Improving attitude and self confidence of pharmacy students through the purposive non-technical skills training

Objective: To determine the influence of purposive non-technical skill training on pharmacy students’ attitudes and self-confidence regarding their performances. Methods: The research was conducted with fourth-year PharmD students eligible for compulsory pharmacy professional practice. The non-technical skill training comprised of a three-hour session led by two psychologists and included two segments: learning from seniors’ experiences and instructor-led training. An anonymous online pre and post-test questionnaire was administered both before and after the training. Results: A significant increase in self-confidence in most non-technical skills was observed following the purposive training. The training significantly increased the mean confidence ratings of most non-technical skills among students in the pharmaceutical science programme, while it also raised the mean confidence ratings of non-technical skills related to patient care among students in the pharmaceutical care programme. Additionally, the training significantly enhanced the mean confidence ratings of all non-technical skills, particularly teamwork, among students who did not adhere to the study plan. Conversely, there was an increase in the mean confidence ratings of non-technical skills related to interpersonal skills among students who adhered to the study plan. Interestingly, training significantly increased the mean confidence ratings of non-technical skills only in female students. Conclusion: Adaptable and inclusive training approaches are important to meet the diverse needs of pharmacy students and ensure their preparedness for professional practice.