Faculty Of Pharmacy Research Articles

Une chambre des erreurs comme moyen d’apprentissage dans une faculté de pharmacie

Hospitalization can expose patients to numerous adverse events associated with their care. To make health care professionals aware of these events, medication errors were simulated using the "room of errors" model. To describe the methods of implementing a "room of errors" and to evaluate participants' performance in identifying errors. This cross-sectional descriptive simulation study was carried out in the experimental pharmacy of a faculty of pharmacy over 2 days in December 2021 and January 2022. The study involved pharmacy interns and residents at various stages of their internships. Thirty-six interns and 8 residents participated in the "room of errors" workshop. The overall correct response rate was 70.8% (n = 269/380). The error detection rate was 45.3% for pharmacy interns and 57.5% for residents, although this difference was not statistically significant. Certain hazards were identified by the majority of students (soiled compress on the treatment trolley, prescription of acetaminophen to a patient with an allergy to this drug), whereas others were rarely identified (a box containing food in the refrigerator, an empty bottle for hand sanitizer). Respondents to the satisfaction survey mainly considered this workshop to be a useful educational tool and would like to see this type of workshop integrated into their training. The "room of errors" seems to be an effective way of raising awareness about the risks associated with hospitalization and patient safety. This type of tool should be integrated into education and training programs.

S SOSIALISASI PENCEGAHAN DAN PERAWATAN JERAWAT BAGI SISWA SMA NEGERI 1 NAMORAMBE

SMA Negeri I Namorambe is a high school located in Deli Serdang district, North Sumatra province. Most students often sweat and rarely clean their bodies, especially their faces. These students also often eat unhealthy snacks, so their hormonal conditions, especially growth-related problems, become unstable. As a result, health problems often arise, including acne. Delegates of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Deli Husada Deli Tua Institute of Medicine and Medistra Lubuk Pakam Institute of Medicine organized socialization of acne prevention and treatment for high school students. Through socialization, it is hoped that students can further improve personal hygiene, especially facial hygiene, and maintain a healthy lifestyle in the environment.

Students’ perception of the educational environment at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for health sciences using DREEM tool

BackgroundStudents’ learning results are influenced by the educational environment. The best learning environment is created when students are involved in the evaluation process of their education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of their learning environment at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) instrument.MethodsThis observational cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire using the Arabic version of the DREEM tool. Students from six colleges at KSAU-HS Riyadh campus were asked to complete the questionnaire through emails. The study was carried out between November 2021 and April 2022. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were performed for DREEM as both a continuous (two-way ANOVA test) and categorical variable (Chi-squared and Monte-Carlo test).ResultsA total of 370 students completed the questionnaire. The overall DREEM score for the study was 125.88/200, with a standard deviation of 58.79. SSP items received the highest scores, while SAP items earned the lowest scores. The college and the academic level showed statistically significant differences in the DREEM overall score and the five subscales, whereas gender showed no significant difference. The college of pharmacy scored the highest total DREEM score (140.35 ± 27.75), and scored higher among the five subscales than both colleges of dentistry (114.13 ± 29.74) and medicine (113.87 ± 33.03). Students in their third year had the greatest overall DREEM score (132.23 ± 29.76), and scored higher in SPL, SPA and SSP compared to students in their sixth year, in which the total DREEM score was (111.65 ± 27.58).ConclusionsStudents of KSAU-HS generally perceived the educational environment as having more positive than negative. The educational level and college differed significantly in the overall DREEM score and the five subscales. Junior students had better perception of the educational environment and they differed significantly in the SPL and SPA subscales. The faculty of pharmacy had higher scores in the overall DREEM and the five subsequent scales than colleges of dentistry and medicine. Further research is needed in order to optimize the educational environment by investigating different solutions.

Assessment of volatile organic compounds in indoor and outdoor environment – A study on air quality impact assessment

Objectives: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a type of pollutant that causes health risks and can be present in both indoor and outdoor environments. VOCs originate mainly from solvents and chemicals used at home or in offices and also from vehicle emissions. The current research work was aimed at the detection and quantification of VOCs indoor and outdoor at Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Material and Methods: Air was drawn through an adsorbent tube with a pump at a steady flow rate (100 mL min-1) for an hour to gather samples using the active sampling approach. Thermal desorption in combination with a gas chromatography (GC) analyzer was used to estimate the levels of hazardous VOCs, namely benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, p-xylene, and o-xylene (BTEX) compounds. Results: VOCs were analyzed using the GC-mass spectroscopy technique. The finding shows the levels of BTEX as benzene (0.05–0.11 μg/m3), toluene (0.44–1.27 μg/m3), ethylbenzene (0.012–0.03 μg/m3), m-xylene (0.009–0.027 μg/m3), p-xylene (0.007–0.025 μg/m3), and o-xylene (0.003–0.019 μg/m3) compounds. Conclusion: The BTEX levels were observed to be well below the maximum acceptable limit. VOC emissions can be reduced by making process changes or by installing air pollution control equipment.

Historical-scientific heritage and the university: the two pillars of the History of Pharmacy collection in the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Seville

The permanent exhibition space created in the Faculty of Pharmacy in the University of Seville (Spain) operates as a teaching and research centre. All pieces in the collection are inventoried and displayed in a permanent, coherent and orderly exhibition that serves as an educational tool for all walks of life. This article explains how the pieces are managed, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of creating and disseminating a historical-scientific collection in a field as specific as a university. We also explore the contrast between the concepts of “conservation” and “new technologies” that are so often unthinkingly bundled together in historical collections today.

Attitudinal changes of undergraduate students learning online interprofessional education for patient safety: Comparative evaluation of an online program using the DID method.

Interprofessional education (IPE) can cultivate competencies in multidisciplinary collaboration for patient safety, and both face-to-face and online IPE programs have recently been introduced. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of the online IPE program on undergraduate students after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The difference-in-differences method was used to assess undergraduate students in the Schools of Medicine and Health Sciences and in the Faculty of Pharmacy at Takasaki University of Health and Welfare who participated in IPE programs at Gunma University (face-to-face IPE was implemented in 2019 and online IPE in 2020). We distributed a questionnaire that included modified versions of the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS) and the Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) to evaluate attitudes toward health-care teams and collaboration for patient safety, respectively, and then compared the differences. The mean score on the "team efficiency" subscale of the ATHCTS in the online IPE program was significantly lower than that in the face-to-face IPE program. Scores on the T-TAQ in two categories, "mutual support" and "communication", were significantly higher in the online IPE program, which suggests that it may have a similar effect on students learning collaborative practice for patient safety. However, due to technological difficulties, the online IPE program reduced the educational effects for "team efficiency". The improvements in "mutual support" and "communication" seen in the online IPE program, suggest its necessity for collaborative practice for patient safety. These findings suggest that an online IPE program for patient safety may provide better education effects as a whole, but efforts are needed to minimize the associated technological difficulties.

75 lat polskiej medycyny i farmacji we Wrocławiu (1945–2020). Wybrane elementy historii wrocławskich wyższych uczelni. Część trzecia

75 years of Polish medicine and pharmacy in Wrocław (1945–2020). Selected elements from the history of higher education in Wrocław. Part tree Professional training in medicine and pharmacy had begun in Wrocław by the fall of 1945. The Faculty of Medicine was created within the structure of Wrocław University and Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Two departments were established within it: the Pharmaceutical and Dentistry departments. In 1950, a specialized medical school was developed from the University, functioning briefl y under the name of the Medical Academy (which was changed to the Academy of Medicine), already with an independent Faculty of Pharmacy. In 1979, the Medical Analytics Department was established within the Faculty of Pharmacy (which ceased its activities in 2020). In 1978, the Faculty of Nursing was created which was transformed into the Faculty of Public Health in 2001 and into the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2008. Starting in 1989, the school was called the Academy of Medicine in Wrocław (Akademia Medyczna im. Piastów Śląskich). In 1992, the Post-Graduate Faculty of Medicine (existing until the academic year 2019/2020) was distinguished from the Faculty of Medicine. In 2000, the Department of Dentistry was transformed into the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. As a part of the school, liberal arts and social studies connected with medicine were also developed in units located within the structure of various departments of the AM. The Academy of Medicine in Wrocław existed until 2011 when the decision was made to transform it into Wrocław Medical University (Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Piastów Śląskich), functioning until now. The article presents the major stages in the history of medical schools in Wroclaw after 1945, taking into consideration the external factors that had an effect on the changes occurring in them. It also presents their results. It consists of three parts. The fi rst one presents the most important aspects of the history of the Faculty of Medicine of Wrocław University and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in the years 1945–1949. The second part discusses the history of the Academy of Medicine in the years 1950– 2011, and the third one of Wrocław Medical University in the years 2011–2020. The article contains an extensive bibliography of studies concerning the history of these schools as well as the system of public medicine in Poland in the years 1945–2020, providing the context for their activities.

Erratum: Correction of author’s affiliation and acknowledgement in the article: Computer-aided approach for the identification of lead molecules as the inhibitors of cholinesterase’s and monoamine oxidases: Novel target for the treatment of Alzheimer disease

This corrects the article ?Computer-aided approach for the identification of lead molecules as the inhibitors of cholinesterase?s and monoamine oxidases: Novel target for the treatment of Alzheimer disease? published in volume 89, number 2, page 177 (https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC230307050E). CONTENT OF THE CORRECTION For author Ammara Fayyaz, additional affiliation is added. Previous article affiliation was: 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan, 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia and 3Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 22452, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia Corrected affiliation is: 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan, 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud Univeristy, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia, 3Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud Univeristy, P.O. Box 22452, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia and 4School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 30072, Tianjin, China In Acknowledgement, the supporting project number is changed. Previous acknowledgement was: Acknowledgement. The authors extend their appreciation to researchers supporting project number RSP-2023/357, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for funding this research. Correct acknowledgement is: Acknowledgement. The authors extend their appreciation to researchers supporting project number RSP2024R357, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for funding this research. <br><br><font color="red"><b> Link to the corrected article <u><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/JSC230307050E">10.2298/JSC230307050E</a></b></u>

Adopting HyFlex in Higher Education in Response to COVID-19: Students’ Perceptions and Perspectives

When the coronavirus pandemic was declared as a Public Health Emergency, educational ministries and institutions unanimously opted for distance education as a solution to carry on teaching and learning worldwide. Flexible hybrid courses (HyFlex) are one of the innovative teaching devices that have emerged since the health crisis and aimed to achieve educational continuity and satisfy learners’ various needs. Based on a research model inspired by the different extensions of the technology acceptance model (TAM), we conducted a study with 249 students from the faculty of medicine and pharmacy affiliated with Mohammed First University in Oujda (Morocco) who learned in a HyFlex environment during the 2020–2021 fall semester. The study addressed students’ perceptions regarding the implementation of blended-learning and its dimensions. It aimed to analyse the perceptions of usefulness and ease of use of the HyFlex model and the facilitating conditions and individual characteristics, chiefly the availability of technological resources and the mastery of the computational tool on the behavioural intention of adopting this approach. The results show that attitude, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and availability of technological resources are the main factors favouring the acceptance of e-learning by the surveyed students.

Financial well-being and happiness at work: A study on pharmacy faculty academics

Financial well-being and happiness at work: A study on pharmacy faculty academics

Herbal food supplements usage awareness of university students: Example of Echinacea and St. John's Wort

In recent years, usage of food supplements (Fs) has increased in order to maintain healthy living, have well-being, and be protected from the diseases. There are many medicinal plants used as herbal food supplements (HFs). Within the scope of this study, Echinacea and St. John’s Wort were selected among the plants that are frequently encountered. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted through completing a self-administered online questionnaire by health students. The questionnaire was filled out by 211 students studying at the faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Istanbul Medipol University. The greatest participation was achieved with Pharmacy students (47.4%), whereas the lowest participation was reached with Dentistry students (5.7%). The most commonly used products as Fs were vitamin D (21.3%) and multivitamins (16.1%), while the use of HFs was 8.5%. St. John’s Wort is commonly preferred for wound and burn treatment and Echinacea is used to boost immunity. In parallel with this use, St. John’s Wort is preferred as olive oil maceration and Echinacea as herbal infusion. While the use of HFs was 58.3%, that of the Fs were 44.5%. Echinacea use was found to be 14.4% and St. John’s Wort was 31.3%. The relationship between the presence of chronic disease and the use of Fs or HFs was not statistically significant. This study is significant to detect the opinions and knowledge levels of health students about Fs, especially HFs, St. John’s Wort and Echinacea, which are available in the market.

Chatbots for medical students exploring medical students’ attitudes and concerns towards artificial intelligence and medical chatbots

Introduction: artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses the concept of automated machines that can perform tasks typically carried out by humans, doctor-patient communication will increasingly rely on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, especially in medicine and digital assistant systems like chatbots. The objective of this study is to explore the understanding, utilization, and apprehensions of future doctors at the Faculty of Medicine in Casablanca regarding the adoption of artificial intelligence, particularly intelligent chatbots. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among students from the 1st to 5th year at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca. Probability sampling was implemented using a clustered and stratified approach based on the year of study. Electronic forms were distributed to randomly selected groups of students. Results: among the participants, 52 % of students fully agreed to utilize chatbots capable of answering health-related queries, while 39 % partially agreed to use chatbots for providing diagnoses regarding health conditions. About concerns, 77 % of the respondents expressed fear regarding reduced transparency regarding the utilization of personal data, and 66 % expressed concerns about diminished professional autonomy. Conclusion: Moroccan Medical students are open to embracing AI in the field of medicine. The study highlights their ability to grasp the fundamental aspects of how AI and chatbots will impact their daily work, while the overall attitude towards the use of clinical AI was positive, participants also expressed certain concerns

Synthesis of Acetylsalicylic Acid – An Environmentally Friendly Approach

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the yields of acetylsalicylic acid synthesis based on the traditional approach and green chemistry approach. Green chemistry is one of the most important approaches in pharmaceutical sustainability. The reagents used for the acetylsalicylic acid synthesis can be environmentally harmful, so there is a need for a better and safer alternative. Methods: We conducted five syntheses based on the traditional approach and five syntheses based on the green chemistry approach. The synthesis process was identical except for one part – traditional synthesis used sulfuric acid and green chemistry synthesis used phosphoric acid. After synthesis, theoretical and experimental yields were calculated. The obtained products were tested using high performance liquid chromatography.Main findings: The theoretical yield of acetylsalicylic acid in both reactions was determined as 3.896 g. Traditional synthesis gave us a mean yield of 3.113 g (79.8%). Green chemistry synthesis gave us a mean yield of 3.104 g (79.4%). The quality of both products was confirmed by the above-mentioned chromatography method. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of the product masses (p=0.8220).Principal conclusions: Phosphoric acid can be used as a safe alternative to acetylsalicylic acid synthesis instead of sulfuric acid. As phosphoric acid is much safer than sulfuric acid in terms of environmental impact, these findings can be used in the pharmaceutical industry setting to obtain a better, cleaner and safer alternative to acetylsalicylic acid synthesis.Key words: acetylsalicylic acid, synthesis, green chemistry, medicinal chemistryArticle processing history:Received July 19, 2023 Revised November 7, 2023 Accepted November 21 , 2023 ORCID IDs of the authors: L.G. 0009-0005-9137-6218M.K. 0000-0003-3904-4994Corresponding author:Assistant Professor Martin Kondža, PhD; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mostar, Matice hrvatske bb, 88000Mostar, Bosnia and HerzegovinaE‒mail: martin.kondza@farf.sum.baCite this article as: Golemac L, KondžaM. Synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid –an environmentally friendly approach. Annals of Biomedical and Clinical Research. 2023;2:100 -108 . https://doi.org/Copyright © School of Medicine, University of Mostar 2023

The impact of Saudi Arabia – United States clinical pharmacy post-graduate training programs agreements on clinical pharmacy faculty in Saudi universities: A retrospective descriptive study focused on history and future recommendations

BackgroundThere has been a growing demand for clinical pharmacy services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the past 3 decades. The Ministry of Education has established agreements with several institutions in the United States to secure clinical pharmacy residency and research fellowship programs opportunities for Saudi scholars. The aims of this study were to describe the Saudi scholars’ clinical pharmacy training pathways and their contribution to the pharmacy profession in KSA. MethodsThis is a retrospective, descriptive study conducted on clinical pharmacy faculty in governmental Saudi universities who graduated from the US until 2023. The study outcomes included the post-graduate year-1 (PGY-1) residency match rate, post-graduate year-2 (PGY-2) acceptance rate, the PGY-2 specialties of Saudi scholars, and the number of clinical pharmacy programs established in KSA. ResultsIn total, 115 Saudi scholars have pursued clinical pharmacy pathway in the US. The PGY-1 residency match rate was 80 % (92/115). In contrast, the PGY-2 acceptance rate was 60.9 % (70/115). The most common PGY-2 specialty was in infectious diseases (N = 17; 24 %). Two pharmacy colleges had established residency programs and 1 pharmacy college had established a research fellowship. ConclusionThe Ministry of Education's efforts for clinical pharmacy program agreements were fundamental for advancing clinical pharmacy in Saudi universities. A significant number of Saudi scholars returned to KSA with clinical pharmacy degrees. There are more opportunities for further development, including expanding the clinical pharmacy program collaboration in the US and increasing the number of residency and research fellowship positions in KSA.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF AGEISM AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS

Abstract With our population aging, the need for healthcare practitioners trained in caring for older adults is urgent. The anticipated shortage of geriatric-trained providers may further the impact of age-related discrimination. Little data is published about the understanding of ageism by healthcare professionals and students. The comparison of these different groups became the focus of the conducted survey, and the presenting research analyzed a total of 467 respondents including dental, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy professions across 2 universities. When comparing demographic differences in studied populations, 69% of faculty/preceptors and 12% of students were over 35 years old. Overall, 33.8% reported being unable to define ageism with 27.7% of all students unable to do so. In looking specifically at pharmacy, 34.3% of students and 37.9% of faculty were unable to define ageism. Understanding ageism and its effects on healthcare for older adults is important for pharmacists as 82.1% of pharmacy faculty reported regularly interacting with older adults and 67% said that primarily occurred at work; yet only 37.5% had taken a class or course in geriatrics. Among pharmacy students, 71.4% interacted regularly with older adults with 41.4% saying this occurred primarily at work. Differences were noted in student education with 50% of pharmacy and 86.9% of physical therapy students having taken a geriatric course. Analysis and conclusions interpret the impact of ageism and emphasize a need for education to address age-related disparities and potential for bias in healthcare.

Contribution of research institutions to the development of the pharmaceutical industry: case of scientific works carried out at the faculty of pharmacy of Abidjan

Introduction: Works produced within universities and research institutes aim to provide high innovative technological or sociocultural solutions to society's challenges. Pharmaceutical industrialization is a socio-health issue in Côte d'Ivoire. Indeed the pharmaceutical production, although essential, is still in its infancy. Our objective is to take stock of the works carried out on this activity within the faculty of Pharmacy in Côte d'Ivoire in order to assess the contribution of this unit of research to its boom.
 Methodology: We’ve listed the theses and dissertations defended on the pharmaceutical production since the opening of the faculty, have described them and then we’ve analysed the results and recommendations of the authors of works.
 Results: During this preliminary study, out of the 25 documents available, 18 (72.0%) of the works focused on the development of galenic and cosmetic formulations, including 08 (32.0%) based on natural substances, in terms of development and evaluation of formulation parameters; 04 (16,0%) focused on the difficulties of the industrial process and 03 (12.0%) on the political and regulatory aspects. The works on the regulation of the activity, which was more transversal, presented the legal,
 
 institutional and political framework as harmonious, but highlighted other factors that need to be legislated.
 Conclusion: The preponderance of works on technical aspects that take into account our local realities confirms the expected contribution of universities through basic and applied research. The regulation remains an essential point also to implementate and organize. State support and public-private partnerships are still needed for the pharmaceutical industrialization.

Prof. Ing. František Švec, DSc., of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Charles University in Hradec Králové Obtained the Neuron Prize 2023 for His Lifework in the Field of Chemistry

Prof. Ing. František Švec, DSc., of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Charles University in Hradec Králové Obtained the Neuron Prize 2023 for His Lifework in the Field of Chemistry

Insight about Menstrual Cups on Student of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Science, Abdurrab University

Menstrual cup is a cup-shaped device used during menstruation that is made from slicone so it is environmentally friendly. Menstrual cups are still not widely accepted in the society and are less desirable than sanitary pads. This study aims to determine the description of knowledge about menstrual cups in students of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Abdurrab University in 2022. This research method is quantitative research with descriptive design. In this study using cluster random sampling technique so that the number of samples used was 260 students using a questionnaire consisting of 20 questions distributed via googleform. The results of this study showed that the knowledge of female students was in the good category of 175 people (67.3%), 76 people (29.2%) had sufficient knowledge and had less knowledge as many as 9 people (3.5%). The level of knowledge of female students of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Abdurrab University is good as many as 175 people (67.3%) and it is hoped that female students can increase their knowledge insights and appropriate and sustainable education so that fear and obstacles to using menstrual cups can be overcome.

A Study of Interest in Astronomy Among University Students in Malaysia

The misconception related to astronomy is fretfully rising in society. This study aims to investigate, (i) level of misconception towards astronomy among university students, (ii) significant difference in students’ interest towards astronomy between male and female, (iii) significant difference between science and non-science students’ level of knowledge in astronomy, (iv) significant relationship between students’ faculties and misconception in astronomy, and (v) significant relationship between the educational background of the respondents' parents and their misconceptions towards astronomy. A qualitative approach was implemented using a set of questionnaires for data collection. The respondents were undergraduate students of with different courses and backgrounds from four different faculties: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Art and Design, and Faculty of Business Management. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Findings showed that there is a significant difference in students’ interest towards astronomy between male and female students, there is a significant different between level of knowledge in astronomy and students’ major course, there is significant difference between students’ faculties and misconception in astronomy, and there is no significant relationship between the educational background of the respondents’ parents and their misconception in astronomy. This study benefits society by clarifying phenomena, distinguishing myth from reality. It aids Science teachers in addressing astronomy misconceptions and helps educators curb their spread.

Knowledge and Assessment of Calcium Intake among Medical Students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Agadir

Despite being aware of the significance of maintaining a well-balanced diet abundant in calcium, medical students frequently struggle with discipline and exhibit subpar adherence to this dietary practice, leading to inadequate nutrition. The study sought to evaluate the medical students’ knowledge and identify its impact on their daily calcium consumption. The study was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Agadir (FMPA) over a period of one year using a cross-sectional design. A self-administered online questionnaire consisting of three sections, namely socio-demographic information, knowledge assessment, and calculation of students' daily calcium intake, was employed. A total of 254 students participated in the survey, with an average age of 20.2 +/- 1.96 years. Out of these, 164 (64.6%) were female and 90 (35.4%) were male. The majority of participants (94.9%) were single, and 186 (73.2%) lived with their families. Regarding the study population, 199 students (78.3%) demonstrated a good level of knowledge regarding calcium. However, the median daily calcium intake was 559 +/-143 and only seven students (2.8%) met the recommended intake of > 1000mg/day according to GRIO guidelines. The results of the study indicated that, despite the heightened awareness among medical students regarding their dietary and lifestyle choices and their good knowledge about calcium intake, there is a disparity between awareness and actual daily calcium consumption. To bridge this gap, it is crucial to enhance awareness further and implement a comprehensive program during their academic years that focuses on promoting increased consumption of calcium-rich foods.