Background
To effectively support health professionals in optimizing antibiotic prescribing and dispensing, policymakers need to understand how these professionals are trained, feel prepared and want to be educated. The study aimed to assess the current situation and explore potential improvements in antibiotic use among future health professionals in Romania by: (i) evaluating their self-assessed preparedness on antibiotic-related topics, (ii) understanding their perceptions of their role in antibiotic stewardship, and (iii) gathering their recommendations for optimizing antibiotic use.
Methods
A survey of students’ self-assessment of technical preparedness, engagement willingness, expectations, teaching preferences, training received and evolution of situation in Romania. Overall, 41 and 38 questions were asked to medical and pharmacy students respectively. Scores were calculated for preparedness, engagement willingness and teaching preferences to enable various comparisons. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the questionnaire construct.
Results
A total of 479 participants completed the survey- 233 medical students from 7 universities and 246 pharmacy students from 4 universities. Median overall preparedness score indicated that most students felt prepared in at least 14 questions (out of 22 for medical students, and 19 for pharmacy students). Engagement scores for medical and pharmacy students were similar (2 and 3 out of 4). Overall, more than half reported that ‘yes, very likely’ they received adequate training to ensure the appropriate use of antibiotics in their professional areas (n = 254, 53.5%). Medical and pharmacy students with low preparedness scores expressed a need for more education. Most of both medical and pharmacy students considered the antibiotic situation in Romania ‘will get worse’ (n = 159, 33.5%).
Conclusions
The study’s findings have important implications for the education and training of future Romanian health professionals and highlight the need for further research on optimal and standardized tools to allow for periodic monitoring and evaluation of progress into preparedness, engagement willingness and teaching preferences on antibiotic use.
