Exploring Student Perceptions and Challenges in Physiology Education: A Pilot Study at Universidade Lusófona

As Physiologists, we consider Physiology a foundational pillar of life sciences, crucial for a comprehensive understanding of health and disease. However, this view might not be that clear for most of our students. This observational study aimed to gather perceptions of health sciences students regarding physiology's role in their academic and professional careers. The study focused on identifying both the challenges within current educational practices and opportunities for curriculum enhancement. A questionnaire was developed from an initial desk review. It included questions about students’ perceptions of physiology's importance, teaching methods, studying preferences, and interaction with teaching staff. Our sample involved 21 health sciences students, predominantly from the Pharmacy program. The questionnaire was distributed and completed via the Moodle platform, with all the guarantees of anonymity. The study was previously approved by the Lusófona School of Health Sciences ethics committee (ref. P25-24). Most students recognized the essential role of physiology in understanding abnormal health conditions and disease mitigation strategies (77.1%). A majority (57.1%) reported that physiology requires extensive memorization and continuous integration of topics from various subjects. Most students preferred to study alone, heavily relying on digital and online resources over printed materials. Lectures and laboratory classes remain the mainstay of our physiology education, though students reported a lack of interactive methods such as article discussions and educational games. These results illuminate critical gaps between student expectations and the current educational offerings. The heavy reliance on traditional teaching methods and the underusage of interactive educational tools suggest a misalignment with contemporary educational needs. Additionally, the prevalent use of digital resources indicates a shift towards online learning environments that have not yet been fully integrated into teaching methodologies. The findings from this pilot study advocate for a strategic reevaluation of how physiology is taught, emphasizing the need to integrate more dynamic and student-centered teaching methods. Enhancing faculty training to include effective online teaching strategies and interactive learning could bridge the current gaps. Ultimately, addressing these educational shortcomings has the potential to not only improve student outcomes in physiology but also enhance the overall effectiveness of health science training, better preparing students for professional challenges. FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (Portugal), under the [UIDB/04567/2020] and [UIDP/04567/2020] and ALIES-COFAC. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2025 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.