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

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

Yogesh Joshi* and Reena Pant

Himalayan Institute of Pharmacy & Research, Rajawala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

ABSTRACT

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.

Perception

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists play a crucial role in any health system as they are responsible for providing solution related to medication. The rapid growth and diversification of pharmaceutical industry coupled with growth of health sector has thrown open a sea of opportunities for pharmacists ¹.

In the past, Pharmacy Education consisted of subject-orientated and knowledge-based teaching. Significant changes in education and training have taken place in recent years reflecting the evolution of Pharmacy from a drug-centered to a patient-centered profession ^{2, 3}.

Pharmacy Education, Profession and Practice in India are regulated by the Pharmacy Act 1948. Pharmacy education is regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) as well as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) established under the AICTE Act 1987. Besides, Pharmacy practice is also governed by Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 together with Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945 (framed under the act). The act regulates the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs ¹.

The spectrum of pharmacy profession in India is very wide. It covers opportunities in Pharmaceutical Industry- Research & Development, Manufacturing & Retail, Healthcare Sector, Pharmacy Education, and Regulatory Bodies. Pharmacy education especially bachelor and higher studies have industrial leaning ¹. Pharmacy seems to be lagging behind regarding any explicit emphasis on curriculum guidelines and research issues involving multicultural education and pharmacy practice ^{4, 5}. Further, most of the institutions are away from practice environment resulting into graduates lacking in skills needed for industry, hospitals or in community setting. In spite of having uniform provisions for curriculum and teaching infrastructure, the quality of education offered by Pharmacy institutions in the country varies widely. However, it should be ensured that all teachers in the pharmacy sector should undergo training and skill enhancement on a regular basis ^{1, 5}. The course assessment instruments like feedback may help to know about the pros and cons of teaching and assessment methods ^{6, 7}.

The main objective of the study is to express the opinion of undergraduate Pharmacy students about Pharmacy education. The study was conducted to determine their awareness and inclination towards Pharmacy as a career choice. In this study, all the data taken from the students were evaluated to analyse the student’s perception towards the profession of Pharmacy.

METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted in Department of Pharmacy, Himalayan Institute of Pharmacy & Research, Dehradun. One hundred and twenty four (124) undergraduate Pharmacy students had participated in this study. All participated students had completed a questionnaire survey (Figure 1) that explored their attitudes and views towards the pharmacy profession. All students were informed neither to discuss regarding questions nor to influence others on their views. Students were evaluated for the perception on their education and to share ideas for its improvement.

FIG. 1: QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY

Questions that were asked to the students contains information regarding status of their decision to chose pharmacy as a professional course, preference given by them to any course in terms of professionalism other than pharmacy, awareness about the scope of pharmacy education, and contribution made towards the healthcare sector as being a part of this profession. Questions based on the teaching method preferred by teachers, learning tools adopted by students and support towards semester system of evaluation through affiliated university was also asked to the students.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The student’s perception towards Pharmacy education was seems to be very poor and survey also revealed poor inclination towards pharmacy as a profession. Among the eight professional courses, pharmacy was on the third position as a career choice after the engineering and medicine (Figure 2).

Besides medicine, engineering and pharmacy, other career chosen courses were physiotherapy, dentistry, nursing, computer applications and business administration. Majority of the students, from among the total participants, were found to be unsatisfied with their decision of choosing Pharmacy course and medical course like MBBS, Engineering was among the best alternative courses they wish to join in lieu of pharmacy.

FIG. 2: CAREER CHOICE FROM AMONG THE PROFESSIONAL COURSES

Student’s perceptions on scope showed that majority of students (65%) were well aware of the scope of Pharmacy education (Figure 3). The study also showed that the desire to make contribution towards the Healthcare Sector, by major students prospective, can be best possible through being a hospital/clinical pharmacist or as research scientist.

FIG. 3: AWARENESS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF PHARMACY EDUCATION

Student’s learning tools such as class room lectures/notes and self preparatory notes were found to be as the best among the many. From student’s point of view, slides presentation and oral lectures were considered to be the best teaching methods to be preferred or adopted by teachers (Figure 4). Semester evaluation system through affiliated university was found unexpressive to the pharmacy students.

FIG. 4: PREFERENCE OF TEACHING METHODS

CONCLUSION: There is a need to improve the wrong perception and poor inclination, about Pharmacy education and profession, 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.

REFERENCES:

1. Human Resources for Pharmacy Sector in India. A report by Advent Healthcare Group, New Delhi. July 2007.
2. El-awady EE, Moss S, Mottram D, O’Donnell J. Student Perspectives on Pharmacy Curriculum and Instruction in Egyptian Schools. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2006; 70: 1-7.
3. Ingram MJ, Sagoe LA, Sosabowski MH, Long AJ, Moss GP. Pharmacy Student Perceptions of Educational Media Tools. Pharmacy Education 2007; 7: 77-82.
4. Brown CM, Doan QD. Pharmacy Students’ Perceptions about the Need for Multicultural Education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 1998; 62: 310-315.
5. Ashcroft DM, Hall J. Pharmacy Students' Attitudes and Views about Portfolio-Based Learning: A Questionnaire Survey. Pharmacy Education 2006; 6: 1-5.
6. Badyal DK, Bala S, Kathuria P. Student Evaluation of Teaching and Assessment Methods in Pharmacology. Indian J Pharmacol 2010; 42: 86-88.
7. Davey A, Evans AM, Stupans Pharmacy: Factors that Influence the Choice of Career and Study Options. Pharmacy Education 2006; 6: 21-26.
   

   ---