Boosting Confidence: Evaluating Pharmacy Students' Readiness to Prescribe Hormonal Contraception

Document Type

Poster Presentation

Publication Date

4-17-2026

Keywords

fsc2026

Abstract

Objective: In March 2024, New York State legislation authorized pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraception. Consequently, a new contraception unit was introduced to a skills laboratory course incorporating case-based activities and assessments with standardized patients to allow students to practice scenarios involving contraceptive prescribing. This study evaluates confidence of third-year pharmacy students in prescribing hormonal contraception, as well as satisfaction with the unit.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study of third-year pharmacy students completing a skills laboratory course. Following the contraception unit, students completed a survey including demographics, knowledge and confidence in prescribing hormonal contraception, and satisfaction with the unit. Questions adapted from prior instruments measured confidence in applying the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process. Likert scales were dichotomized to report both agreement (vs. rest) and strong agreement (vs. rest). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and outcome variables.

Results: Of the 41 respondents (response rate: 65.1%), the majority were female (70.7%) and had work experience in community pharmacy (78.1%) or hospital/institution settings (53.7%). High knowledge and satisfaction after the contraception unit were reported with over 90% of students agreeing and nearly 50% strongly agreeing on all items; examples included helpfulness in preparing for pharmacy practice and knowing when to refer a patient to a provider for contraception. Confidence was very high with nearly 100% of students agreeing and over 50% strongly agreeing to all six confidence statements. Most frequent feedback was requesting more cases.

Conclusions: Students who completed the new contraception unit in a skills laboratory course reported high ratings of knowledge and confidence in contraceptive prescribing. Future curricular changes and studies to assess efficacy are important, as more states pass legislation to allow prescribing privileges for pharmacists. As more states grant pharmacists prescribing privileges, future curricular enhancements and research are needed to evaluate the impact on pharmacy education.

Comments

Poster presented at the 2026 Fisher Showcase, St. John Fisher University, April 17, 2026.

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