Exciting Advances in Pharmacy Education: Highlights from the Third Pharmacy Game International Symposium

The third Pharmacy Game International Symposium, held on June 3-4, 2024, in Groningen, brought together participants from 16 international schools of Pharmacy. This year's symposium focused on the integration of AI in pharmacy education, particularly within the innovative Pharmacy Game educational concept (https://pharmacygame.education).

The program was enriched by guest presentations showcasing cutting-edge research and teaching practices. One highlight was the creation of synthetic patients from existing electronic patient data, which are then randomized. This allows students to engage with realistic clinical cases without compromising patient confidentiality, offering a taste of everyday practice.

At the University of Groningen, pharmacy students benefit from advanced communication training tools, including a dialogue trainer featuring an avatar patient that responds based on the student's feedback. Additionally, students can use virtual reality (VR) to experience the world from the perspective of an illiterate patient, enhancing their empathy and communication skills at the pharmacy counter.

Another exciting innovation is a newly developed live chat tool. This AI-driven platform allows students to interact with preprogrammed patient cases, honing their clinical reasoning in real-time conversations.

Symposium participants had the opportunity to test these tools, experiencing firsthand how AI is transforming pharmacy education. These advancements promise to equip future pharmacists with the skills and insights needed to excel in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

AI Innovations in the Pharmacy Game: A Global Educational Revolution

AI is revolutionizing the Pharmacy Game, enhancing both student and teacher experiences with cutting-edge tools and applications. At Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), AI is now integral to tasks like innovative pharmaceutical care services, creating infographics, and generating news posts. Similarly, colleagues at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the University of Groningen are using AI to produce content for the local "juice canal." 

The University of Bath and the University of Nottingham have also begun integrating AI into their Pharmacy Game courses. The symposium showcased these developments, highlighting how universities are leveraging AI to enrich their educational tools.

New modules have been implemented within the Pharmacy Game at Vilnius University, the University of Oslo, and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. These institutions, along with the University of Bath and LUMC, are adopting the newly developed "Reducing Pharmaceuticals in Water" module. Tested for a year at the University of Groningen, this module educates students on environmental sustainability and the impact of pharmaceuticals on water systems.

Additionally, both British universities are working towards incorporating the new role of prescriber into their Pharmacy Games, further expanding the scope and realism of their training programs.

The symposium underscored these exciting advancements, demonstrating how AI is paving the way for a new era in pharmacy education. By integrating innovations, these institutions are preparing students to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare industry with innovation and expertise.

We are all keen to meet again next year and seeing what new horizons we will discover while using the Pharmacy Game.