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Artificial intelligence (AI) performance on pharmacy skills laboratory course assignments
Vivian Do1, Krista L Donohoe2, Apryl N Peddi3
1Class of 2025, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Richmond, VA, United States of America.
Objective:
To compare pharmacy student scores to scores of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated results of three common platforms on pharmacy skills laboratory assignments.
Methods:
Pharmacy skills laboratory course assignments were completed by four fourth-year pharmacy student investigators with three free AI platforms: ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini. Assignments evaluated were calculations, patient case vignettes, in-depth patient cases, drug information questions, and a reflection activity. Course coordinators graded the AI-generated submissions. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize AI scores and compare averages to recent pharmacy student cohorts. Interrater reliability for the four student investigators completing the assignments was assessed.
Results:
Fourteen skills laboratory assignments were completed utilizing three different AI platforms (ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini) by four fourth-year student investigators (n = 168 AI-generated submissions). Copilot was unable to complete 12; therefore, 156 AI-generated submissions were graded by the faculty course coordinators for accuracy and scored from 0 to 100 %. Pharmacy student cohort scores were higher than the average AI scores for all of the skills laboratory assignments except for two in-depth patient cases completed with ChatGPT.
Conclusion:
Pharmacy students on average performed better on most skills laboratory assignments than three commonly used artificial intelligence platforms. Teaching students the strengths and weaknesses of utilizing AI in the classroom is essential.
