Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39937780›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Future pharmacy practitioners' insights towards integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare education: Preliminary findings from Karachi, Pakistan.

Tahmina Maqbool, Humera Ishaq, Sadia Shakeel, Ayeshah Zaib Un Nisa, Hina Rehman, Shadab Kashif, Halima Sadia, Safila Naveed, Nazish Mumtaz, Sidra Siddiqui and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tahmina MaqboolFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics, Hamdard University, Madinat al-Hikmah, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0002-6261-8055
Humera IshaqFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hamdard University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sadia ShakeelFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Dow College of Pharmacy, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0003-4941-3124
Ayeshah Zaib Un NisaFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Hamdard University, Madinat al-Hikmah, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hina RehmanDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shadab KashifFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Salim Habib University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0009-0005-7054-1675
Halima SadiaFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, Pakistan.
Safila NaveedFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
Nazish MumtazFaculty of Pharmacy, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sidra SiddiquiFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics, Hamdard University, Madinat al-Hikmah, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shazia JamshedFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In an evolutionary era of medical education, "Artificial intelligence" (AI) is applied to replicate human intellect, encompassing abilities, logical reasoning and effective problem-solving skills. Previous research has explored the attitude of medical and dental students, toward the assimilation of AI in medicine; however, a significant gap exists in appraising the understanding and concerns of pharmacy students. Therefore, the current study was designed to explore undergraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of integrating AI into education and practice.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year pharmacy students from different public and private sector universities in Karachi. The sample size on 60% anticipated response rate and 99% CI was calculated to be 390. Data was collected after acquiring ethical approval using convenient sampling. Frequency and percentage of the socio-demographic features were analyzed and then goodness of fit and Pearson's chi-squared test of correlation was applied. Results were considered significant when p < 0.05.

resultsThe overall response rate of the study was 67%. More than 80% of the respondents were female. The students 35% (n = 202) strongly agreed and 59% (n = 334) agreed that AI plays an important role in healthcare, (χ2 = 505.6, p < 0.001). Around 79% (n = 453, χ2 = 384.3, p < 0.001) of students agreed on the replacement of patient care specialties with AI in the future, whereas 495 students (87%, χ2 = 682.3, p < 0.001) stated that they possess a strong comprehension of the fundamental principles governing the operation of AI. More than 80% of the students were comfortable in using AI terminologies (n = 475, χ2 = 598, p < 0.001) and 93% (n = 529, χ2 = 290, p < 0.001) were sure that AI inclusion in pharmacy education will develop a positive influence into the pharmacy curriculum (95%, n = 549, χ2 = 566.9, p < 0.001). A high and positive correlation was observed between the perception and willingness of students to adopt the AI changes in teaching undergraduate students (ρ = 0.491, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the outcomes showed students at private-sector universities stood out in computer literacy compared to public-sector universities (χ2 = 6.546, p < 0.05).

conclusionThe current outcomes revealed the higher willingness of pharmacy students towards AI-infused learning. They understood the prerequisite of having both formal and informal learning experiences on the clinical application, technological constraints, and ethical considerations of the AI tools to be successful in this endeavor. The policymakers must take action to ensure that future pharmacists have a strong foundation of AI literacy and take initiatives to foster the interests and abilities of imminent pharmacists who will spearhead innovation in the field.

Indexed as

Artificial IntelligenceEducation, PharmacyStudents, PharmacyAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDelivery of Health CareFemaleHumansMalePakistanSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID39937780
PMCPMC11819520

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.