Cheating in Pharmacy Schools in Southwest Nigeria

Background: There are concerns that academic dishonesty among students in the health sciences will result in lower competence and continued unethical behaviors after graduation. Pharmacy as a profession has a very low tolerance for errors and therefore an investigation to examine dishonest practices among undergraduate students is important.

Objectives: This study sought to determine cheating behaviors among pharmacy students, identify the course(s) in which the students cheat the most, and examine the contributions of lecturers to academic dishonesty.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey of pharmacy students (330) in four pharmacy schools in southwest Nigeria. A set of Semi-Structured questionnaires were developed and pretested before administration. The questionnaire elicited information to answer the research questions. Data collected were analysed with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics at p < 0.05.

Results: Three out of ten students that participated in the study admitted to cheating in pharmacy school. Cheating in pharmacy school was associated with cheating in high school (p = 0.000) and UTME/ post UTME (p = 0.000). The courses majority of students cheated in or have been attributed to high rate of cheating by pharmacy students were pharmaceutical chemistry (27.3%) and pharmacognosy (22.6%). Lecturers were found to have contributed to academic dishonesty by not teaching in a way that aided understanding (94.0%), not being approachable for practice questions (90.2%) and not invigilating examinations properly (78.5%).

Conclusion: Academic dishonesty is a reality in pharmacy schools and students who have cheated before in high school and UTME are more likely to cheat in pharmacy school. Also, lecturers contribute to academic dishonesty among students.