Speaker
Description
Title: Pharmacy Academic and Research Electives: Participation Trends, Outcomes, and Policy Implications
Background: The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST, offers an optional three-week credit-bearing academic elective program for its fifth-year students. Notably, there remains a significant gap in systematic evaluation of the program’s benefits, challenges, and outcomes. This gap in data restricts the development of informed policies to improve the program’s structure and relevance, ultimately restricting its ability to adapt to evolving academic, healthcare and national pharmacy education standards.
Objectives: To evaluate the structure, benefits, and challenges of the program and identify reforms to strengthen its relevance and impact.
Methodology: This primary data study analyzed records from 539 students who participated in the elective between 2017 and 2025 across multiple subdepartments. Additionally, reports from 200 students, written after completing the elective, were reviewed for feedback. Participants were selected by convenience sampling from 5th-year students who had undertaken the elective. Feedback data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS, and qualitative content was thematically reviewed.
Key findings: Participation grew markedly, with 2025 alone accounting for 40% of enrollment. Pharmacy-related subdepartments represented 93.14% of participation. Reported benefits (77.2%) included academic and research skill development, while 44.7% cited challenges, mainly time constraints. From 2021 onwards, participation diversified into non-traditional pharmacy disciplines. Students recommended longer program duration, integrated research workshops, and structured mentorship.
Implication: Findings support reforms emphasizing extended duration, multidisciplinary engagement, and mentorship, which could enhance skill acquisition, align with national pharmacy curriculum standards, and contribute to Ghana’s health system strengthening.