Impact of a First‐Year Doctor of Pharmacy Seminar Course on Stigmatizing Beliefs: A Qualitative Analysis

BACKGROUND: Stigma is a known barrier to individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) seeking care for their condition and contributes to poorer health outcomes for individuals with SUD. Despite evidence that targeted education can reduce stigmatizing attitudes among health care professionals, a paucity of research has focused on what the most effective components of anti-stigma education are and how they should be integrated into student and health care professional education. The purpose of this study was to examine students' perspectives following the completion of a first-year pharmacy seminar-style elective course, explicitly focusing on their recommendations for stigma reduction initiatives, curricular integration strategies, and their perceived preparation for future practice. METHODS: Students in a seminar-style first-year pharmacy school elective focused on stigma towards individuals with SUDs and mental health conditions were given the opportunity to share their views regarding stigma education after a semester of anti-stigma coursework. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology was used to analyze the reflections of the 18 students in the course. RESULTS: Analysis of student reflections revealed six major domains, which included: Education and Curriculum, Professional Development, Stigma Reduction, Language Utilization, Community and Peer Support, and Patient-Centered Care. CONCLUSIONS: Students' reflections focused on the need for anti-stigma initiatives at all levels, including focused work with individual patients to reduce self-stigma within health care systems and through anti-stigma education with the public. A small, seminar-style course provided an ideal learning environment for engaging students in challenging conversations around substance use and mental health stigma. Guest speakers with lived personal and professional experience dealing with substance use, mental health, and harm reduction were reported by students to be the most impactful component of the course.