PHARMACY STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PHARMACISTS' CLINICAL PRACTICE

Abstract

This cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study investigated the perceptions of final-semester Pharmacy students regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical pharmacy practice. It was conducted at the Catholic University Center (UniCatólica) in Quixadá, Ceará, involving all students enrolled in the 10th semester during the 2026.1 term. Data were collected via a Google Forms questionnaire and analyzed using an Excel spreadsheet, following approval by the Ethics Committee (opinion no. 8.327.846). Thirteen students participated; the majority were women (62%), a small number already held a degree (7.6%), and over half were employed (53%); only 23% resided in Quixadá. Most (62%) stated they were familiar with the concept of AI, and 77% reported using it frequently in their daily lives. Regarding professional perspectives, 77% believe AI optimizes clinical activities and understand its impact on the clinical pharmacist's routine. Only 23% expressed concern that AI might reduce the number of clinical pharmacists, while 92.5% viewed it as an ally in the profession's clinical duties. The study concludes that the students possess knowledge of and utilize AI in their academic routines, holding predominantly positive views on the technology's impact on clinical pharmacy practice, with little fear of professional replacement.