EXPLORING PHARMACY STUDENTS' AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD PHARMACOGENOMICS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics, the study of how different genes affect how the body reacts to drugs, is a cornerstone of personalised medicine. Understanding pharmacogenomics is becoming more and more important for chemists as their job shifts towards patient-centered treatment. As the healthcare industry's future leaders, pharmacy students have a responsibility to learn about pharmacogenomics and how to incorporate it into patient care. The purpose of this survey is to find out where pharmacy students are lacking in their education by measuring their understanding of pharmacogenomics and their attitudes and perspectives towards the topic. The researchers used a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from undergraduate pharmacy students at a single university. The survey tool included structured questions that probed participants' understanding of pharmacogenomics, their opinions on its practical use, their preparedness to use it in future positions, and their perceptions of its importance. The findings show that most people have a decent grasp of pharmacogenomics, with a greater level of comprehension among seniors. Few students were comfortable using genetic data to inform clinical decisions, even though most understood pharmacogenomics' potential to increase medication safety and effectiveness. A sizeable minority would want to see more specialised instruction in this area. The research concludes that pharmacy students are becoming more knowledgeable about pharmacogenomics and have a favourable outlook on its potential therapeutic applications. The results do, however, highlight the need for further educational initiatives to provide students the hands-on experience necessary to incorporate pharmacogenomics into patient treatment. Pharmacists may help fill up the gaps in our understanding of precision medicine by including organised pharmacogenomics training in their curricula.