Establishing inclusion safety in pharmacy education: Wielding psychological safety as a tool to address student burnout

Introduction

Burnout is a common issue that impacts students across professional programs, where symptoms such as loneliness and isolation lead to a decrease in student and faculty success. The primary tactic utilized to combat burnout in pharmacists has been an emphasis on wellbeing strategies.

Commentary

Psychological safety is an important cultural dynamic that allows individuals to feel included, supported, and heard. This is particularly important as developing a professional setting of inclusivity and safety is associated with reducing the impact of psychosocial stressors on an individual outside of their professional setting. However, psychological safety has not yet been explored as a means to combat burnout in pharmacy education.

Implications

Making space for inclusion, learning, contribution, and challenge in pharmacy education curriculums is necessary to create psychologically safe learning environments, which thereby increases feelings of belonging and community among students and faculty and subsequently reduces feelings of isolation and burnout. A commitment from administrators, faculty, and preceptors is necessary to encourage egalitarian dialogue and imagine a more dynamic, collegial relationship among students and faculty. Ultimately, this commitment communicates to students that they are valued as human beings, respected as individuals, and empowered as future healthcare providers well before they are asked to rise to the role of pharmacist.