Confidence in Prescribing Practices: Perspectives of Senior Medical Students and Recent Graduates at Qatar University

Soumaya Allouch,1 Raja Mahamade Ali,2 Mohammed Seed Ahmed,1 Saghir Akhtar,1 Ahmed Awaisu,2 Mubarak Bidmos1 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 2College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Mubarak Bidmos, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, Tel +974 7054 3213, Email mbidmos@qu.edu.qaPurpose: This study aimed to determine the perceptions of senior medical students and recent graduates from College of Medicine (CMED) at Qatar University regarding their undergraduate education and training related to prescribing, their confidence in achieving the learning outcomes specified in the curriculum and their preparedness to prescribe in practice.Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional web-based survey with qualitative elements, utilizing a 22-item pre-validated questionnaire developed through a multi-phase iterative process. The survey was administered to all senior medical students (year 4– 6) and recent graduates of CMED at Qatar University.Results: One hundred sixty-seven medical students and graduates responded to the survey (response rate ~45%). Overall, the participants expressed positive attitude towards curricular content related to prescribing that aimed to prepare them for practice, including pharmacology and therapeutics, history-taking, physical examination, diagnostic investigations, application of evidence-based medicine, and other skills. Over 60% of the participants believed that the prescribing components of the undergraduate curriculum made them competent in providing safe and effective prescriptions in practice. Notably, there was an association between seniority and perceived curricular effectiveness, highlighting the impact of clinical experience on participants’ views. Recommendations for curriculum enhancement focused on practical integration, contextualized education, and a holistic approach to both theoretical and clinical learning.Conclusion: The study revealed positive opinions regarding curricular content related to prescribing and identified areas for improvement in medical curriculum. Continuous monitoring, evaluation and refinement based on participants’ feedback are crucial for ensuring the preparedness of medical graduates for safe and effective prescribing in real-world clinical practice.Keywords: medical education, curriculum evaluation, contextualized education, curriculum enhancement