Why choose pharmacy? A survey on factors influencing chinese high school students' choice of pharmacy major

Abstract

Background

Pharmacy plays an important role in healthcare.However, the trends regarding the number of scholars willing to contribute to the field of pharmacy remain unknown. High school students are at the initial stage of career decision-making. This survey focuses on their intention to enroll in pharmacy to explore the relevant influencing factors to support the development of the health industry.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we administered anonymous questionnaires to 9574 enrolled high school students across four Chinese provinces, obtaining 8050 valid responses (response rate: 84.1 %). The survey collected data on basic personal information, understanding of the pharmacy profession, and self-perception. We analyzed the data using chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression to explore factors associated with enrollment intention in pharmacy majors.

Results

Among the surveyed students, 31.2 % (2515/8050) expressed interest in pharmacy, with higher proportions among females (33.8 %) than males (27.9 %) and among those with middle academic performance (17.1 %). Family or acquaintance recommendations were noted by 26.1 % of students as influencing their choice. Other observed patterns included: clear career plans (OR = 1.286, 95 % CI:1.127–1.468), participation in practical or scientific activities (OR = 1.223, 95 % CI:1.063–1.408), and employment prospects (OR = 2.119, 95 % CI:1.606–2.795). When evaluating the profession, with greater emphasis on societal contribution (18.2 %) compared to job stability, while 46.9 % reported limited awareness of professional risks.

Conclusion

Most high school students lacked a detailed understanding of the pharmacy profession and failed to consider the overall advantages and disadvantages, which might be the fundamental factor influencing the low enrollment rate in the pharmacy major.