What is it about?
This study looks at what pharmacy students think about using artificial intelligence (AI) in their future jobs. As AI tools like ChatGPT become more common in healthcare, especially in pharmacy, it’s important to know how students—our future pharmacists—feel about these changes. We surveyed over 700 students from 5 Middle Eastern and North African countries to learn what they know about AI, how comfortable they are using it, and what worries them. Many students had concerns about privacy, job security, legal rules, and whether they’re being taught enough about AI. Interestingly, students who were more tech-savvy or had higher academic performance were sometimes even more concerned. The results show a need for better education and support for pharmacy students so they can use AI ethically and confidently in the future.
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Why is it important?
As AI becomes more common in healthcare, it will change the role of pharmacists. This study is one of the first to deeply explore how future pharmacists in the MENA region feel about these changes. Understanding their views helps educators, policymakers, and healthcare leaders shape pharmacy education to better prepare students for an AI-integrated future. Without this preparation, students may enter the workforce feeling unprepared or anxious about using these powerful new tools responsibly. Our findings highlight key areas—like ethics, legal regulation, and hands-on training—that need urgent attention to make sure AI improves healthcare without leaving future professionals behind.
Perspectives
As a researcher, I found this study both eye-opening and timely. We often assume that younger, more tech-literate students are eager to embrace new technology. However, this study revealed that even the most capable students may feel uncertain or worried about the role of AI in their future jobs. Writing this paper gave me a new appreciation for the complex feelings students have about AI—hopeful about its potential, but also aware of its risks. I hope this work will inspire pharmacy schools to include more practical, ethical, and critical thinking components around AI, ensuring that the next generation of pharmacists is both skilled and confident in using it.
Dr. Hisham E. Hasan
Jordan University of Science and Technology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Pharmacy students' perceptions of artificial intelligence integration in pharmacy practice: Ethical challenges in multiple countries of the MENA region, Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, September 2025, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2025.102397.
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