Student pharmacists' perspectives on health equity following a co‐curricular activity

Abstract Introduction Increasing awareness of the social determinants of health and their effect on health disparities is essential to developing clinicians prepared to practice in today's health care environment. Co‐curricular programs often include service learning, which provides an opportunity for students to advance their learning on health equity. Objectives Describe student learning using reflections written after participation in a health fair that provided free health services to the homeless population in the downtown area of a metropolitan city. Methods Open‐ended responses from a standardized post‐activity reflection exercise were content analyzed for key themes. Data were analyzed with immersion‐crystallization qualitative methods. Results A total of 14 reflections were included with four themes emerging. First, students applied concepts related to the social determinants of health and identified barriers to accessing health services for underserved patient populations. Second, students reflected on how language and other elements of communication supported positive patient interactions. Third, students demonstrated self‐awareness, which included personal and professional growth, through observations and interactions with community members. Fourth, students reflected on the importance of trust and mutual respect within the patient‐provider relationship. Conclusion Public health outreach is a frequent component of co‐curricular programs and service learning. Student reflections demonstrated how engagement in an activity focused on an underserved population increased awareness of the social determinants of health and health equity, as well as resulted in self‐awareness and growth as future health care professionals. Future research should further examine what learning occurs across a broader scope of service activities with the long‐term goal of fostering engagement and empowering students to actively address health disparities.