Job skill assessment of pharmacy students in South Karnataka: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aims to assess the knowledge of pharmacy students about the job skills required by the pharmaceutical industry in Karnataka, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted in pharmacy colleges using a cluster random sampling technique. The validated questionnaire was given to pharmacy students, and the response was collected and analyzed. The questionnaire response rate was 65%. The mean age of the respondents was 21, with a standard deviation of 0.77. The study findings indicate that 94% of students have poor skills. Only 10% of students responded to communication skill-based questions. The questions based on critical thinking and analytical skills were answered by 24% and 14% of students, respectively. In comparison, the questions on problem-solving skills were responded to by 5% of students. One proportion test was done for all the questions, and students’ knowledge was less than 50%. Thus it is essential to improve the professional skills among the students so they will get jobs in this fast-changing and competitive world. The study also suggests a need to upgrade the pharmacy curriculum as per industry needs. Further, there is a need to incorporate training modules as part of the syllabus and bridge the gap between academia and industry.