Research barriers in Saudi pharmacy residency training programs

Osamah M Alfayez; Mashael AlFaifi; Omar S Alkhezi; Abdullah A Alahmed; Abdullah A Alalwan

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101842

Research barriers in Saudi pharmacy residency training programs

Saudi Pharm J. 2023 Dec;31(12):101842. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101842. Epub 2023 Oct 21.

Authors

Osamah M Alfayez¹, Mashael AlFaifi², Omar S Alkhezi³, Abdullah A Alahmed¹, Abdullah A Alalwan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
² Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 16278.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to identify potential barriers to conducting and publishing pharmacy residency research.

Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed pharmacy residents in Saudi Arabia from August to September 2020. The online survey assesses residents' characteristics, residency research experience, barriers to completion, and challenges in publishing. A Likert scale assessed factors and barriers to conducting and publishing research during residency. Descriptive statistics were performed for binary variables, with Likert scale responses visualized using Gannt charts.

Results: A total of 69 residents completed the survey, of whom 63.5 percent were female, and the median age was 28 years. More than half of the residents were in R2 (56.5 %), followed by R1 (24.6 %) and R3 (4.4 %). Half of residents had prior research experience, while 84.1 % had prior research training in workshops or courses. Cohort study design was the most common type of residency research project conducted. According to residents, the main barriers to conducting research were a lack of allocated time for research during rotations (81.7 %) and a lack of a realistic timeline determined by the SCFHS to finish the research project (66.2 %). Regarding barriers to publishing research, the majority of residents reported lack of time to work on the publication process (78.6 %), lack of previous publication experience (60 %), and lack of guidance from mentors (55.7 %) as the most important barriers.

Conclusion: Pharmacy residents face barriers to conducting research during their residency program, including limited allocated time during rotations, a lack of realistic timelines, and data collection limitations. Additionally, they face challenges in publishing their research due to a lack of experience, mentorship, and guidance. Future research should consider seeking the perspective of residency program directors and preceptors on research barriers and evaluating the publication rate of residents' projects.

Keywords: Barriers; Cross-sectional study; Pharmacy residency; Publication; Questionnaire; Research; Saudi Arabia.