Opportunities for Students to Prescribe: An Evaluation of 185 Consultations in the Student-run Cardiovascular Risk Management Programme.

Involving students in cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) could offer patients a structured CVRM programme and students a valuable learning opportunity. We describe and evaluate a student-run CVRM programme that was set up to offer primary prevention to patients with known risk factors in a general practitioner's practice. During a consultation, two undergraduate medical students assessed the patients' actual risk and formulated a CVRM plan, which they discussed with the patient after approval by a GP. After the consultations, patients were asked to complete evaluation/feedback questionnaires. From December 2014 to December 2015, 185 consultations were carried out by 46 students. Feedback questionnaires of 153 consultations were returned, in which patient satisfaction was 8.43 (1-10, min-max). The cardiovascular risk of 95 patients was determined, and in >50% patients, it was 'high'. Participating students and GPs were enthusiastic about the (pharmacotherapy) learning opportunities and improved CVRM care while contributing to real patient care in this CVRM programme.