PERCEPTIONS AND CAREER PREFERENCES OF PHARMACY STUDENTS. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC SECTOR UNIVERSITIES OF PAKISTAN.
Main Article Content
Keywords
Perceptions, Career Preferences, Selection criteria, NHS, job workload, Hospital pharmacist
Abstract
Background:The Pharmacy is a very well oriented profession worldwide. However, in Pakistan the satisfaction level of students is not up to the rank. Therefore, this study throws lights on various aspects that will reflect the satisfaction level of pharmacy students in Pakistan.
Objective:In this work there is discussion about the perceptions, career preferences and different factors which influence the selection criteria of pharmacy students.
Material and methods
The responses were collected from final year pharmacy students by circulating a survey form in pharmacy departments of different universities. The data was analyzed by using Excel sheet and Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results
The majority of the students (i.e., N=191; 85.7%) decided to get admissions in Pharm-D because they could not secure admission in MBBS. The final year pharmacy students (i.e., 21.5%) wanted to become hospital pharmacist while fewer students still did not decide about their careers. Usually the students made their career decision according to appropriate job workload (i.e., N=86; 38.6%) and flexible timing (i.e., N=83; 37.2%). Furthermore, the students (i.e., N=102; 45.7%) considered pharmacy profession as a part of national health care system (NHS).
Conclusion
The students keep pharmacy profession at second priority. They consider this profession as a part of NHS and the majority wanted to become hospital pharmacist.
References
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Abdul Qader
Primary and Secondary Health Care Department Government of Punjab Pakistan
Qudsia Rehman
Medina College of Pharmacy, The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad Pakistan
Aamna Habib
Medina College of Pharmacy, The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad Pakistan