(279) Commitment Efforts to Student Well-Being in a Three-Year PharmD Program

Objective : Improving access and increasing communication about health and wellness resources has been a priority for the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) School of Pharmacy. MCW has identified student wellness as an area of focus since Academic Year 2019-2020.

Objectives: All School of Pharmacy (SOP) Offices work collaboratively to engage students, staff, and faculty in the process of creating a healthier campus community.

Methods: Multiple measures were taken to support student wellness and enhance wellbeing. These included: 1) establishment of a Student Wellness Committee, 2) creation of a Mental Health First Aid elective Course, and 3) appointment of a Wellness Taskforce to evaluate the quality and quantity of assessments and their impact on student well-being.

Results: Based on the Student Wellness Committee’s recommendation, several measures were implemented. A student wellness link was added to the school’s website and the learning management software. A “I need help” flowchart was created for students and a “wellness corner” was added to the weekly Newsletter where students share their best practices to cope with stress and improve their well-being.
Since 2021, sixty students have participated in elective course that includes Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification, a National Alliance on Mental Illness lived experiences panel, and small group discussions with psychiatric professionals. All students agreed that “receiving MHFA training was beneficial for my development as a future pharmacist" (80% strongly agree). In a survey of the 60, 78% endorsed creating and practicing a mental health self-care plan.

Conclusions: The SOP adopted a multi-pronged approach to address student wellness. SO far student feedback reflects a positive impact of these efforts.