ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Pharmacy, evolving from ancient apothecaries to modern clinical practice, emphasizes patient-centered care, prioritizing individual needs and collaboration. This study aimed to assess pharmacy students' preparedness for patient-centered care by exploring their awareness, perceived importance, and readiness factors.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES:
The aim was to explore the preparedness of pharmacy students for patient-centered care. The specific objectives were to assess awareness, perceived importance, factors influencing readiness, and the extent of preparedness among students.
METHODS:
A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, surveying 255 500level and 600levelPharmD students at the University of Benin's Faculty of Pharmacy. The study utilized a structured questionnaire covering demographics and four sections addressing research objectives.
RESULTS:
Generally, students are aware and prepared for patient-centered care. Senior students exhibited deeper readiness, with 66.3% acknowledging the extreme importance of patient-centered care. Curriculum review emerged as a critical factor impacting readiness. All students are better prepared for practical counseling of patients than any other area. Comparing 600lv and 500lv students, the former showed higher preparedness across all aspects.
DISCUSSION:
Discussions highlighted the role of curriculum content, faculty support, and clinical experiences in shaping students' readiness, with clinical exposure significantly influencing perceptions. Positive correlations underscored the importance of these factors.
CONCLUSION:
While students demonstrated high awareness and recognized the importance of patient-centered care principles, there's a knowledge gap in pharmacokinetics evaluation. The findings suggest a need for curriculum enhancements to better equip pharmacy students for patient-centered practice.
