Use of Entertainment Elements in an Online Video Mini-Series to Train Pharmacy Preceptors

Objective. To create an entertaining approach to training pharmacy preceptors. Design. A training program was developed to provide an innovative, entertaining, and flexible continuing education program for pharmacy preceptors. Three instructional design principles – providing an authentic context, offering a diversity of content, and engaging and maintaining attention – were foundational to this concept. The mini-series consisted of 12 online video episodes. Participants completed three reflective questions and one evaluation after watching each episode. Three months following completion of the training, a survey was distributed to analyze the long-term impact of the mini-series on precepting skills. Assessment. Two hundred two participants completed all 12 episodes. After completing the training series, the participants’ confidence level in their knowledge pertaining to the objectives was significantly greater than before they started. Among the 32% of participants who responded to the three-month follow-up survey, the mean score for precepting confidence was 6.8 on a scale of 1 to 10 on which 1=no increase to 10=big increase. Also, 99% of participants indicated they would complete a similar training program and recommend to others. Conclusions. Feedback from the mini-series provides evidence of the effectiveness of its delivery format and use as a preceptor learning tool.