IGNITE: A Pilot Educational Intervention to Build AI and Research Literacy in Pre-Pharmacy Students at a Teaching-Intensive Institution.

UNLABELLED: Early health sciences learners often have limited structured exposure to artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), research methods, and ethical issues relevant to data-driven healthcare. IGNITE (Innovation, Growth, Network, Integration, Technology, and Ethics) was a one-week interdisciplinary pilot workshop designed to introduce relevant AI/ML methodologies and research literacy. Four pre-pharmacy students in a 2 + 4 PharmD pathway participated in the inaugural workshop at a teaching-intensive institution. A descriptive pre/post evaluation showed increased self-reported confidence across selected AI, ethics, research, and ImageJ-related competencies, with positive participant feedback on relevance, organization, and mentorship. Findings support IGNITE as a feasible and acceptable educational model. Future iterations should include larger cohorts, integrated assessments, longitudinal follow-up, and adaptation for postgraduate health professional learners. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-026-02795-4.