Harsha is a Senior Lecturer on the MPharm programme and co-lead for prescribing skills. She is an experienced clinical pharmacist with a background in both community pharmacy and general practice, where she has led clinics focused on managing long-term conditions, contraception services, and opioid deprescribing. With 19 years of teaching experience at the university, Harsha plays a key role in developing students’ professional and clinical capabilities. Her teaching centres around professional skills, clinical decision-making, and person-centred care. She also leads on the design and delivery of GP and social care placements within the MPharm curriculum, supporting students in applying their learning to real-world settings and enhancing their readiness for clinical practice.

Sarah is a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Pharmacy and co-lead for MPharm prescribing skills. She is an experienced hospital pharmacist, specialising in care of people with liver disease, where she has led and delivered a range of services including pharmacist prescribing clinics. Her teaching centres around clinical pharmacy (with a particular focus on liver disease, gastroenterology and renal disease), clinical decision-making, and professional skills. Alongside her undergraduate role Sarah also works in postgraduate teaching, acting as Deputy Director for the MSc in Clinical Pharmacy programme. Outside of the University, Sarah is  Education Director for the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA).

In the ever-evolving landscape of pharmacy education, finding ways to ensure that students are ready to face the complex realities of the healthcare world is more important than ever. One approach that has shown promise is service-learning—an experiential learning model that integrates practical action, community collaboration, and reflection (Salam et al. 2019). This method not only helps students develop real-world competencies but also addresses societal challenges and healthcare inequalities (Turk & Pearl 2021; Kuh 2008). But how do we bring this approach into the classroom, and how do we measure its effectiveness? 

At the University of Manchester, we introduced an innovative student-led clinic, designed to combine authentic assessment with hands-on learning. In this initiative, Year 3 pharmacy students run health check clinics, offering cardiovascular disease awareness and screening to local community members. These clinics offer an incredible opportunity for students to gain invaluable patient-centred care experience. By embedding authentic assessments into these clinics, we aim to not only prepare students for future practice but also make a real difference in the community. This blog post explores the evaluation results and highlights the positive impact of this initiative on both students and service users. 

A New Approach to Learning: Authentic Assessment in Action 

The clinic initiative integrates a key element of authentic assessment—direct observation of practice—into the students’ learning. Authentic assessment, unlike traditional tests or written exams, allows students to demonstrate their skills in real-life situations, providing a much clearer picture of their competence (Vlachopoulos & Makri 2024). In this case, students’ interactions with patients, from taking health histories to providing disease prevention advice, are observed and assessed by their tutors in real time. This method allows for valuable feedback that directly influences future clinical practice. 

But it’s not just about student learning—it’s also about benefiting the local community. Clinic users, many of whom have never had a health check, are able to receive vital information about their health and risk factors. The initiative serves as a community outreach program while reinforcing the importance of student engagement in addressing healthcare disparities. 

Evaluating Impact: What the Data Tells Us 

To gauge the success of this initiative, we conducted evaluations that assessed both student learning and the experiences of the clinic users. University ethical approval was obtained for the evaluations.  

Considering firstly student learning and experience. After participating in the clinics, students were invited to attend an individual semi-structured, audio-recorded interview. These interviews were designed to explore students’ perceptions of their learning, self-confidence, and preparedness for future practice. Interviews were transcribed, anonymised, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2020). Alongside the interviews, students were also invited to complete a 13-item anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed preparedness in clinical learning, patient safety, holistic care, ethics, communication, management, and technical skills, using a 5-point Likert scale. 

The results were illuminating. Interviews with 11 students revealed several recurring themes: 

• Better Preparedness for Practice: Students felt more ready to enter clinical settings, having experienced real-life patient interactions. 

• Opportunity for Person-Centred Care: Many students appreciated the opportunity to offer care tailored to individual patient needs. 

• Sensitivity to Risk Outcomes: Students were able to understand and address health risks more effectively. 

• Discussing Worrying News: Handling difficult conversations with patients, such as delivering concerning health information, was a crucial learning point. 

Moreover, the questionnaire responses (with a response rate of 85%, n=112/131) showed strong positive correlations between several key skills. For example, there was a very strong correlation between problem analysis and problem solving (rs = 0.95, p < 0.001), indicating that students felt more confident in these critical areas. Students also felt more prepared for promoting patient safety (rs = 0.80, p < 0.001), coping with stress and uncertainty (rs = 0.77, p < 0.001), and managing resources and time (rs = 0.67, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the positive impact of the student-led clinics on developing essential clinical skills. 

What Do the Clinic Users Think? 

It’s not just the students who benefit from the initiative. Clinic users were invited to complete questionnaires after attending the clinic. The questionnaire included a mixture of Likert scale and free text questions, exploring views of the clinic and the students, and was based on established patient satisfaction questionnaires used in practice. A total of 117 clinic users completed the questionnaire, providing feedback that further validated the value of this initiative. Many clinic users expressed appreciation for the opportunity to have a health check, especially those who had never previously undergone one. As one user put it, the clinics were “a great initiative to learn more about my health.” 

The feedback also highlighted how clinic users felt respected and treated with dignity. One user noted, “They were patient and thoughtful, offering advice I can implement straight away.” This positive feedback demonstrates the real-world value of the clinic and emphasizes the importance of treating patients with care and empathy, an essential aspect of pharmacy education. 

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters 

So, what does all of this mean for the future of pharmacy education? This initiative shows that student-led clinics can serve as powerful tools for service-learning, blending real-world experience with structured educational frameworks. By integrating authentic assessment through direct observation of practice, these clinics offer students a unique opportunity to build confidence, sharpen their clinical skills, and gain a deeper understanding of patient-centred care. 

Moreover, these clinics make an important contribution to the community. They provide accessible health screenings while addressing health inequalities, particularly in underserved areas. By focusing on experiential, community-focused education, this initiative underscores the need for pharmacy education to evolve in ways that not only prepare students for practice but also actively contribute to society’s health and well-being. 

In conclusion, the student-led clinic initiative at the University of Manchester serves as a model for how authentic assessment and service-learning can enhance pharmacy education. It’s a win-win for both students and the community—preparing future pharmacists to tackle the complexities of healthcare while fostering real-world skills that are essential for their professional development. 

References 

• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2020). Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern-based qualitative analytical approaches. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 21(1), 37-47. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12360 

• Kuh, G. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American College and Universities 

• Salam, M., Awang Iskandar, D., Ibrahim, D., & Farooq, M. (2019). Service learning in higher education: A systematic literature review. Asia Pacific Education Review, 20, 573-593. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-019-09580-6 

• Turk, J., & Pearl, A. (2021). Improving developmental learning outcomes in community colleges through service-learning. New Directions for Community Colleges, 195, 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20469 

• Vlachopoulos, D. & Makri, A. (2024) A systematic literature review on authentic assessment in higher education: Best practices for the development of 21st century skills, and policy considerations. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 83. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2024.101425 

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