Do You Mind? A Mindfulness Practice Curriculum for Pharmacy Students

The nature of learning mindfulness practice and the impact of a mindfulness curriculum on pharmacy student stress levels and quality of life was evaluated using a mixed-methods research methodology. Twenty-five participant students in the mindfulness curriculum were surveyed on their level of mindfulness, their perceived stress, and overall quality of life using the 5 Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the SF-12 v2 Health Related Quality of Life scale, respectively. Eighteen consented to full inclusion in the study. A control group of 24 non-participants students were also surveyed on their stress levels and quality of life using the same questionnaires. Twenty of the controls completed the full study. Surveys were collected at baseline (prior to class intervention) and at 12 weeks (4 weeks post course conclusion) in both groups for comparison. Student participants were also asked to complete an online course evaluation at the conclusion of the course. Compared to the control group, students who participated in the mindfulness practice curriculum had significantly lower perceived stress and higher mental health-related quality of life. Participants highly rated the course overall, though one to two students did report lower achievement of course objectives. Based on participant evaluation free-text responses, concepts related to the environment of learning mindfulness practice were discussed, resulting in opportunities for future research focus with rigorous qualitative methodologies and data analyses.