Abstract

ATTITUDE OF PHARM. D STUDENTS IN KERALA TOWARDS PHARMACY PROFESSION AND THEIR CAREER PREFERENCES

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the attitude of Pharm. D students towards pharmacy profession and reveal their career preferences. Method: First, second and third year undergraduate students enrolled in Pharm. D at a university in Kerala were surveyed. A predefined questionnaire sought students attitude towards the pharmacy profession and their choice of career and university course, factors that would influence their career and work place selection once graduated, their likely career preferences and if they regretted in joining the course or not. Results: The survey attained a response rate of 76.7%. Out of the total students, 79.7% of the students were found to be happy with the pharmacy profession. About half (52.2%) of the respondents agreed that they had a good idea about the course and scope the career before they joined.92.7% of the students opined that the pharmacy education and practice affect the health care system, while 5.7% said that it doesn’t affect health care system.73.9% of students are of the opinion that Indian syllabus, teaching procedure and hospital training at Indian institutions is not enough to prepare a perfect Pharm D graduate. Almost 90% of the Pharm D under graduates recommended that Pharm D can play a vital role in pharmacovigilance, TDM, drug information and toxic centers. Entire respondents uniformly suggested that, Pharm. D graduates are required in every hospital, both in government and private sector as well and after completion of course the majority (51.8%) wished to stick to hospital pharmacy. Conclusion: The study reveals that almost all students were happy with their choice of pharmacy profession and believed that the professions could affect the health care system. Hospital pharmacy was the most preferred area of work, while a good number of students wished to fly abroad. The key influencing factor that drew the students towards the course was their personal interest.

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