[Educational effects of pharmacology practice using laboratory animals: a text mining analysis of students' free-text...

In pharmacology education, practical classes using animals or isolated tissues have long played an important role in helping students integrate and deepen the knowledge acquired in lectures. Recently, however, increasing emphasis on animal welfare and the 3Rs, along with personnel and financial constraints and the increasing adoption of simulator-based training, has reduced opportunities for animal-based practice. Because the specialized techniques required for such classes are difficult to rebuild once lost, re-evaluating their educational significance based on objective data is becoming increasingly important. At Kochi University, pharmacology practice involving guinea pigs, rats, and mice-focusing on intestinal motility, cardiovascular responses, and central nervous system function-has been conducted annually. This article analyzed free-text reflections voluntarily submitted by students in 2023 and 2024 using text-mining techniques to characterize learning outcomes and ethical awareness. Frequency analysis indicated that terms such as "pharmacology," "drug," and "practical exercises" frequently appeared in both years, suggesting that the practice supported students' understanding of lecture content. References to "mouse" were most common, reflecting the strong impression made by observing behavioral changes in mice. Rat practical exercise emphasized quantitative assessment of blood pressure, whereas guinea pig practical exercise highlighted organ-level responses. Co-occurrence network analysis further showed that students often linked observations of biological responses with concepts related to pharmacological understanding, medical safety, and bioethics. Overall, these findings indicate that animal-based pharmacology practice contributes not only to the deepening of scientific understanding but also to the development of ethical and clinical awareness, supporting their continued value in multifaceted pharmacology education.