Implementation and Overall Impressions of a PrEP Bootcamp for Health Care Professional Learners in the Southern United States Designed to Highlight Active Learning, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Simulation: A Qualitative Study

Educational initiatives related to improving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge, confidence, comfort, and awareness remain a priority for those who can prescribe and manage PrEP. An interdisciplinary PrEP bootcamp was designed and implemented for health care professional students and included PrEP basics, epistemic justice, patient-clinician communication, and social determinants of health. A constructivist educational approach was used as students implemented new PrEP knowledge and skills when interacting with a simulated patient. Three bootcamps were piloted on a health science center campus January 2023-May 2024, and 28 students participated in post-bootcamp focus groups. Students reported enhanced knowledge, comfort, and confidence, and they appreciated engagement through active learning and interdisciplinary collaboration. As studies continue to show a lack of PrEP education in health care training programs, future researchers and educators should build on the promising structure of this bootcamp and continue to meet the needs of students and communities being served.