The Importance of the Graduation Research Project for Pharmacy Students

Abstract

Graduation research projects are an important component of pharmacy education, helping students develop research, critical thinking, and professional skills. However, evidence regarding pharmacy students’ perceptions of these projects in Southern Libya is limited. The aim to assess pharmacy students’ perceptions of the importance of graduation research projects, the skills gained, challenges encountered, and suggested improvements. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 93 pharmacy students from several Libyan universities using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the data and assess associations between perception levels and selected variables. The mean age of participants was 24.96 ± 2.72 years, with females comprising 67.7%. Most students were in the fifth year (55.9%) and from Sebha University (60.2%). Overall, 71.0% demonstrated a high perception of the importance of graduation research projects. Most students reported that the projects enhanced research and critical thinking skills (81.7%), scientific data analysis (73.1%), and communication and presentation skills (74.2%). The main challenges were lack of time (38.7%), difficulty selecting a research topic (30.1%), and limited resources (21.5%). No significant associations were found between perception level and demographic or academic variables (p > 0.05). Pharmacy students generally had a positive perception of graduation research projects. Strengthening research methodology training, improving supervision, and providing adequate research facilities may further enhance their educational value.