Pharmacy (Jan 2021)

Role of Nutrition Education in Pharmacy Curriculum—Students’ Perspectives and Attitudes

  • Majid Mufaqam Syed-Abdul,
  • Syed Sadath Kabir,
  • Dhwani Satishkumar Soni,
  • Tony J. Faber,
  • Jeremy T. Barnes,
  • Maureen T. Timlin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy9010026
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
p. 26

Abstract

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Many pharmacists report they lack nutritional knowledge and believe the best time to educate pharmacists about nutrition is during pharmacy school. Purpose: This study was conducted to determine if today’s pharmacy students receive education in nutrition and if they realize the importance of a nutrition course. Methods: Ninety-five pharmacy students attending pharmacy school were surveyed in two pharmacy schools in the United States. Results: The survey showed only 13.7% received nutrition education and 82.9% of students believed nutrition education should be incorporated into the pharmacy degree curriculum. When the pharmacy-related experience was taken into account, 73.3% of students believed that a nutrition course should be incorporated into the curriculum. Conclusion: This study suggests that pharmacy students from two major universities in Alabama and Illinois realize the importance of nutrition education and believe a nutrition course should be incorporated into the pharmacy degree curriculum.

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