Pathology is the bridge between basic science and clinical practice. An inadequate perception of pathology leads to an incomplete understanding of diseases, which consequently affects its management. This study aims to identify medical students' perceptions of pathology in medical colleges around Saudi Arabia and use their feedback to improve teaching strategies. A validated online self-structured questionnaire form was distributed to medical students in basic and clinical years, including private and governmental universities in all regions of Saudi Arabia. The study comprised a total of 476 medical students. It revealed that n = 226 (48%) of the participants were not aware of pathologists' roles, and n = 262 (55%) of students reported that the main reason was insufficient exposure to actual pathology practice. A total of n = 209 (44%) students believed the current teaching methods in the basic years were insufficient to provide clear perceptions of pathology. The majority of participants n = 366 (77%) chose practical sessions as the most effective strategy in teaching pathology. Our study demonstrated that medical students require more engagement in laboratories to improve their perception. We suggest that Saudi medical schools need to deliver more comprehensive and practical teaching methods that reflect the actual practice of pathology.
Keywords: Saudi Arabia; basic science; exposure; knowledge; laboratories; medical school; medical students; pathology; perception; teaching.