Co-occurrence network analysis of learning effects in inter-university online pharmacology role-play

Pharmacology role-play is a participatory learning exercise in which students take on the roles of healthcare providers and patients or family members, explaining diseases and pharmacological treatments based on presented case scenarios, and actively learning through mutual communication. Traditionally conducted face-to-face within a single university, this exercise has shifted to online formats during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently, attempts have been made to implement inter-university online sessions that utilize remote collaborative learning. In this study, we compared the educational outcomes of online role-play conducted independently at Kochi University and Ehime University in 2020 with those of an inter-university online role-play jointly conducted by both universities in 2021. Participants were third-year medical students at Kochi University and second-year medical students at Ehime University. After completing all assignments, students were asked to complete a post-session questionnaire. Five-point Likert scale responses were analyzed, and free-text comments were further examined using text mining with co-occurrence network analysis. The results indicated that inter-university role-play, compared with single-university sessions, facilitated the recognition of diverse perspectives and promoted deeper reflection through discussion. This experience contributed to enhanced understanding of patients' perspectives, increased motivation for becoming physicians, and improved learning attitudes. These findings suggest that inter-university online role-play is an effective educational approach for enhancing learning outcomes in pharmacology education.