Abstract
This study was conducted to examine the rational (systematic and rule-based) and experiential (fast and intuitive) thinking preferences of pharmacy students. This may assist in formulating learning and teaching tactics for decision-making leading to safe and optimized patient care services. Here, a validated psychometric tool, that is, the Rational Experiential Inventory (REI-40) survey was used. It was distributed to students studying in fourth and final years of pharmacy degree program in private as well as public sector universities of Karachi city. A composite rational score was obtained by adding responses from the rational ability (r-ability) and rational engagement (r-engagement) items, while a composite experiential score was obtained by adding the experiential ability (e-ability) and experiential engagement (e-engagement) items. Results revealed that the mean rational scores obtained were 3.269±0.28 for rationality, 3.259±0.29 for r-ability and 3.289±0.28 for r-engagement. Mean experiential scores were 3.143±0.21 overall, 3.247±0.18 for e-ability and, 3.039±0.23 for e-engagement. Influence of gender, year of study and, type of institute on students’ responses was evaluated by applying independent t-test. The present study thus highlighted that most of the pharmacy students favored rational over experiential decision-making styles. Key words: Decision making, pharmacy students, rational engagement, experiential engagement  
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses on the need of pharmacists in patient care especially in developing countries
A composite rational score was obtained by adding responses from the rational ability (r-ability) and rational engagement (r-engagement) items, while a composite experiential score was obtained by adding the experiential ability (e-ability) and experiential engagement (e-engagement) items
Kaboli and colleagues highlighted that pharmacists have an integral role in clinical care that involve carrying out medication reconciliation services, improved patient safety as well as adverse drug events (ADE) monitoring (Al-Tajir and Kelly, 2005; Kaboli et al, 2006)
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses on the need of pharmacists in patient care especially in developing countries. Kaboli and colleagues highlighted that pharmacists have an integral role in clinical care that involve carrying out medication reconciliation services, improved patient safety as well as adverse drug events (ADE) monitoring (Al-Tajir and Kelly, 2005; Kaboli et al, 2006). There is a plethora of studies that highlight the role of pharmacists in healthcare that requires sound clinical decision making (Phansalkar et al, 2009; Williams et al, 2016). This study aimed to examine the pharmacy student rational, that is, systematic and rule-based, and experiential, that is, fast and intuitive, thinking preferences, that may provide an approach in formulating learning and teaching methods for decision making leading to safe and optimized patient care services
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