Pharmacy students' opinion on mandatory summer internships carried out in community and hospital pharmacies.

Background: Pharmacy internships are an important part of pharmacy education in Poland; they are an integral part of professional studies. The first two internships are held after the third and fourth year of study during the summer break and last for four weeks. The study aims to analyze the didactic process of the pharmacy students taking place during the summer internship in community and hospital pharmacies in Poland. The analysis emphasizes the acquisition of skills built on the master-student contact, and the results are based on trainees' feedback.

Methods: The research tool was a questionnaire addressed to fifth-year pharmacy students who had previously completed summer internships in both community and hospital pharmacy. The survey contained 17 questions that sought to gain insight into their perceptions of the internship's supervision and guidance of work by tutors and pharmacy staff, involvement in different workplace routines and comparison between formal education and everyday practice. The data collection was carried out in the academic year 2015-2016 among the ninth-semester pharmacy students from four Medical Universities in Poland. Information about internships performed in community and hospital pharmacies were collected separately.

Results: The paper presents the results of selected questions related specifically to the legitimacy of summer internships and learning about professional responsibilities. Altogether 447 questionnaires, evaluating summer internships in both community and hospital pharmacies were collected. For the majority of students the summer internship made them aware of the profession; however, the internship in some pharmacies did not always provide them with all aspects of pharmaceutical practice. 14-40% of students admitted that their mentors did not introduce the internship program at the beginning of the internship. Only 35-46% of students performed drug formulations on a daily basis. Less than 30% of respondents indicated that drug formulary process in community pharmacies was the same as they have learned at university. Almost every day or very often students were involved in checking or spreading out the drugs delivered to the pharmacy from the wholesale institution. Only two universities conducted regular audits of the internship process by the supervisors (academic teachers).

Conclusions: The summer internship of pharmacy students complements the opportunity to acquire practical skills in the training of future pharmacists. The quality of this didactic process should be subjected to constant verification. What is important is that pharmacists who are tutors of students participating in summer internships should obtain an academic support in the area of education and training, relevant to the professional preparation for the didactic process. Similar rules for summer internships should be developed, despite maintaining distinctiveness, across faculties. The students' responses indicate varying levels of mentor involvement in the implementation of practical vocational training. What is worrying is the lack of substantive and practical supervision during the internship.