A survey on improving core literacy among impoverished students in Chinese pharmaceutical universities under a development-oriented funding system.

Background: Impoverished students constitute a group that cannot be overlooked in higher education. It is crucial for pharmaceutical universities worldwide to implement financial assistance programs that promote the development and success of students from poor families. Chinese universities have carried out active exploration of subsidized education, and made important achievements, but there are also problems, which are worth learning from. This study proposed a strategy to improve the core literacy of impoverished pharmaceutical students under the development-oriented funding system.

Methods: The study centers on clinical pharmacy students from a pharmaceutical college as the research subjects. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was employed, with quantitative data collected through a survey questionnaire, supplemented by qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews. Data gathered from these two levels were integrated and subjected to statistical analysis.

Results: The quantitative survey yielded a total of 397 valid samples, most of whom were females (73.8%), mainly at undergraduate level (89.67%), and from non-urban area (73.81%). Five of them participated in further qualitative interviews. The combined data identified: (a) financial aid-most students were highly satisfied with the financial support; (b) psychological support-most of the students interviewed reported that the scholarship significantly improved their self-confidence and motivation; (c) academic guidance-funded students had clear expectations for career development and academic guidance, demonstrating a strong need for further professional study; and (d) employment assistance-most students wanted career guidance and career planning support.

Conclusions: The financial assistance in pharmaceutical colleges and universities should be enriched to resolve the worries of impoverished clinical pharmacy students through economic assistance, improve the moral cultivation with psychological assistance, strengthen their cultural and scientific literacy, and improve their knowledge and practical ability through academic assistance. Through the integration of pharmacy education, the vocational competence of clinical pharmacy students can be improved by employment assistance, and the reform of higher pharmacy education can be further promoted to improve the training quality of pharmaceutical talents.