The Interactive Learning Program for the Diabetes Pharmacists Network was developed to change how pharmacists learned about diabetes care and medications. Working with Dr. Lori MacCallum at the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, we started the project with collaborative wireframing with content experts. The resulting design was similarly collaborative in spirit.
Each module began with a patient persona to immediately engage pharmacists with the human side of what they were learning. Learning was anything but passive, with a pre-test to help learners recognize knowledge gaps, mid-module polling to compare different approaches in caring for patients, and a post-test to evaluate knowledge gained. Following completion of each module, pharmacists could also discuss the topic with other members to keep the learning going.
Pharmacists and health care providers who used the program were unanimous in their positive response. MacCallum recalls getting emails every week from those who had used the DPN to help prepare for exams or work with a patient. The program left a lasting impact on the education and support of pharmacists across the country, and the care of people with diabetes.
