Artificial Intelligence in Pharmacy Education: Balancing Technological Advances and Ethical Concerns Among Aspiring Pharmacists

Abstract

Background: Pharmacists give health information and pharmaceutical guidance to patients. This study examined pharmacy student’s views on how artificial intelligence (AI) may affect pharmacy practice and identified curricular reform needs.
Materials and Methods: Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) students of JamiaHamdrad, India, participated in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Perception scores between genders were compared using Mann-Whitney U test, whereas comparisons involving more than two groups were conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis H test (SPSS Inc., version 22). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) employed principal component analysis and varimax rotation.
Results: In all, 245 students completed the survey. This included 148 (60.4%) males and 97 (39.6%) females. About 47% (114) students were in their second study year. The students expressed positive perception towards AI in healthcare due to its potential to enhance healthcare professional’s (HCP’s) access to information (89.8%), improve patients' access to services (78%), decrease errors (69.8%), and assist HCPs in making more informed decisions (70.18%). Moreover, majority of students (80%, n = 196) agreed that the academic curriculum should incorporate knowledge and skills related to AI, while 77.1% believed that training regarding ethical issues associated with AI applications should also be included.
Conclusions: Majority of the students had positive perceptions about the concepts and benefits of AI. Moreover, most students expressed a need for an update on the pharmacy curriculum. The update should revolve around equipping Bpharm students with the knowledge and skills to effectively use AI applications and ensure the professional values and rights are protected.