Abstract
Background: Research engagement during academic training helps develop essential attributes such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and evidence-based practice. These factors are fundamental for effective pharmaceutical care delivery. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the engagement and experience of pharmacy students in the University of Benin, Benin City in research during their academic curricular activities. Methods: The research was conducted among pharmacy students in the accredited faculty of pharmacy in the University of Benin. This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design to investigate the extent of pharmacy students' engagement and experiences in research during their academic curricular activities. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to ensure that students from each academic level (100–600L) are proportionally represented. Data was collected using an online survey platform comprising institutional email lists, WhatsApp groups, and other social media platforms commonly used by students and was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 26 Results: In total, 250 participants were enrolled, revealing a nearly even gender distribution (50.8% male, 49.2% female), with majority aged 18-21 years (48.8%). Regarding research engagement, the majority anticipated engaging in data analysis (22.8%), data collection (14%), and presentations (12.8%), with a smaller proportion planning comprehensive involvement across literature review, data collection, analysis, writing, and presentation (9.6%). Most participants viewed research as beneficial for their future careers. Approximately 43.6% rated it as very beneficial and 25.2% extremely beneficial. However, academic workload was expected to interfere with research participation, as 42.4% agreed and 9.2% strongly agreed. The findings revealed varying levels of participation in research activities. Conclusion: The engagement and experience of pharmacy students at the University of Benin in research during their academic curricular activities were assessed in this study. The findings revealed varying levels of participation in research activities, with some students actively involved while others had limited exposure. Additionally, the perceived benefits of research were also highlighted, including enhanced academic performance and professional growth. However, several challenges, such as academic workload and time constraints, were identified as barriers to research engagement.
