Development and implementation of a tobacco cessation training program for students in the health professions

Background. A comprehensive tobacco cessation training program, Rx for Change, was developed and implemented as required coursework at all California schools of pharmacy and at the University of California San Francisco Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. Results. Post-training evaluations administered to pharmacy students (n = 544; 89% participation) show a positive impact of the training on students' self-reported abilities for providing tobacco cessation counseling to patients. Conclusion. Designed as a vehicle for nationwide dissemination of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, Rx for Change equips students with skills to intervene with all tobacco users, including patients who are not yet considering quitting.