An elective course in pharmacoeconomics for pharmacy students in Japan - a transcultural experience

The objectives were to develop and assess an elective course designed to increase Japanese students' understanding of pharmacoeconomics, and to discuss some challenges and benefits of cross-cultural teaching. An elective course in pharmacoeconomics was developed to be delivered to pharmacy students at a university in Japan. The course was provided as six 180-minute lectures and included both didactic and active learning components. Students' attitude and opinions about pharmacoeconomics was measured (5-point Likert scale, 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree). The course was also evaluated using a student evaluation survey (6-point Likert scale, 1 = mildly disagree and 6 = strongly agree). A total of 52 students were enrolled in the course: 32 (61.54%) second year and 13 (25%) third year from the six-year program, and 7 (13.46%) final-year pharmacy students from the four-year BS program. Students indicated that the course increased their knowledge of pharmacoeconomics. Mean student evaluation scores were greater than 5.42 on all domains. The challenges of teaching in a foreign language were overcome by speaking slowly, avoiding the use of complex words, and providing course materials ahead of time. Japanese students are reluctant to participate in class discussions; however, active learning component enhanced students' participation levels. Pharmacoeconomics is a relatively new discipline in Japan and there is a need to provide future pharmacists a basic understanding of its role in the Japanese health care system. International exchange programs require considerable faculty time in understanding the culture and teaching methods, but they also contribute greatly to the faculty's professional development and international awareness.