(43) Educating Pharmacy Students With ADHD: The Impact of ADHD on Academic Performance and Student Satisfaction

Objective : To evaluate the academic impact and pedagogical satisfaction of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among pharmacy students.

Methods: An anonymous survey of all currently enrolled students (P1-P4) in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at one college of pharmacy was conducted in December 2023. The 54-item survey was distributed via email. Participation was voluntary and no incentive was provided. The survey was developed by a multidisciplinary team including a student, faculty member, and liaison librarian. Data was analyzed using SPSS. This study was exempt approved by the Institutional Review Board.

Results: The response rate for this survey was 65.7% (n=176/268). 19% (n=33/175) of students reported a medical diagnosis of ADHD while 32% (n=44/139) who did not have a medical diagnosis suspected they have undiagnosed ADHD. 58% (n=19/33) with an ADHD diagnosis agreed ADHD negatively impacts their ability to succeed in the didactic curriculum. This is supported by 39% (n=13/33) of students with ADHD having remediated at least one course versus 18% (n=24/137) without ADHD (p=0.006). Despite these results, only 36% (n=12/33) felt comfortable sharing their diagnosis with professors. When comparing preferred learning methods between students with and without ADHD, there was no significant difference (p>.05). 75% (n=132/176) of all students answered that reading provided course materials was their preferred method.

Conclusions: The findings of this study illustrate that ADHD might impact the success of pharmacy students by increasing the likelihood of remediation. As students may be reluctant to share their ADHD diagnosis, pharmacy educators must recognize this condition may be more prevalent than expected. Therefore, it is important to incorporate a variety of preferred learning methods and strategies which will benefit all students, including those with ADHD.