Development and utility in externship of a questionnaire on attitudes toward professional roles of the pharmacist

A sixty-six item questionnaire was developed to measure students' attitudes toward pharmacy as a profession, professional principles, and their preparation for the profession. It was administered to three consecutive year graduating classes (1978, 1979 and 1980) both pre- and postexternship so that changes in attitudes during the eight week experience program might be examined. Factor analysis was used to select items which could be combined to form scales (factors). The questionnaire yielded stable responses. The responses of the three classes to the scales were positive both before and after externship in regard to students' adherence to professional values. Mean responses on the scales showed some change during the 1980 externship; the most significant being that students felt better prepared for the profession after their externship.