Undergraduate Pharmacy Students Research Articles

A cross-sectional study: caffeine consumption and their perception among pharmacy students

Background: The consumption of caffeine is highly prevalent among university students. Previous research studies have significantly shown that university students have a different perception of caffeine’s effect on their mental and physical health. These perceptions can influence caffeine consumption, which can result in addiction and serious public health consequences. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of studies that explored better knowledge concerning the consumption and perception of caffeine among undergraduate pharmacy students. Aim: This study aimed to determine the frequency of caffeine consumption and their perception focusing on (1) specific reasons for consuming caffeine (2) the association between the sociodemographic and overall caffeine intake. Method: A validated online questionnaire that was adopted from a previous study was conducted at three different universities (UiTM Puncak Alam, KPJ Healthcare University College, and the University of Brunei Darussalam). A set of questionnaires was distributed via electronic mail (e-mail) and WhatsApp to the convenience sample of pharmacy students (n=260). Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square tests analyses were conducted. Results: Results from the study indicate that pharmacy students consume a caffeinated drink an average of one time daily. The main reason for the intake is to feel more awake (69.2%), especially during exam seasons (79%). There was a significant association between the source of income and caffeine consumption (p=0.033). In the perception category, “Mixing caffeine with alcohol is very dangerous’ and “consuming too much caffeine is unhealthy” received the highest agreement (mean= 4.19 and mean=4.18 respectively). Conclusion: Pharmacy students acquired good caffeine consumption and perception. There is no caffeine addiction issues found in this study

Rapid upskilling about COVID-19 vaccines: an evaluation of a novel interprofessional education workshop.

An inter-professional education (IPE) workshop centred around newly approved COVID-19 vaccination was attended by 77 nursing and pharmacy students. To embed and evaluate the implementation of a virtual IPE workshop, and to upskill undergraduate nursing and pharmacy students about the COVID-19 vaccination. The workshop was evaluated using a questionnaire completed by participants from both disciplines. A focus group was conducted with the IPE facilitators. 77 students out of a potential 400 attended the workshop (19% attendance). Of the 77 participants, 44 (23 nursing, 21 pharmacy) completed the questionnaire (57%), rating the content highly. There was overall positivity toward working interprofessionally, and there was no evidence of significant differences between how the two groups of students rated the workshop. Qualitative findings from students and facilitators corroborated the supposition that the workshop would enhance professional development. Thus, the workshop was successful in facilitating interprofessional interactions, with students all working collaboratively toward the same goal, the ultimate purpose of IPE. It was agreed that such an event should be included as part of the student curricula. Implementing an IPE event that includes real-time healthcare priorities can contribute to optimising students' healthcare education. More high-quality longitudinal research is needed to understand the impact of such sessions on students' competence and confidence.

Evaluation of grit and its associated factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionGrit is proposed as an essential trait for academic achievement. Thus, evaluating its current status and the associated factors could aid academic support planning. ObjectiveThe present study aimed to assess grit level and its related factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among pharmacy students from 14 countries in Asia and the Middle East. A 31-item questionnaire was developed, validated, and pilot-tested, including the validated short scale for grit assessment. The data was collected between 1 February and 15 April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed as appropriate. ResultsA total of 2665 responses were received, mainly from females (68.7 %), living in urban areas (69.2 %) and studying at private universities (59.1 %). The average grit score on a scale of 5 was 3.15 ± 0.54. The responses revealed higher favourable responses to items on the perseverance of efforts (34.9 % to 54 %) compared to items on the consistency of interests (26.5 % to 31.1 %). Students who did not exercise (AOR: 0.47, 95 %CI: 0.33–0.67) or exercised irregularly (AOR: 0.64, 95 %CI: 0.45–0.90) were less likely to have higher grit scores than those who exercised regularly. Additionally, students who did not receive COVID-19 vaccination (AOR: 0.50, 95 %CI: 0.36–0.71) or received only one dose (AOR: 0.67, 95 %CI: 0.46–0.99) were less likely to have higher grit scores than those who received their booster vaccination. Interestingly, students who chose the pharmacy program as their only available or reasonable choice (AOR: 0.33, 95 %CI: 0.17–0.62) and students from public universities (AOR: 0.82, 95 %CI: 0.68–0.98) were less likely to have higher grit scores. On the other hand, students who did not face educational challenges with online learning (AOR: 1.19, 95 %CI: 1.003–1.416) and students with excellent (AOR: 2.28, 95 %CI: 1.57–3.31) and very good (AOR: 2.16, 95 %CI: 1.53–3.04) academic performance were more likely to have higher grit scores. ConclusionThe findings revealed moderate grit levels. Higher grit levels were thought to be associated with several personal, lifestyle and academic factors. Further interventions to support students' grit attributes are required, particularly concerning the consistency of interests.

A Multi-Institutional Study of Yemeni Final Year Undergraduate Pharmacy Students' Understanding, Attitudes, and Perceived Barriers Toward Provision of Pharmaceutical Care: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Pharmaceutical care (PC) is the philosophy of the pharmacist's practice to achieve a better health-related outcome by designing, implementing and monitoring the therapeutic plans. It is in its infancy in Yemen. Hence, the study objectives were to examine the barriers to PC provision as perceived by Yemen pharmacy students and to assess their level of understanding of PC and their attitudes toward PC. A cross-sectional study was conducted among ten pharmacy colleges in Yemen, offering undergraduate pharmacy programs. A stratified sample of 518 students from the included universities were surveyed using a well-structured, validated and self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted at an alpha level of 0.05. Four hundred and seventy-five (475) participants were included (92.9% response rate). More than 17% (n=84) of participants were involved in Pharm.D program, and nearly 29.9% (n=142) preferred pharmaceutical marketing as a career after graduation. About 65% of participants recognized the purpose of PC, and pharmacists' role within PC. However, only 43.8% (n=208) knew the difference between clinical pharmacy and PC. About 82% of respondents showed very good attitudes toward PC. Pharm.D students showed higher attitudes' total scores, median (IQR): 4.3 (4.1-4.4), 4.2 (4-4.2) and 4 (3.9-4.2) for Pharm.D, bachelor of pharmacy and bachelor of clinical pharmacy respectively, (p-value = 0.032). Moreover, students who currently employed in pharmacy-related job during their study were also associated with high attitudes scores compared to unemployed students, median (IQR): 4.2 (4-4.4) and 4(3.9-4.1) respectively (p-value = 0.023). "Lack of access to the patient medical record in the pharmacy" and "inadequate (hospital and community pharmacy) internship period" were the top reported barriers with 81.5% (n=387) agreement. Although PC is in its infancy in Yemen, pharmacy students showed positive attitudes toward practicing PC. Educational institutions should exert efforts for curricular revision to improve understanding, and overcome the reported barriers in the future.

Factors Associated with Knowledge and Attitude towards E-Cigarettes among Undergraduate Students in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Thailand government has enacted a ban on vaping for eight years, but the number of vapers has continued to increase, particularly among teenagers. This study aimed to evaluate undergraduate pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes toward e-cigarette use in Thailand. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed between January and March 2022. The participants were selected from 14 universities of Thailand. For data collection, a questionnaire was developed online using Google Form. The participants had to complete the questionnaire within 5 to 10 days the via s. Chi-square and binary logistic analysis were used to assess the association between variables. A total of 507 participants were recruited, The participants' mean age was 20.6 ± 1.9 years. About 98.6% of the participants knew about e-cigarette, and 74.4% had never been taught about e-cigarettes. Moreover, 68.8% of the participants declared that people around them were smokers. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the participants who declared that they were not sure if e-cigarettes contains nicotine or not were 10.5 more likely to consume e-cigarettes (AOR = 10.5; 95 % CI 3.130-35.181; P ˂0.001). Male participants who were at the academic year of three and four were more likely to use e-cigarettes than female students who were at the academic year of five and six (AOR 2.9; 95 % CI 1.599-5.214; P ˂0.001; AOR = 4.5; 95 % CI 1.412-14.571; P ˂0.001; AOR = 3.9; 95 % CI 1.263-12.511; p = 0.018). OOur study findings showed that pharmacy students lacked knowledge about e-cigarettes and misunderstood about e-cigarettes substances. Future research is necessary to develop educational programs for health professionals to be ready to advise patients about e-cigarettes.

Improved knowledge on substandard and falsified (SF) medical products through a dedicated course for pharmacy students at three universities in sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundToo few pharmacists receive formal training on substandard and falsified (SF) medical products. Strengthening knowledge across pharmacists is considered a moral and ethical duty of academia, that is, to build...

Teaching cultural competence to undergraduate pharmacy students using vignettes (case scenarios) as an innovative teaching intervention.

Cultural competence is instrumental in reducing health equities. Addressing cultural competence at higher education level in healthcare students lays a solid cultural competence foundation for professional practice. The use of vignettes as a teaching intervention was effective because it allowed the use of role-modelling in real-life situations.The study aimed to enhance cultural competence in undergraduate pharmacy students using a self-directed online interactive cultural competence module embedded with three vignettes (case scenarios). This study was an exploratory longitudinal mixed method (survey and written feedback) study and used a convenience sample of 90 pharmacy students at an Australian University. Students' self-perceived transcultural self-efficacy was evaluated pre- and post-intervention using Jeffreys' Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool (TSET) which is a validated outcome measure. Vignettes were effective in teaching cultural competence as shown by significant (P < 0.0005) changes pre- to post-intervention in cognitive, practical and affective domains scores using TSET. The affective domain had the least positive mean score change. There was no significant association between any of the demographic factors such as age, gender or birthplace/parents' birthplace and changes in any of the three domains. Cronbach's alpha of >0.90 in all domains confirmed the test's internal consistency and reliability. The findings were indicative of the students' positive receptivity to learning cultural competence and that they had a well-developed understanding of cultural competence. Further research is needed to determine why most cultural competence teaching methods produce little or no meaningful change in enhancing the affective domain.

Exploring Team-Based Teaching of Basic Sciences and Clinical Practice: Experiences of Pharmacy Students at a Malaysian Pharmacy School.

Interdisciplinary learning combining foundational science concepts and clinical practice applications is important in many healthcare-related programmes, including pharmacy. The coherent, structured interdisciplinary curricula designed by specialists may not always be perceived as integrated by students. Team teaching, an education approach where two or more instructors share teaching responsibilities within a classroom setting, may help eliminate this perception. This study aims to explore whether team teaching can improve Asian students' experience of learning in an undergraduate pharmacy programme in Malaysia. A single 2-h interactive lecture session was delivered using a team-based approach to year 4 undergraduate pharmacy students enrolled at the School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, from 2015 to 2017. All students who attended the team-based teaching lectures were provided with an anonymous link, which requested responses on their views towards team-based teaching. Fifty out of 104 participants from three different cohorts responded to the survey of this study. Over 75% of students reported that they learnt better with theteam teaching approach compared to traditional lectures delivered by one lecturer and that the team teaching approach was superior to private study. About 60% of the participants agreed that the team-based teaching approach helped develop their information-synthesising and problem-solving skills. This study provides evidence for using team teaching for design and delivery in an Asian context. The approach was well received by the participants.

Exploration of Project and Module-based Teaching Method in Pharmaceutical Microbiology Laboratory Courses for Undergraduate Pharmacy Students

Exploration of Project and Module-based Teaching Method in Pharmaceutical Microbiology Laboratory Courses for Undergraduate Pharmacy Students

Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward infection prevention and control among undergraduate pharmacy students in Zambia: findings and implications.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are critical in preventing the risk of acquiring and transmitting nosocomial infections. In Zambia, there is little information concerning IPC practices among pharmacy students who are exposed to potentially infectious areas both in public and private healthcare settings. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of undergraduate pharmacy students toward infection prevention and control at the University of Zambia. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 undergraduate pharmacy students at the University of Zambia using a structured questionnaire from August 2022 to October 2022. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, and statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level. Of the 290 participants, 166(57.2%) were female and the majority were aged between 18 and 23 years. Overall, 252(86.9%) had good knowledge, 167(57.6%) had positive attitudes, and 248(85.5%) had good practices toward IPC measures. These results indicate lower attitude scores compared to knowledge and practices. Having good knowledge of IPC was associated with being a Christian by religion compared to other religions (OR = 5.314, 95% CI: 1.141-24.745). There was no association between sociodemographics and attitude and practice concerning IPC. This study found that pharmacy students had good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices toward IPC measures. Consequently, more emphasis is needed to improve the student's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward IPC, especially in areas where gaps were identified. Additionally, there is a need to improve curricula on IPC measures in the training of pharmacy programs.

The degree of Newton's thinking in future students

This paper presents the results of a six-year project, where one of the goals was to observe the conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics with which students enrol in undergraduate studies where they study physics courses from the very beginning. As an example of such study programs, the research included 977 undergraduate freshman students of university studies: Pharmacy (N = 152); Chemistry and Chemical Technology (N=563); Food technology (N=123) and professional study of Material Protection and Recovery (N=139). The measuring instrument used to assess the student's level of knowledge of Newtonian mechanics is the Force Concept Inventory (FCI test). In all teaching programs of the observed undergraduate studies, physics courses are core courses and therefore require significant students' engagement and knowledge in order to be mastered successfully. Results show that enrolled students arrive to these studies with extremely poor knowledge of Newtonian mechanics. Among the undergraduate students of Pharmacy, 9.9% of students are at the level of Newtonian thinking; in the undergraduate study of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 0.9%; in the undergraduate study of Food Technology, 4%; while in the undergraduate professional study of Material Protection and Recovery, there are no enrolled students who have adopted Newtonian mechanics. These results point to significant problems in high school physics teaching, as well as to problems in the quality mastery of physics course material at the observed studies.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Zambia: A Qualitative Study among Pharmacy Students at the University of Zambia

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were introduced to contain the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, there have been challenges regarding the acceptance and uptake of these vaccines in Zambia. The study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pharmacy students in Zambia. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that employed qualitative methods using a phenomenological approach. The study was conducted among 20 undergraduate pharmacy students schooling at the University of Zambia. The interviews were recorded in a semi-structured questionnaire and responses were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. The analysis was based on factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the student's thoughts about the vaccines. The responses were divided into five themes: fear of potential adverse effects, the ineffectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, fear of being used as experiments, preventive measures better than COVID-19 vaccines and the need for better education on the benefits and adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Results: The findings indicate increased hesitancy against COVID-19 vaccines among pharmacy students in Zambia. Most participants were hesitant to receive the vaccine due to fear of experiencing adverse effects. Besides, there was also a concern about vaccine effectiveness in protecting individuals against COVID-19. Further, the students felt that the COVID-19 vaccines did not pass through all the necessary stages of vaccine development due to the short period they were introduced. Furthermore, the participants had fear of being used in experiments such as clinical trials. The students felt that adhering to the recommended COVID-19 prevention measures was better than being vaccinated. Conclusion: The hesitance against COVID-19 vaccines among pharmacy students was a result of many factors. The concern regarding potential adverse effects and effectiveness of ...

Palliative care education in an Australian undergraduate pharmacy curriculum: an exploratory descriptive study.

To examine the self-perceived knowledge, confidence and preparedness of undergraduate pharmacy students to provide palliative care. A descriptive exploratory analysis was conducted in 2021 at an Australian university involving final-year pharmacy students (n = 200) who were provided with the opportunity to complete a survey on self-perceived knowledge, confidence and preparedness overall and with respect to a range of graduate capabilities which are essential to provide care in palliative care settings. Key capability areas include: communication, showing empathy, making clinical judgements and self-reflection. This was measured using the Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates Questionnaire which was distributed electronically. Descriptive statistics were undertaken and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to explore any differences in outcomes with respect to factors related to demographics, personal experience and education. Thematic analysis was utilised for qualitative data. Forty-five percent of the student cohort (n = 89) responded, 70% of whom were female, and the median age for students was 22 years. Median scores (interquartile range) were modest for overall self-perceived knowledge: 5.0 (3.0-5.0), confidence: 4.0 (3.0-5.0) and preparedness: 4.0 (2.5-5.0). Students who had participated in learning about palliative care through clinical placements (n = 25, 28%), self-directed learning activities (n = 18, 20%) or case-/problem-based learning (n = 14, 16%) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in overall preparedness (P = 0.017), confidence with specific capabilities including evidence-based practice (P = 0.013), responding to medication queries (P < 0.05) and managing symptoms other than pain (P = 0.018). Findings suggest students were confident to manage symptoms and medication-related issues but less confident to address distress or discuss sensitive matters with patients and their families. There may be a need for greater exposure and practical experience in palliative care settings.

Awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines and associated factors among pharmacy students in Zambia.

This study aimed to assess the awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines and associated factors among pharmacy students in Zambia. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 326 undergraduate pharmacy students in Lusaka, Zambia, from February to April 2021. Data were analysed using Stata version 16.1. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine key factors influencing vaccine acceptance. Of the 326 participants, 98.8% were aware of the COVID-19 vaccines, but only 24.5% would accept vaccination. Compared to other religions, being of Christian faith was associated with reduced odds of awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine (aOR=0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.20). Conversely, factors associated with vaccine acceptance were being male, single and unemployed. Compared to females, male respondents were 86% more likely to accept the vaccine if it was made available (aOR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.10-3.14). In addition, unmarried respondents were 2.65 times as likely to accept vaccination than married respondents (aOR=2.65, 95% CI: 1.06-6.63). Conversely, unemployed respondents were less likely to accept vaccination than their employed counterparts (aOR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.46). Barriers to the acceptability of the vaccine were possible side effects (78.5%) and scepticism about its effectiveness (10.2%). There was significant vaccine hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines among Zambian pharmacy students despite their awareness of the vaccines. Health authorities must work collaboratively with training institutions to mitigate vaccine hesitancy, especially with healthcare students being a key part of the future healthcare workforce overseeing disease prevention strategies.

Assessment of Moral Development Among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students and Alumni

Objective. This study's principal aim was to assess the moral development of undergraduate pharmacy students and alumni at a university in Jordan.Methods. Using the Professional Ethics in Pharmacy (PEP) test, the moral reasoning of 512 pharmacy students and alumni was assessed in a cross-sectional design. The main assessment measure was the Principled Morality Score, which reflects an individual's level of moral judgment development and is given as a percentage, where higher values indicate greater moral development.Results. The response rate was 49%. The median Principled Morality Score was 16.7, with no significant differences observed across all five cohorts. No significant differences in median Principled Morality Scores were found between men and women (16.7 vs 20, respectively). Also, no significant differences in median Principled Morality scores were observed between students who had completed the ethics course versus those who had not completed the ethics course at the time of data collection (median Principled Morality Score 20 vs 16.7, respectively). No trends in median Principled Morality Scores were observed.Conclusion. In this study, the professional moral reasoning of prospective pharmacists was lower than expected. A further longitudinal study of the cohort, which attempts to correlate moral development with age, sex, education level, and moral education strategy, is warranted.

Investigating Knowledge of Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Stewardship Concepts Among Final Year Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in Northern Nigeria.

Well trained, knowledgeable and competent pharmacists are indispensable in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is a current global public health problem. The aim of this work was to assess knowledge of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship of fifth year pharmacy students at three universities in Northern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study that used a paper-based questionnaire to collect data from July to September 2021 was conducted. The questionnaire was self-administered and divided into four sections. The first section collected information about the demographic data of respondents, while section B explored their knowledge of antibiotics and AMR. Section C contained six questions assessing knowledge of various aspects of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), while the final part assessed respondents' preparedness to work with antibiotics and perceptions of their current knowledge of these concepts. Descriptive statistics were used to report the results obtained. A total of 164 questionnaires were retrieved. Majority of respondents were male (58.3%) and aged between 21 and 25 years (53.4%). Most of them had some knowledge of antibiotics and AMR, however several misconceptions with respect to these concepts were identified. Only 80 (48.8%) of respondents indicated that they knew what AMS was, although most of these students were correctly knowledgeable about the goals and scope of AMS and composition of the AMS team. Generally, less than half of respondents agreed that their current knowledge of antibiotics, AMR or AMS was adequate for their future careers, and over 90% of them agreed that they would like more education about these topics. Many of the study's' respondents were somewhat knowledgeable about these concepts, although several knowledge gaps were also observed. Improving undergraduate pharmacy education with respect to these concepts is recommended.

Evaluation of student-perceived competence of interprofessional working in Gerodontology.

To evaluate pharmacy, dental and dental therapy undergraduate students' perceived competence of interprofessional working before and after attending an interprofessional education (IPE) Gerodontology workshop. Whilst there is international recognition of the importance of collaboration between the dental profession and systemic healthcare providers to enhance patient care, there remains a paucity of research into IPE in Gerodontology. Pharmacy, dental and dental therapy undergraduate students attended a 2-hour Gerodontology case-based workshop. Students completed anonymised Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Surveys (ICCAS) before and after attendance. 108 questionnaires were received, 7 were withdrawn (1 incomplete with only pre-workshop side completed, 6 did not identify degree programme). From 101 included questionnaires, 37 were from pharmacy, 56 dental and 8 dental therapy students resulting in response rates of 84%, 82% and 67%, respectively. Each student group recorded an increase in positive reflective competence median (IQR) after taking part in the workshop. Overall median (IQR) reflective competence before the workshop was 6 (1), 5 (2) and 6 (2) for pharmacy, dental and dental therapy students, respectively, which increased to 7 (1) for all groups. There was variability in reflective competence before attending the workshop between dental and pharmacy students for two questions, and dental and dental therapy students for two different questions. All students reported increased reflective competence of interprofessional working following the workshop. These findings suggest that introduction of IPE events into Gerodontology curricula may improve student understanding and appreciation of interprofessional working when providing care for older people.

Evaluation of Knowledge Regarding the Use of Antibiotics among Pharmacy Undergraduates in Japan.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human health. Education on antibiotics is essential for AMR prevention, and training should be provided for undergraduate pharmacy students. This study evaluated the knowledge regarding antibiotic use and AMR among fourth-year Japanese pharmacy students and the effect of a lecture on treating infectious diseases with antibiotics had on their knowledge. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the responses were recorded before and after participants attended the lecture. A small subset of the prelecture survey questions was used for the postlecture survey. From a total of 540 participants, 330 and 234 responses were collected before and after the lecture, respectively. In the prelecture survey, 39.4% of the participants incorrectly answered that antibiotics can effectively treat the common cold, 13.3% had taken leftover antibiotics, and 17.3% had taken antibiotics prescribed for their family members or others. Furthermore, the prelecture survey data showed that the mean number (± standard deviation) of correct answers across the eight questions on treatment and diagnosis of infectious diseases and antibiotics was 2.21 ± 1.64. However, in the postsurvey, this figure increased to 5.00 ± 1.82. Although the lecture improved their knowledge to some extent, the results suggested that fourth-year pharmacy students have inaccurate knowledge regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics and AMR. Therefore, it is necessary to improve early-year undergraduate pharmacy education on antibiotics in Japan.

Study Destination Choice and Career Preferences of International Students at China Pharmaceutical University.

This study had two main thematic aims: first, to determine the factors that influenced the choice of international students at China Pharmaceutical University (CPU) to consider China as a study destination; second, to determine the career preferences of international students upon completion of their various programs of study. As a cross-sectional study, relevant data were collected from undergraduate pharmacy students and postgraduates using a self-administered questionnaire. On the whole, the five most important pull factors that influenced the choice of China as the study destination for the respondents were: (1) quality of education, (2) quality of academic staff, (3) security, (4) desire to obtain a certificate from a foreign country and (5) availability of scholarship opportunities. With respect to the career choices, the top three career preferences of the international students were: (1) to work in the pharmaceutical industry (i.e., pharmaceutical manufacturing companies), (2) to practice clinical pharmacy and (3) to seek employment opportunities outside their countries. This study provides additional details on why China has gradually become a study destination of choice for international students. The career preferences of students could be useful in the design of academic programs that could meet their job aspirations.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior about Antimicrobial Use and Resistance among Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy Students in Jordan: A Cross Sectional Study.

The present study aimed to survey medical, nursing and pharmacy students' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding antimicrobial use and resistance. Additionally, the study assessed the teaching and assessment activities received regarding antibiotic use. A cross sectional online survey was distributed to undergraduate students currently in clinical studies in their degree program. A total of 716 medicine, nursing and pharmacy undergraduate students were included. Respondents scored more than 76% on knowledge on effective use, unnecessary use and associated side effects of antibiotics, and 65.2% regarding knowledge on the spread of antibiotic resistance. Some participants (21.0%) agreed or strongly agreed that there has been good promotion of prudent antimicrobial use. Students were aware (13.1%), unaware (29.1%), or unsure (57.8%) that there is a national action plan relating to antimicrobial resistance. A total of 62.8% of the respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they have a key role in helping control antibiotic resistance. Participants reported that they require more information about resistance to antibiotics (53.9%), medical conditions for which antibiotics are used (51.7%) and how to use antibiotics (51.0%). Discussion of clinical cases and vignettes and small group teaching were reported as very useful or useful teaching strategies (79.9% and 74.2%, respectively). The findings from this study determined the current situation in relation to education on prudent antimicrobial use for undergraduates and highlighted areas for informing better curriculum design.