Active learning through journal clubs in pharmacy education: assessment of student experiences, outcomes, and attitudes

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1755033...

Published: 2026-02-23T00:00:00Z

The study evaluated the experiences, outcomes, and attitudes of pharmacy students after two consecutive journal clubs in the Evidence-Based Medicine course at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Seventy-seven fifth-year undergraduate students participated in each cycle, with the second cycle taking place 3 months after the first. They used a validated survey to measure the domains: learning outcomes, perceptions and attitudes, feedback and future improvements. Survey reliability improved in all domains (learning outcomes α = 0.666 → 0.774; perception α = 0.782 → 0.813; feedback α = 0.647 → 0.710). Significant improvements occurred in critical thinking (77.9% vs. 58.4%, p = 0.009) and data analysis (59.7% vs. 42.9%, p = 0.036). Satisfaction and willingness to participate again decreased (68.8% vs. 84.4%, p = 0.022) and feedback scores decreased (3.6 ± 1.5 vs. 2.7 ± 2.2, p = 0.005). No differences were found in overall learning outcomes or perceptions. Repeated clubs improved analytical and critical thinking, but decreased satisfaction and enthusiasm.