Perception of Pharmacy Teachers About Their Roles and Current Practice at Governmental Universities in Sudan

Abstract

Background: Pharmacy educator has a number of roles and responsibilities, an information provider, clinical trainer, role model on-the-job, formal teaching settings, course planner and resource material creator, student assessor, and curriculum evaluator. Objective: This study aimed to assess the perception and commitment of pharmacy teachers in Sudanese governmental universities about their roles and educational responsibilities. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at governmental pharmacy colleges in Sudan from November 2020 to July 2021. Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) Guide No. 20. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and Microsoft Excel version 16. Results: Out of 125 participants, 61.6% were female and 65.6% were lecturers. Approximately half of them had less than five years’ experience. The most important role perceived and the highest committed one was a lecturer in the classroom setting. Only half of the participants had good perceptions and commitment regarding teachers’ roles. Age, designation, and continuous professional development were significantly associated with participants’ commitment. Also, a significant association was found between the perception and practice of the participants. Conclusion: Only half of pharmacy educators were found to have a good perception and good commitment regarding their role as teachers.