Pharmacy students' use of e-learning resources: a repeated cross-sectional study in 2021 and 2026

Understanding pharmacy students' engagement with e‑learning resources is essential for supporting evidence‑based learning. The COVID‑19 pandemic temporarily intensified reliance on digital materials, creating a unique opportunity to examine how usage patterns evolve once mandatory digital access ends. This study compared pharmacy students' use and preferences for e‑learning resources in 2021, when digital access was required, and in 2026, when usage was voluntary within a more mature digital ecosystem.

A repeated cross‑sectional survey was administered to all students enrolled in a five‑year entry‑to‑practice pharmacy program at a medical university in the United Arab Emirates. Data were collected in November-December 2021 and January-February 2026. A total of 171 students participated in 2021 and 134 in 2026. While core reading attitudes remained stable, digital engagement increased significantly over time (p = 0.01). Students in 2026 reported more frequent e‑library use, greater electronic reading time, and substantially higher utilization of AccessPharmacy (22.2% to 67.2%; p < 0.001), ClinicalKey (25.1% to 42.5%; p = 0.001), and UpToDate (36.3% to 81.3%; p < 0.001). Perceptions of accessibility and learning effectiveness also shifted toward e‑books. These findings indicate sustained and growing reliance on digital learning resources well beyond the pandemic period.