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Objectives. To assess the differences in learning outcomes of first-year (P1) pharmacy students enrolled in a course based on service learning with those of a comparable group of students not enrolled in a course involving service learning. Design. Students on 2 campuses of a school of pharmacy completed a required P1 course involving service learning. A control group of students at a different school completed typical P1 courses, none of which involved service learning. Assessment. A questionnaire was administered to P1 students in the study group at the conclusion of the service-learning course, and a similar questionnaire was administered to P1 students in the control group in the spring of their P1 year. Survey questions inquired about what the students had learned generally and in the areas identified as common to the 2 groups of respondents. Differences in the learning outcomes of the students were identified, most notably in the areas of professional communication, cultural competence, the elderly, and awareness of service-providing agencies in the community. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that service-learning positively impacts pharmacy students' learning outcomes.

The objective of the study was to determine what students learn through Service Learning (SL), based on their self-assessment of the learning. Survey instruments were administered to students at the beginning and end of a required SL course in one college's pharmacy curriculum. Students' responses revealed their personal and professional attitudes and how they changed as a result of their participation in the course; what they believed they had learned in this course; and what factors may have affected their attitudinal changes and learning. Actual course outcomes were reviewed in light of the educational outcomes of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education (CAPE). The study is the first step in what needs to be a longer-term assessment based on objective measures of learning, but it demonstrates concrete learning outcomes of service-learning.

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The secondary structure of the autoregulatory mRNA binding site of Escherichia coli ribosomal protein L1 has been studied using enzymatic methods. The control region of the E. coli L11 operon was cloned into a vector under control of the Salmonella phage SP6 promoter, and RNA transcribed using SP6 RNA polymerase. The secondary structure of this RNA was probed using structure-specific nucleases, and by comparison of the data with computer predictions of RNA folding, secondary structural features were deduced. The proposed model is consistent with elements of some previously proposed models, but differs in other features. Finally, secondary structure information was obtained from two mutant mRNAs and the structural features correlated with observed phenotypes of the mutants.

Objectives. To describe the design of a required service-learning course offered to first-year (P1) pharmacy students, and to assess student learning and the relevance of this learning in the pharmacy curriculum. Design. A 14-week service-learning course was designed and community organizations were recruited to participate. All first-year students enrolled in the School completed the course. A post-course survey was administered to the students, inquiring about what they had learned from the course; supervisors at the students' service sites also completed a short survey. Assessment. The course and the student survey instrument were completed by 195 students, and of these 190 gave permission for the information they provided to be used in the study. Notable learning outcomes were identified, especially in the areas of communication and the social and behavioral aspects of pharmacy. Conclusion. The survey administered at the conclusion of the course described in this article demonstrated that students in the course had achieved the desired learning outcomes. This shows that service-learning is a pedagogy that educators can employ to effect relevant learning in the pharmacy curriculum.

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