A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE PERCEPTION OF PHARMACY STUDENT’S TOWARDS THE PHARMACY PROFESSION

The quality of education offered by Pharmacy institutions in the country varies widely. There are only a few institutions which maintain internationally recognized standard. A survey was conducted on the one hundred and twenty four (124) undergraduate Pharmacy students to determine their awareness and inclination towards Pharmacy as a career choice. Students were evaluated for the perception on their education and to share ideas for its improvement. A questionnaire survey that explored their attitudes and views towards the Pharmacy profession was chosen for this study. Based on the evaluated data from questionnaire, the student’s perception towards Pharmacy education was seems to be very poor and survey also revealed poor inclination towards pharmacy as a profession. Student’s perception on scope and contribution was found to be unsatisfactory. Student’s learning tools, teaching methods and evaluation system were found unexpressive to the pharmacy students. Therefore, there is a need to change such a wrong perception and poor inclination from the minds of pharmacy students by providing professionalism through some educative seminars or programmes, or by including some education promotive, scope oriented and professional communicating subjects in course curriculum of Pharmacy education.