Students’ Satisfaction with a Web-Based Pharmacy Program in a Re-Regulated Pharmacy Market

Abstract

In response to the shortage of pharmacists in Northern Sweden, a web-based Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program was established at Umeå University in 2003. In 2009, the Swedish pharmacy market was re-regulated from a state monopoly to an open market, but it is unknown what impact this has had on education satisfaction. The objectives of this study were to examine the level of satisfaction among graduates from a web-based pharmacy program and to describe what subjects and skills students would have liked more or less of in their education. A secondary objective was to compare the level of satisfaction before and after the Swedish pharmacy market was re-regulated. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2015 with all alumni who had graduated from the pharmacy program between 2006 and 2014 (n = 511), and responses to questions about graduates’ satisfaction with the program were analyzed (n = 200). Most graduates (88%) agreed or strongly agreed that the knowledge and skills acquired during their education were useful in their current job. The graduates stated that they would have wanted more applied pharmacy practice and self-care counselling, and fewer social pharmacy and histology courses. Further, 82% stated that they would start the same degree program if they were to choose again today, and 92% agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend the program to a prospective student. Graduates were more likely to recommend the program after the re-regulation (p = 0.007). In conclusion, pharmacy graduates were very satisfied with their education, and no negative effects of the re-regulation could be observed on program satisfaction.

Education Satisfaction among Pharmacy Graduates in Sweden

“…A majority of the respondents answered that they would choose the same education at the same university if they were to choose again and would recommend the program to a prospective student. These results agree with those from the previous investigation in 2015 [ 14 ] and analysis showed no differences between the two groups. Overall, the results of both surveys showed that education satisfaction was high, suggesting that education satisfaction is maintained over a relatively long period of time, i.e., 2006–2018 [ 14 ].…”

“…The answers for education satisfaction were compared with answers from students graduating between 2006 and 2014 (data collected in a survey in 2015) [ 14 ]. A majority of the respondents in the survey in 2019 (graduation years 2015 to 2018) considered that the knowledge and skills acquired during the education were useful in their present job and would recommend the program to a prospective student ( Table 4 ).…”

“…A majority of the students (78.3%) stated that they would choose the same education at the same university. In the study from 2015 (graduation years 2006 to 2014), 81.8% answered that they would choose the same education at the same university [ 14 ]. The difference was not statistically significant ( p = 0.475).…”

“…No reminders were sent out. A similar survey investigating education satisfaction had been conducted in 2015 and the present survey was developed based on this previous survey [ 14 ]. The students were asked questions about why they chose to study pharmacy at Umeå University, their education, and their attitude towards various educational activities.…”

“…In 2015, a questionnaire was sent to all students who had graduated between 2006 and 2014 from the pharmacy programs at Umeå University, Sweden [ 14 ]. This study found that most graduates were satisfied with their education.…”