Implementation of an elective vaccine course to prepare health professional students for community engagement 2366

Description At healthcare universities, it is imperative that we prepare future clinicians to fully understand vaccines in an age of misinformation and mistrust. Despite the importance of vaccines to individual and public health, the level of vaccination immunology taught to students varies greatly and curricula offer little time to cover this topic in depth. To address this critical need, we developed a one-credit elective vaccine course for students entering the health professions. The course begins by asking students what questions they have concerning vaccines or misconceptions, and the course is tailored to address these. An introductory lecture on the basics of immunology is provided to ensure students have a fundamental foundation of knowledge, then the course delves into multiple topics not covered elsewhere in many curricula, including vaccine production and FDA approval standards. Assessment includes online quizzes and at home assignments that integrate their knowledge; students will choose a disease and design a vaccine, outlining its development through clinical trials and approval. This course can be offered in person or online, allowing flexibility to deliver this content to students throughout their curricula. Our goal is to provide students with a global understanding of vaccines to address and offset misinformation with facts, discuss vaccine hesitancy with empathy, and increase trust in vaccination safety and efficacy in our communities. Funding Sources This work was supported by the College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University.