Integration of cannabidiol oil education into a pharmacy therapeutics curriculum

Introduction: To identify the impact of implementing a lecture regarding cannabidiol (CBD) oil delivered within a special populations therapeutics course on third-year (P3) pharmacy students’ knowledge and confidence of CBD therapeutics.

Methods: A two-hour lecture which contained the pharmacological properties, therapeutic uses, and legal considerations of CBD products was added to a two-credit course in the final didactic semester of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Prior to the session, learners completed a 10-question knowledge-based questionnaire, ranking confidence in each answer with a 5-point Likert scale. Fourth-year (P4) learners, who did not attend the lecture, also responded to the questionnaire.

Results: There were a total of 93 P3 and 21 P4 student responses. Lecture attendance resulted in a statistically significant increase in average knowledge and confidence scores. Baseline and post-lecture mean knowledge was 73.7% and 82.3% (P < .01) for P3 students, respectively. The average baseline knowledge for the P4 learners was 71.4%, compared to the P3 post-lecture mean knowledge score of 82.3% (P < .01).

Conclusions: Students who attended a lecture on CBD performed better and reported greater confidence than students who did not attend. Incorporating formal lecture on CBD into a PharmD curriculum increases students’ knowledge and enhances confidence in counseling patients using CBD oil.