Implementation of the Wonders of Pharmacy to engage high school students in the pharmacy profession

Objective: To examine feedback from high school student attendees and presenters about their perceptions of the Wonders of Pharmacy (WoPh) event to steer for future implementation. Methods: An innovative community engagement and leadership project was implemented in a first year required pharmacy course. The project involved student creation of interactive stations to be showcased at the WoPh event to demonstrate the role of pharmacists to high school students and their families. Two surveys were distributed via Qualtrics following the WoPh event: a 30-item survey to attendees and an 18-item survey to student presenters. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify and identify trends. Thematic analysis was used for open-ended questions. Results: The WoPh event included a total of 108 attendees and 34 interactive stations facilitated by 130 student presenters. Attendee survey responses (20.3% response rate) indicated that while 85% felt they formed positive connections with pharmacy students, only 57% felt the same way with connections with pharmacists. Among presenters (34.6% response rate), 88% believed the event showcased various aspects of the pharmacy profession, but only 37% thought it was well organized and 33% found the networking opportunities valuable. Key themes from first-year student presenters included engagement and impact on high school students and the challenges and rewards of participation. Conclusion: The WoPh event introduced high school students and their families to pharmacy careers, fostering positive connections and interest in pharmacy careers. First-year PharmD students found the integration of the WoPh event in their required pharmacy course provided valuable insight for high school students and their families. However, PharmD students found that the integration of WoPh event into the course curriculum was disorganized. Addressing gaps in event organization and networking opportunities could further enhance this impactful educational event in the future.