Generative AI use, access channels, and perceptions among pharmacy students: A cross-sectional survey
- 1Atchareeya Phudindan
Abstract
Context: Pharmacy students use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) through provider-operated, university-supported, and embedded channels, but curricular differences in access-channel choice remain poorly described. Aims: To describe tools, access channels, perceived benefits and concerns, and unadjusted curricular-year differences among pharmacy students with prior GenAI experience. Methods: A cross-sectional web survey recruited 180 Doctor of Pharmacy students by nonprobability quota sampling (30 per year). Primary access channels and 21 attitude items were assessed. Pearson-based exploratory factor analysis was complemented by a polychoric-matrix sensitivity analysis. Group differences and confidence intervals were estimated. Results: ChatGPT was ranked as the most-used tool by 140/180 students (77.8%); 173/180 (96.1%) ranked at least two distinct tools among their three most-used. Provider-operated channels ranked first for 150/179 (83.8%), compared with 24/179 (13.4%) for the university portal. The portal was first-ranked by 19/90 later-year and 5/89 early-year students (odds ratio 4.50, 95% CI 1.60–12.65; Fisher exact p = 0.004). Pearson and polychoric factor analyses yielded two weakly correlated dimensions (r = 0.05 and 0.17, respectively). Perceived Benefits were higher in early-year students (4.42 vs. 4.18; mean difference 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.40), whereas Concerns did not differ significantly (p = 0.192). Conclusions: In this selected sample of prior GenAI users at one pharmacy faculty, access-channel choice, daily use, and perceived benefits differed between curricular-year groups. The sampling method and cross-sectional design preclude population-level or developmental inferences.
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BibTeX
@article{phumart2026generative,
title = {{Generative AI use, access channels, and perceptions among pharmacy students: A cross-sectional survey}},
author = {Panumart Phumart and Phenphitcha Somton and Laksanaphorn Phothong and Areewan Cheawchanwattana},
journal = {Journal of Pharmacy \& Pharmacognosy Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.56499/jppres_14.5.2913},
url = {https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres_14.5.2913},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Generative AI use, access channels, and perceptions among pharmacy students: A cross-sectional survey
AU - Panumart Phumart
AU - Phenphitcha Somton
AU - Laksanaphorn Phothong
AU - Areewan Cheawchanwattana
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research
DO - 10.56499/jppres_14.5.2913
UR - https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres_14.5.2913
AB - Context: Pharmacy students use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) through provider-operated, university-supported, and embedded channels, but curricular differences in access-channel choice remain poorly described. Aims: To describe tools, access channels, perceived benefits and concerns, and unadjusted curricular-year differences among pharmacy students with prior GenAI experience. Methods: A cross-sectional web survey recruited 180 Doctor of Pharmacy students by nonprobability quota sampling (30 per year). Primary access channels and 21 attitude items were assessed. Pearson-based exploratory factor analysis was complemented by a polychoric-matrix sensitivity analysis. Group differences and confidence intervals were estimated. Results: ChatGPT was ranked as the most-used tool by 140/180 students (77.8%); 173/180 (96.1%) ranked at least two distinct tools among their three most-used. Provider-operated channels ranked first for 150/179 (83.8%), compared with 24/179 (13.4%) for the university portal. The portal was first-ranked by 19/90 later-year and 5/89 early-year students (odds ratio 4.50, 95% CI 1.60–12.65; Fisher exact p = 0.004). Pearson and polychoric factor analyses yielded two weakly correlated dimensions (r = 0.05 and 0.17, respectively). Perceived Benefits were higher in early-year students (4.42 vs. 4.18; mean difference 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.40), whereas Concerns did not differ significantly (p = 0.192). Conclusions: In this selected sample of prior GenAI users at one pharmacy faculty, access-channel choice, daily use, and perceived benefits differed between curricular-year groups. The sampling method and cross-sectional design preclude population-level or developmental inferences.
SN - 0719-4250
ER -