Factors influencing pharmacy students' attitudes towards pharmacy practice research and strategies for promoting research interest in pharmacy practice

Pragmatic Model and Faculty Toolkit for PharmD Student Engagement in Social and Administrative Pharmacy Research

OBJECTIVE

We aim to describe the development of a pharmacy student workgroup as an experiential education model to provide social and administrative pharmacy research opportunities and provide a toolkit for faculty seeking to increase student research engagement via this model.

METHODS

Three pharmacy faculty with diverse training backgrounds but a common interest in opioid medications established a workgroup named the Opioid Research Workgroup. The workgroup consisted of first-year pharmacy students, research interns, and advanced graduate trainees. A hierarchical leadership model of supervision was implemented, whereby students reported progress on research tasks directly to an advanced graduate trainee leading a project team. To understand students' perspectives on the research experience and educational outcomes, students were asked to complete an anonymous voluntary survey after a year of participation.

RESULTS

Since its establishment, the workgroup has published multiple conference abstracts, manuscripts, and grants. Students' overall satisfaction with the Workgroup on a scale of 1-5, 5 being very high, was 4.69. The successful scalability and longevity of this model are dependent on administrative support that protects faculty resources. The toolkit provided offers resources for those interested in adapting this model.

CONCLUSION

Our experience with the pragmatic model of pharmacy student engagement in research proved successful in terms of research output and student training experience. Although the model can be applied across a variety of health science clinical and research topics, and faculty can leverage this approach to increase productivity in research output, faculty must ensure that resources are available to support this effort.

Perceptions and experiences of undergraduate pharmacy students and alumni toward research after exposure to undergraduate research courses

Introduction

Academic institutions have a duty to equip health professional students with the requisite research skills to ensure the implementation of evidence-based practice. This study aims to determine the perceptions of pharmacy students and alumni toward research after completing Undergraduate Research in Pharmacy Courses (URPCs) at the College of Pharmacy–Qatar University (CPH–QU).

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. All CPH-QU alumni (n = 238), and all third- and fourth-year professional students who had completed at least one URPC at the time of conducting the study (n = 42) were approached. The questionnaire contained items relating to research experience and perceptions of significance, confidence in conducting research, actual and anticipated outcomes, and motivation for future research. A Theoretical Domains Framework informed the development of selected items.

Results

The response rate was 72.1% (202/280); however, the usable rate was 95.5% (193/202). The participants gave positive responses relating to their perceptions of research significance {Median = 5.0 [Interquartile range (IQR) = 1.0], Minimum–Maximum = 1–5}, confidence in conducting research [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum–Maximum = 1–5], actual and anticipated outcomes [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum–Maximum = 1–5], and motivation for future research plans [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum–Maximum = 1–5]. The majority of participants perceived non-confidence in using data analysis software [72 (39.4% non-confidence)] and a high proportion of participants were non-confident in conducting data analysis [45 (24.6% non-confidence)]. More than half reported publishing at least one peer-reviewed article [99 (54.4% agreement)] from their courses and were highly motivated to consider post-graduate degrees in pharmacy [132 (73.3% agreement)].

Conclusions

Incorporating URPCs into CPH–QU curriculum has potentially improved students and alumni's perceptions of research. Action is needed to improve confidence in different aspects of research.

Involvement of pharmacy students in scientific research activities in Vietnam

INTRODUCTION

Scientific research is a crucial section of health-related student education to ensure the competence of graduates. This study is the first to explore attitudes on research, willingness and motivation to conduct research, and barriers preventing this amid pharmacy students in Can Tho, Vietnam.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was performed on undergraduate pharmacy students (years four and five) from three public and private universities in Can Tho, Vietnam between April and May 2021.

RESULTS

Of the 576 respondents, the majority accredited the significance of conducting research to the field of pharmacy (85.9%) with the motivation of improving the profession (81.6%). Public university respondents were more than twice as likely to have a positive attitude toward research (odds ratio [OR] = 2.88, 95% CI = 1.32-6.27) and be willing to conduct research (OR = 5.73, 95%CI = 3.5-9.37) than their private university counterparts. Very good or excellent academic performance was associated with a positive attitude (OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.46-6.53), willingness (OR = 3.2, 95%CI = 1.7-6.03), and increased motivation (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.26-4.64) toward conducting research compared to respondents with average or lower academic performance. A lack of experience (63.5%), knowledge and skills (46%), and research training (51.7%) were the most common personal and systemic barriers to conducting research.

CONCLUSIONS

Most students reported having a positive attitude and strong motivation toward research. These findings revealed an opportunity for pharmacy policymakers and educators to utilize national strategy to improve pharmacy education and the profession.

Development and Pilot Implementation of a Training Framework to Prepare and Integrate Pharmacy Students into a Multicentre Hospital Research Study

A unique approach was introduced to integrate pharmacy students into a multicentre patient-centred research project predicting medication related harm (MRH) post-discharge. A training framework was developed to prepare students for research participation and integration. The framework aligned research project tasks with the pharmacists’ national competency standards framework. The framework was piloted on four research placement students from two local universities during three hospital placements, from October 2020 to August 2021. Following their initial orientation and training, students collected data from 38 patients and were involved in patient screening processes, interviewing, data collection and analysis. Patients’ MRH risk scores correlated with re-admission rates with 16/38 (42%) of patients re-admitted within eight weeks following discharge. Their participation in the research enabled students to obtain skills in (1) literature searching, (2) maintaining patient confidentiality, (3) interviewing patients, (4) obtaining data from medical records, (5) communicating with patients and clinicians, and (6) the use of clinical information to predict MRH risk.

Career Preference and Factors Influencing Career Choice among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students at University of Khartoum, Sudan

The pharmacy profession has expanded and adapted to changes in community needs. Although career planning and understanding the determinants of career choice are essential, there remains a lack of studies exploring factors influencing future career plans. This study was conducted to identify career preferences and factors influencing future career choices among undergraduate pharmacy students. A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from randomly selected participants. Out of 220 respondents, 85.9% were females. The average age of the respondents was 21.7 ± 1.5 years. Clinical pharmacy was selected as the most preferred future career domain (30%), followed by academia and research (12%), the pharmaceutical industry (11%), and community pharmacy (10.5). Approximately 20% of participants reported a preference for moving abroad for work. Regarding factors influencing future career domain choice, participants ranked training in the workplace (80%) and curriculum content (70%) as the top faculty-related factors, while interaction with practicing pharmacists (71.8%) and salary (78%) were the major personal-related and job-related factors. This study emphasized the importance of understanding job preferences and the factors influencing career choice, and could be useful in ensuring a future balance between professional domains and meeting society’s evolving expectations.

Factors influencing the involvement of doctor of pharmacy students in research and scholarship projects

INTRODUCTION

The study objective was to determine factors that stimulate or hinder student pharmacist participation in research and scholarship, to determine factors faculty believe are motivators or barriers for student pharmacist participation, and to compare student and faculty responses.

METHODS

An electronic questionnaire was developed and emailed to all students enrolled in the doctor of pharmacy program and to all program faculty. To increase response rate, students were provided class time to complete the survey. Responses were collected anonymously.

RESULTS

A total of 404 students (69% response rate) and 35 faculty (78% response rate) participated. Motivational factors rated highly by both students and faculty were interest in the topic, comfort level in working with faculty, energetic quality of faculty, and becoming more competitive for post-graduate training. Students indicated that projects benefiting the profession/medical community was an important motivator, while faculty believed that pursuing a position that requires research/scholarship was a key motivational factor. The most highly rated barrier was lack of time.

CONCLUSIONS

Student pharmacist participation in research and scholarship with faculty is variable in our program and little was known previously about factors that led student pharmacists to engage in research and scholarship. There was general agreement among student and faculty regarding several motivating factors; however, some important differences did exist. Addressing these differences may help increase student involvement in research and scholarship in the future.

Career choices of Pharmacy and Pharm D undergraduates: attitudes and preferences

Background

The remarkably increasing number of graduated pharmacists necessitates exploring the current Pharmacy and Pharm D students’ future career choices in order to help the health policy makers to enhance effective health and education workforce planning.

Objective

To identify Pharmacy and Pharm D undergraduates’ attitudes and preferences toward different career choices and the factors that influence their career choice.

Methods

Across sectional study using the online survey web Question Pro was conducted on undergraduate Pharmacy and Pharm D students through the fall semester of the academic year 2019/2020 at four Colleges of Pharmacy in Jordan. In addition to demographics, the survey evaluated students’ attitudes toward different career choices, career choices preferences and how different factors could influence this choice. Mann Whitney U test, Chi-square test, Friedman test, Wilcoxon and Multivariable linear regression were applied to analyze the data.

Results

A total of 354 undergraduate Pharmacy and Pharm D students completed the survey. Medical coverage and insurance was the most important variable affecting the students' career choice. The total sample favorite career choice was Academic and Research Centers (mean = 2.57), followed by Pharmaceutical companies (mean = 2.38), Hospital Pharmacy (mean = 2.36), Industry (mean = 1.79), and lastly Retail or Community Pharmacy (mean = 1.78). Males were significantly more tended to have a higher favorability scores for the Pharmaceutical Companies career choice than females. PharmD students had a significantly more favorable attitudes towards Hospital Pharmacy than Pharmacy students, who had a significantly more favorable attitude towards Retail or Community Pharmacy and Industry than Pharm D students.

Conclusion

The current study provides baseline data necessary to formulate strategies in the educational institutions by incorporating different programs and lectures to expand the capabilities of pharmacy students to meet the requirements of different market sectors and change their mindset about the different pharmacy sectors.

Evaluation of the Undergraduate Pharmacy Student Research Projects in Ambo University, Ethiopia: Retrospective Review

BACKGROUND

Academic research is an essential part of undergraduate Pharmacy education to produce qualified Pharmacists. However, there are no documented studies that examine the nature of undergraduate Pharmacy students' research projects in Ethiopia. Therefore this study aimed to characterize the nature of students' research project conducted for a bachelor of Pharmacy degree program at Ambo University, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, retrospective review using data extraction form was conducted on 279 research reports of undergraduate Pharmacy students at Ambo University from 2013/14 to 2018/2019. The National Harmonized Modular Curriculum program for the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in Ethiopia was used as a framework to group research projects by research topics and domains. Students' profile (gender, program), supervisors profile, research types and topics, a domain of pharmacy curriculum, study setting, study design, target population, data collection strategy and techniques, and therapeutic classes of medicines for each project were extracted to see the characteristics of students' research project. Data were entered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data.

RESULTS

From 279 Pharmacy undergraduate students' research projects, 83.9% were conducted by male students and 64.1% were by regular program students. Two hundred fifty (89.6%) of the projects were surveys. Slightly less than half (49.8%) of the research projects were clinical researches. One hundred twenty-six (45.2%) of the research projects were focused on the pharmaceutical care domain followed by dispensing (22.6%) and research and education domain (10%). Out of the 250 survey research projects, the majority 226 (90.4%) of them were used cross-sectional study design, 205 (82%) were conducted at hospitals and 187 (74.8%) were done on the clinical population.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that the majority of the abstracted projects were surveyed type quantitative clinical researches focused on the Pharmaceutical care domain and takes place at hospitals affiliated with the University. On the contrary, a lower proportion of the research projects were laboratory-based researches, focused on Pharmaceuticals manufacturing, drug information service, regulation, and supply chain management domains, and takes place at community Pharmacy and educational institutions. Thus, it is highly recommended the University has to devise a system for expansion of the study settings other than its affiliated hospitals, and the research topics would encompass all areas and domains of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical sciences.

Pharmacists' background, interests, barriers, self-perceived competence and confidence to design and undertake pharmacy practice-based research in the GCC geographic area

BACKGROUND

The absence of ability and certainty to design and undertake pharmacy practice-based research (PPBR) was a major issue among pharmacists worldwide as reported in previous literature, despite them having an interest in conducting PPBR. Therefore, this study aimed at highlighting the research background of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pharmacists which are the six Arab states of the Arabian Gulf, and examining barriers to conducting PPBR. In addition, to determine the self-perceived level of competence and confidence when planning and conducting PPBR.

METHODS

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, performed among pharmacists working in the GCC countries (i.e. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar). A pre-validated questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample, via distribution of 500 research participation cards to conference attendees. These cards a quick response (QR) code, which should be scanned via mobile phone, to direct all readers to the online survey. All pharmacist delegates attending the conference (i.e. the Saudi International Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual National Conference (SIPHA) and Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition (DUPHAT) in 2020 and who are working in one of the GCC co. untries as pharmacists were considered. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel software.

RESULTS

Two hundred and fourteen pharmacists were included. Seventy percent of the pharmacists had past PPBR background. Confidence and competence of pharmacists for research skills in regard to employing appropriate inferential statistical test, choosing software for statistical analysis, drafting a comprehensive plan for data analyses and determining appropriate sample size were weak. Highest competence and confidence were seen in preparing a presentation and searching the literature. Pharmacists with previous research experience (K-W: p = 0.001) and training (K-W: p = 0.003) had an overall ability to conduct PPBR. In addition, they had more interest in conducting PPBR (MWU = 3061.500, z = - 4.126, p = 0.000) and in learning about how to do so (MWU = 8698, z = - 1.898, p = 0.050).

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacists practicing in the GCC geographic area realized the importance of planning and conducting PPBR and were more confident and competent to undertake and contribute to PPBR, except for skills related to statistical analysis. Therefore, training programmes especially for biostatistics and data analysis are mandatory to enhance pharmacists' research capabilities.

Barriers to and factors influencing the pursuit of pharmacy student research

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study was to identify perceived barriers and factors influencing student pursuit of research during pharmacy school.

METHODS

A voluntary, paper-based or electronic questionnaire was administered to all pharmacy students at a private college of pharmacy in mandatory courses during the 2016-2017 academic year. Survey questions collected information pertaining to demographics, factors influencing student pursuit of research, and barriers to pursuit of research. Participation was incentivized with gift cards.

RESULTS

A total of 623 students completed the survey (79% response rate). The average respondent was female (69.1%), 25-years old (IQR 23-26 years), employed (69.9%), and had a prior degree (66.6%). During pharmacy school, 27.3% of respondents pursued a research project. Of students not pursuing a research project during pharmacy school, the amount of interest to complete a project differed significantly between professional years (P < .01) with the second-year class having the highest interest. Lack of time (91.3%), unfamiliarity with the research process (81.8%), and too much coursework (80.5%) were cited as the top three perceived barriers that prevented students from pursuing research. A mandatory research class (87.6%), presentations describing faculty research interests (83.4%), and ability to work with a friend (83.9%) would most strongly influence students to complete research.

CONCLUSIONS

Students report additional information regarding research opportunities would positively influence their decision to pursue research while in pharmacy school. Future studies should evaluate strategies to familiarize students with the research process.

Assessing the impact of faculty research profile videos on students' perceptions towards research at a school of pharmacy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Innovative delivery of research education and training in pharmacy education improves student perception of, and involvement in, professional pharmacy research. The purpose of this project was to utilize a flipped-classroom video technology approach to introduce our Capstone research experience and to assess the impact of the video technology on student's perceptions of pharmacy research.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

Faculty recorded one-min videos that provided an overview of current research. Each video included a research introduction, explanation of student incorporation into research, and impact of research on the field of expertise. Students were assigned to review faculty videos. To assess impact of the videos on students' perceptions of research, t-tests compared five variables before and after students watched the videos. These variables included research curiosity, research interest, research inspiration, research motivation, and pharmacy research interest.

FINDINGS

Across all students, no differences were detected. A statistically significant interaction emerged that suggested prior pharmacy experience may impact research curiosity, interest, and inspiration.

SUMMARY

Findings demonstrated that the impact of research videos on pharmacy students' attitudes and perceptions towards research may depend on students' past experiences in a pharmacy setting. Further research is needed to identify factors that impact students' perceptions of pharmacy research. The information from this study provided our faculty members with valuable insights that can be used to better prepare students in the laboratory, classroom, and beyond.

Pharmacy students' intentions to utilize pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and health outcomes in future jobs

INTRODUCTION

The objectives of this study were to explore factors associated with pharmacy students' intentions to utilize health outcomes by: (1) understanding opinions on health outcomes, (2) understanding the likelihood of using health outcomes in different settings, and (3) predicting pharmacy students' intentions to utilize health outcomes in future jobs.

METHODS

This study surveyed second-year pharmacy students over two years. The survey contained four components: the theory of planned behavior, opinions on health outcomes, the likelihood of using health outcomes in different settings, and demographics. To predict pharmacy students' intentions to utilize health outcomes in future jobs, a multiple linear regression model was used with behavioral intention as the dependent variable.

RESULTS

Of the 376 second-year pharmacy students surveyed, 229 responded (60.90%). Pharmacy students had a positive attitude (mean: 0.77, SD: 0.16), high level of subjective norm (mean: 0.75, SD: 0.18), high level of perceived behavioral control (mean: 0.74, SD: 0.15), and high level of behavioral intention (mean: 0.74, SD: 0.21). They thought health outcomes were important for their future jobs (mean: 0.76, SD: 0.22), and equally important as other courses in the doctor of pharmacy curriculum (mean: 0.49, SD: 0.23). Significant predictors of utilizing health outcomes in future jobs were attitude (0.21; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.40), subjective norm (0.38; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.54), and perceived behavioral control (0.45, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.63).

CONCLUSIONS

The second-year pharmacy students in the program studied had positive opinions and expressed high likelihood of applying their health outcomes knowledge and skill after graduation.

A training program incorporating a diabetes tool to facilitate delivery of quality diabetes care by community pharmacists in Malaysia and Australia

Objectives:

To assess a clinical training program on management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) incorporating a diabetes tool, the Simpler™ tool. Subsequently pharmacists’ experience utilising the tool to deliver structured, consistent, evidence-based T2DM care was explored.

Methods:

Full-time non-credentialed diabetes pharmacists providing diabetes medication management services in community settings were purposively recruited. Participants had either face-to-face or online training on diabetes management using the tool which took about two hours and 20 minutes to complete. Their diabetes management knowledge was assessed pre- and post-training using quantitative methodology. They were then required to apply the tool in daily practice for one month. Feedback on both the training sessions and tool utilisation were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative approach.

Results:

Twelve pharmacists participated: Six from Australia and six from Malaysia. Before attending the training session, their median test score was 6.5/27, IQR 1.4 (1st marker) and 5.3/27, IQR 2.0 (2nd marker). After training, the scores doubled to 14.3/27, IQR 4.5 (1st marker) and 11.3/27, IQR 3.1 (2nd marker), showing significant improvements (p=0.002). Interview data identified perceived effectiveness factor through use of the tool. Participants found the content relevant, structured, concise and easy to understand; enabled comprehensive medication reviews; focused on achieving glycaemic improvement; facilitated documentation processes and pharmacists’ role in T2DM management; and as a specific aid for diabetes management. Barriers included lack of accessibility to patients’ laboratory data in Australia.

Conclusions:

The targeted training improved pharmacists’ knowledge on diabetes management and supported the Simpler™ tool use in practice as a structured and beneficial method to deliver evidence-based T2DM care.

Factors Associated With an Interest in Practice-Based Research Among Pharmacists in Nigeria

Background: Practice-based research (PBR) is employed in the pharmacy profession to improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery. Although widely practiced in developed countries, it is rarely used in developing countries, including Nigeria. Objectives: To determine the factors associated with Nigerian pharmacists’ interest in PBR. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing an online survey. Pharmacists currently practicing in Nigeria were invited to participate. A hyperlink to the online questionnaire was shared with members of relevant professional bodies via Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. Reminders were sent to facilitate a high response rate. Factors associated with pharmacists’ interest in PBR were determined using multiple logistic regression. Results: Two hundred and three completed responses were received from the survey. The majority, 94.6% (192), expressed an interest in PBR and believed that it would enhance their pharmacy practice and role in patient care. The multivariable analysis showed that pharmacists’ interest in publishing their research findings in peer-reviewed journals (odds ratio = 0.004, 95% confidence interval = 0.00-0.05, P < .001) and their knowledge of the professional relevance of research pertaining to their area of practice within the health care system (odds ratio = 0.02, 95% confidence interval = 0.00-0.47, P = .015) were found to be independent predictors of pharmacists’ interest in PBR. Conclusion: There is an interest in PBR among practicing pharmacists in Nigeria. The provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical services in Nigeria will be enhanced by interventions that encourage the conduct of research and publication of research findings, and by improving knowledge of the professional relevance of PBR in pharmacy practice areas.

Lebanese community-based pharmacists' interest, practice, knowledge, and barriers towards pharmacy practice research: A cross-sectional study

Objective

To assess the interest, knowledge, practice and barriers of Lebanese community-based pharmacists towards research, and to examine factors associated with interest.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey, conducted between January and May 2017, enrolled community pharmacists using a proportionate random sample of community pharmacies in the five districts of Lebanon, using the list of pharmacies provided by the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists. In the absence of validated questionnaires to answer our objectives, we created a questionnaire based on previous research. The questionnaire was modified based on the experiences and issues raised during focus groups with research active pharmacists and research oriented community pharmacists.

Results

A total of 399 pharmacists was enrolled. The results showed that 231 (72%) were conscious about the important role of research in the community pharmacy setting whereas only 5.6% considered it not important. Over two-thirds (68.5%) of the pharmacists declared being interested in participating in research. There was a statistical difference in the percentage of correct answers between auto-declared and corrected responses for all terms, with all p < 0.001.The most reported barrier was lack of time during hours of work (90.9%), followed by the lack of pharmacy staff (73.7%), lack of financial resources (68.9%), patient's lack of education and resistance to participation (64.8%), and lack of support (63.8%). Age (aOR = 0.92), years of experience (aOR = 1.06), and having been involved in research (aOR = 3.17) were associated with higher interest in research. Having studied in Lebanon (aOR = 3.63), having received previous research courses (aOR = 11.12) and being interested in research (aOR = 2.74) were associated with having participated in research projects during their professional experience.

Conclusion

Lebanese pharmacists have the good will to conduct and participate in research, but are lacking knowledge; this issue needs to be addressed vividly. Addressing the identified barriers could improve the research output of Lebanese community pharmacists.

The Attitude of Medical and Pharmacy Students towards Research Activities: A Multicenter Approach

Aim: To assess the attitude of medical and pharmacy students in Asian and African universities towards scholarly research activities. Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional, self-reported online survey questionnaire was administered to medical and pharmacy students studying in various Asian and African universities through social media between May and July 2016. A 68-item close-ended questionnaire consisting of Likert-scale options assessed the students’ research-specific experiences, and their attitudes towards scholarly research publications. Results: A total of 512 questionnaires were completed, with a response rate of 92% from Asia and 94% from Africa. More pharmacy students (70.8%) participated than medical students (29.2%). Overall 52.2% of the pharmacy students and 40% of medical students believed that research activities provided a means of gaining respect from their faculty members. Lack of encouragement, paucity of time, gaps in research activities and practices, and lack of research funding were some of the most common barriers acknowledged by the students. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney test showed that a statistically significant difference was observed, in that more than 80% of the pharmacy students viewed scientific writing and research activities as valuable experiences (p = 0.001) and would like to involve their co-students in scholarly research activities (p = 0.002); whereas the majority of the medical students desired to be involved more in scholarly research publications (p = 0.033). Conclusion: Pharmacy students had good attitudes towards research activities and a higher number of medical students desired to be involved more in research publications. Faculties may consider taking special research initiatives to address the barriers and improve the involvement of medical and pharmacy students in scholarly research activities.

Pharmacy students' anxiety towards research during their undergraduate degree; How to reduce it?

Objective

To measure pharmacy students' anxiety towards research and how academic support, academic effort, attitude and self-efficacy influence their research anxiety.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate final year students of pharmacy using a convenient sampling method. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used.

Results

Response rate for this study was 85.9% (128 students from a population of 149). The participants agreed that they read literature to understand research, but did not attend research-related coursework. Most participants (91.4%) felt that they were under stress while doing research. Almost all participants (97.6%) felt that they were doing very badly during their data analysis or they may fail their research projects. The majority of participants agreed that help from the lecturers' and friends in research give emotional support for their research activities.

Conclusion

Academic support for pharmacy students, along with their additional academic effort will improve the students' self-efficacy and reduce research anxiety.