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Multicenter Study
. 2024 Mar;90(3):649-661.
doi: 10.1111/bcp.15911. Epub 2023 Oct 6.

International pharmacy students' perceptions towards artificial intelligence in medicine-A multinational, multicentre cross-sectional study

Felix Busch  1   2 , Lena Hoffmann  1 , Daniel Truhn  3 , Subish Palaian  4   5 , Muaed Alomar  4   5 , Kleva Shpati  6 , Marcus Richard Makowski  7 , Keno Kyrill Bressem  1 , Lisa Christine Adams  7
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Free article
Multicenter Study

International pharmacy students' perceptions towards artificial intelligence in medicine-A multinational, multicentre cross-sectional study

Felix Busch et al. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2024 Mar.
Free article

Abstract

Aims: To explore international undergraduate pharmacy students' views on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into pharmacy education and practice.

Methods: This cross-sectional institutional review board-approved multinational, multicentre study comprised an anonymous online survey of 14 multiple-choice items to assess pharmacy students' preferences for AI events in the pharmacy curriculum, the current state of AI education, and students' AI knowledge and attitudes towards using AI in the pharmacy profession, supplemented by 8 demographic queries. Subgroup analyses were performed considering sex, study year, tech-savviness, and prior AI knowledge and AI events in the curriculum using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Variances were reported for responses in Likert scale format.

Results: The survey gathered 387 pharmacy student opinions across 16 faculties and 12 countries. Students showed predominantly positive attitudes towards AI in medicine (58%, n = 225) and expressed a strong desire for more AI education (72%, n = 276). However, they reported limited general knowledge of AI (63%, n = 242) and felt inadequately prepared to use AI in their future careers (51%, n = 197). Male students showed more positive attitudes towards increasing efficiency through AI (P = .011), while tech-savvy and advanced-year students expressed heightened concerns about potential legal and ethical issues related to AI (P < .001/P = .025, respectively). Students who had AI courses as part of their studies reported better AI knowledge (P < .001) and felt more prepared to apply it professionally (P < .001).

Conclusions: Our findings underline the generally positive attitude of international pharmacy students towards AI application in medicine and highlight the necessity for a greater emphasis on AI education within pharmacy curricula.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; education; international study; medicine; perception; pharmacy students.

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