Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis
(1) Background: Many factors may play a role in deciding to opt for pharmacy as a major. However, no previous studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to explore these factors. This study aims to identify the potential factors that prompted students to join the pharmacy program. (2) Methods: A cr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/12/1651 |
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| author | Ahmed M. Alshehri Lara A. Elsawaf Shaikah F. Alzaid Yasser S. Almogbel Mohammed A. Alminggash Ziyad S. Almalki Majed A. Algarni |
| author_facet | Ahmed M. Alshehri Lara A. Elsawaf Shaikah F. Alzaid Yasser S. Almogbel Mohammed A. Alminggash Ziyad S. Almalki Majed A. Algarni |
| author_sort | Ahmed M. Alshehri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Many factors may play a role in deciding to opt for pharmacy as a major. However, no previous studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to explore these factors. This study aims to identify the potential factors that prompted students to join the pharmacy program. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia, addressing areas such as reasons that encourage them to choose pharmacy as a major, and students’ socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study variables, and a simple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the potential factors. (3) Results: A total of 491 students completed the questionnaire. Around 40% of them had chosen to study pharmacy as their first choice. Only gender, current GPA, and reasons related to the pharmacy field were found to have a statistically significant association with students selecting pharmacy as their first choice. (4) Conclusions: This study shows that pharmacy students have a future-oriented outlook and selected pharmacy as their first choice because it will develop them professionally, financially, and intellectually. Educating high school students about the characteristic of pharmacy would help attract more talented students to the pharmacy carrier. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:01:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72afc44130364de78a7b7d234557820b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:01:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-72afc44130364de78a7b7d234557820b2023-11-23T08:33:37ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-11-01912165110.3390/healthcare9121651Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based AnalysisAhmed M. Alshehri0Lara A. Elsawaf1Shaikah F. Alzaid2Yasser S. Almogbel3Mohammed A. Alminggash4Ziyad S. Almalki5Majed A. Algarni6Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 16273, Saudi ArabiaClinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 16273, Saudi ArabiaClinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 16273, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi ArabiaMinistry of Interior, Medical Services Headquarters, Riyadh 6389, Saudi ArabiaClinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 16273, Saudi ArabiaClinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia(1) Background: Many factors may play a role in deciding to opt for pharmacy as a major. However, no previous studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to explore these factors. This study aims to identify the potential factors that prompted students to join the pharmacy program. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia, addressing areas such as reasons that encourage them to choose pharmacy as a major, and students’ socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study variables, and a simple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the potential factors. (3) Results: A total of 491 students completed the questionnaire. Around 40% of them had chosen to study pharmacy as their first choice. Only gender, current GPA, and reasons related to the pharmacy field were found to have a statistically significant association with students selecting pharmacy as their first choice. (4) Conclusions: This study shows that pharmacy students have a future-oriented outlook and selected pharmacy as their first choice because it will develop them professionally, financially, and intellectually. Educating high school students about the characteristic of pharmacy would help attract more talented students to the pharmacy carrier.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/12/1651pharmacy educationdecision to study in pharmacyselecting pharmacy as a first choice |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed M. Alshehri Lara A. Elsawaf Shaikah F. Alzaid Yasser S. Almogbel Mohammed A. Alminggash Ziyad S. Almalki Majed A. Algarni Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis Healthcare pharmacy education decision to study in pharmacy selecting pharmacy as a first choice |
| title | Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis |
| title_full | Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis |
| title_short | Factors Affecting Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Study in Pharmacy Colleges in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Analysis |
| title_sort | factors affecting pharmacy students decision to study in pharmacy colleges in saudi arabia a cross sectional questionnaire based analysis |
| topic | pharmacy education decision to study in pharmacy selecting pharmacy as a first choice |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/12/1651 |
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