Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Farmakoloji Dersine Yönelik Tutumları: Ölçek Geliştirme ve Uygulama Çalışması

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study was to develop a valid and reliable attitude scale by determining the attitudes of medical school students towards pharmacology course, and to examine these attitudes in terms of selected variables.
 Methods: This study was conducted with the participation of 498 students, 250 female and 248 male, from the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth terms of XXXX University Faculty of Medicine. A 21-item 5-point Likert-type scale was used as a data collection tool. The survey was performed face-to-face with term 4, 5, and 6 students, and online with term 3 students. While developing the scale, factor analysis with Principal Axis Factoring method, and reliability analyses with Cronbach Alpha and McDonald's Omega levels were performed.
 Results: The attitude scale of medical school students towards pharmacology course was developed as 12 items and two factors. Two factors were determined in the scale, namely "indispensable course pharmacology" and "useless course pharmacology". Although the students reached high mean and median values in two negative items of the pharmacology attitude scale, they reached high mean and median values in mostly positive items. In general, the students considered the pharmacology course necessary and displayed a positive attitude. While the gender of the students did not make a difference in the attitude, the term, the reasons for choosing the medical school, scope of medical resource usage, and their desire to be an expert created a significant difference in their attitudes towards pharmacology course.
 Conclusions: The results of this study show that the developed pharmacology attitude scale is a reliable and valid measure of students' attitudes towards the pharmacology course. These findings can be used to improve pharmacology teaching and encourage positive attitudes towards the course among medical students.