Pharmacist-led prescription writing educational intervention to final-year medical students: A pre-post nonrandomised longitudinal study

Background The skill of writing a medication prescription is multifaceted, incorporating multiple layers and dimensions. Prescribing is a competency expected of all junior doctors, however, many medical students feel a lack of preparedness and confidence to complete a medication prescription once graduated. Teaching the practical and clinical components separately may enhance understanding of the practical skill of prescribing prior to integrating the clinical knowledge to complete a medication prescription. The primary objective of this study is to determine if pharmacist-led multimodal education interventions change the prescribing skills of Australian final-year medical students. Our secondary aim is to review knowledge retention of prescribing skills in these same participants a year later as junior doctors. Thirdly, we aim to determine if there is an association between participants’ self-perceived confidence to prescribe and their practical ability to write safe and legal prescriptions. This manuscript will describe in detail the methods of this novel longitudinal study. Methods This is a nonrandomised pre-post longitudinal study to be conducted in two phases. The control for the study is students receiving curricula-based education throughout their medical degree. The intervention is pharmacist-led multimodal education (face-to-face, case-based learning with hands on experiences, online module, and placement) on prescription writing skills to final-year medical students. This study has been approved by the James Cook University Human Research Ethics Committee (H9114). Discussion This paper presents the methods and protocol of an approved and funded nonrandomised longitudinal study to investigate the potential of pharmacist educators to durably improve prescribing knowledge and skills amongst Australian final year medical students. Prescribing skills education for medical students may reduce the probability of potential incorrect or unsafe prescribing habits as junior doctors. Education standards do not acknowledge adhering to local legal regulations when prescribing and do not recommend mandatory teaching or assessment criteria. This study will review the effectiveness and need for additional education on the practical skill of writing a medication prescription. If positive, the findings of this study will have practical and policy impacts that may result in long term improvement in safe medicines practice and ultimately benefit patient care.