Enhancing pharmacology education through role-play: impact on student attitudes

Pharmacology is a cornerstone of medical education, essential for rational prescribing and patient safety. However, students often perceive it as abstract and overwhelming due to its memorization-heavy nature and limited clinical relevance. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a role-play-based clinical pharmacology internship on medical students' attitudes towards learning the pharmacology course.

A mixed-methods interventional design was employed. In the quantitative phase, a one-group pretest-posttest design was used with 97 fifth-year medical students. Participants completed the "Attitude Scale Toward the Pharmacology Course for Medical School Students" before and after a one-week internship focused on rational drug use and structured around role-play activities. Paired sample t-tests were used to assess attitudinal change. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with eight students selected based on pre-post changes in attitude scores. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

There was a statistically significant improvement in students' attitudes following the role-play-based internship (pretest mean = 37.24, posttest mean = 41.15; p < .001), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.959). Qualitative findings revealed three major themes: (1) pharmacology as difficult but essential, (2) burden of memorization, and (3) the need for clinically relevant, functional learning. Students appreciated the realism and interactivity of role-play, which enhanced their understanding of drug interactions and rational prescribing. However, some still viewed pharmacology as anxiety-provoking and overly burdensome, indicating a need for longitudinal curricular integration.

Role-play-based clinical pharmacology education significantly improves medical students' attitudes toward learning pharmacology. Embedding realistic, scenario-based learning within pharmacology curricula may enhance student engagement, promote rational prescribing, and contribute to safer clinical practice. This positive change was supported by a high effect size of Cohen's d = 0.96, demonstrating the significant educational impact of the intervention.