-nine (84%) second-year students participated in a pre/post exam. Results were analyzed using a two-sided Fisher's exact test under the null hypothesis that students would not gain additional knowledge from viewing student-produced self-care videos. Second-year students' scores increased in 12 of the 14 subject areas after viewing the self-care videos.ConclusionsImplementation of a video production project improved pharmacy students' knowledge of self-care and nonprescription medication topics.