Date of Completion

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy

Keywords

Internship Program, Internship Experience, Pharmacy students

Abstract

Pharmacy internships allow the student to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world settings. It is a vital factor in developing pharmacy students into competent pharmacists, giving interns the necessary exposure in the different pharmacy settings in order for the students to be equipped with the essential skills and knowledge for their future careers. However, reports showed that some interns were not satisfied with their internship program, which hindered them from gaining meaningful exposure during the pharmacy internship. This study aims to evaluate the experiences of pharmacy interns, identifying their strengths and areas that need to be improved across the five experiential settings. The study utilizes a convergent mixed-method design in a retrospective secondary data approach, with 413 quantitative data and 339 qualitative data collected from a tertiary institution in Cavite, AY 2023-2024. Data were collected through Preceptor and Internship evaluation forms and were analyzed using the NVivo software. The inductive thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns, experiences, and insights from the qualitative responses of the interns to generate themes to emerge naturally from the data. Results indicated that pharmacy internship experience is essential in reinforcing academic learning and building technical skills outside the classroom. Interns experience various activities, including compounding, prescription reading, and inventory management, which bridge the theory to practice and support Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and Situated Learning Theory (SLT). In hospital and industrial settings, structured schedules, hands-on experiences, and mentorship supported clinical competence and regulatory knowledge, though some interns noted repetitive or limited tasks. Public health and regulatory pharmacy resulted in mixed feedback, with some gaining valuable exposure and experience, while others cited weak structure and limited alignment with academic content. Preceptor and internship site evaluations emphasized a strong mentorship and respect, but some identified gaps in feedback and departmental rotation. Overall, the internship fostered interns’ professional growth, but improvements are needed in task diversity, structure, and feedback to better align internship outcomes with academic and career readiness.

First Advisor

Mary Grace S. Biagtan, RPh, MS

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