Pharmacology Education at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Nigeria: 5‐Perceptions Relative to Other Subjects Among Undergraduate Students in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Abstract

It is generally believed that likes and dislikes of any subject are important determinants of how the subject is rated along a spectrum of ‘best to worst’, which in turn determines future career choices. Our previous study had shown that pharmacy student of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPS), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), taking their last pharmacology course in their final year (500L), ranked pharmacology as their best‐liked subject relative to other core subjects. The primary objective of this follow‐up survey was to ascertain if this also held true at the lower levels of study; in terms of how pharmacology fared amidst 9 core subjects, namely: anatomy, biochemistry, clinical pharmacy, pathology, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and physiology. Another objective was to determine the students' likes and dislikes regarding pharmacology, as well as their post‐graduation interests. Link to a 7‐item questionnaire deployed on SurveyMonkey, was sent to undergraduate pharmacy students in FPS who had 48 h to complete it. The respondents who were 59.76% male, aged 18–34 years, were 82, made up of 200L (15), 300L (17), 400L (13) and 500L (37). Data analyses was mostly automatic on the SurveyMonkey, but string inputs to the open‐ended question requesting from each respondent, 2 likes and 2 dislikes of pharmacology, were reviewed manually by two trained research assistants. A focus group discussion (FGD) of students participants guided by the questionnaire was also held. Pharmacology was consistently within the three best‐liked subjects out of 9, across all levels: 1st (200L), 3rd (300L and 400L), and 2nd (500L). As best‐liked subject, pharmacology was superseded only by clinical pharmacy (1st, 300L–500L), pharmaceutical chemistry (1st, 200L) and pharmaceutics (2nd, 300L–400L). Though more elaborate, this trend was similar to our previous study. Top reasons why pharmacology was liked, were: ease of understanding, provision of drug information, and the subject being interesting. Across the levels, top dislikes of pharmacology, were: poor teaching methods, the need to cram the subject matter, patterns of examination, and above all, the subject's heavy workload. Again, these likes and dislikes were mostly in agreement with the aforementioned previous study. The FGD centered on the dislikes, with the students suggesting strategies for improvements. The students' future interests relating to pharmacology were varied, and included: postgraduate studies (24.39%), research in pharmaceutical industries (32.93%) or in biomedical institutes (20.73%), but especially in regulatory agencies (34.15%). There appeared to be no inter‐level differences in future interests, except that these were more uniformly distributed at the higher levels. Teaching pharmacology in tertiary institutions, was accorded the least interest. We conclude that pharmacology was a highly rated subject across all levels of study among undergraduate pharmacy students at ABU, who were eager for improvements and keen on diverse pharmacology‐related careers.Support or Funding InformationNilThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.