How do different communities of pharmacy students in the United Kingdom approach study and personal support?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to discover how a diverse pharmacy student population in the United Kingdom engages with academic and non-academic support, and what might prevent them from doing so. Methods: Pharmacy students (in all years of study) completed an online survey seeking information on: demographics; confidence in studying; and where/how students seek academic and personal support. The survey outcomes were statistically analysed to compare differences between Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and white students. Results: When seeking help from academic staff, 38.8% of BAME students felt they were negatively perceived. All students are significantly more likely to seek help for academic issues than for personal and well-being ones, with most students preferring to ask family and friends rather than university support mechanisms. Conclusion: The results strongly indicate that support mechanisms present within universities to help students are seldom utilised and may explain the reduced academic performance of both white and BAME students.