Inclusion of Symposium-Based Learning of Rational Drug Use for Medical Undergraduates: Evaluation of its Effectiveness and Feedback

Irrational prescribing continues to challenge clinical practice, and undergraduate medical students often have limited structured training in Rational Drug Use (RDU). Effective early interventions require interactive, multidisciplinary teaching approaches. This study assessed the impact of symposium-based learning (SBL) on knowledge, attitude, practice, and awareness (KAPFA) related to RDU among second-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students. A quasi-interventional study was conducted among 150 students. A four-hour multidisciplinary symposium on RDU was organized, and a pre-validated questionnaire was administered before and after the session. The tool assessed knowledge (10 MCQs), attitude (5 statements), practice (5 case scenarios), feedback (7 items), and awareness (10 items). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Knowledge scores improved significantly from 5.45 ± 1.03 to 7.02 ± 0.86 (p < 0.001). Attitude responses shifted toward stronger agreement across all statements. Practice scores increased from 2.34 ± 0.61 to 4.06 ± 0.57 (p < 0.001), indicating better application of RDU principles. Awareness showed substantial gains, with an overall increase exceeding 300% across key parameters. Improvements were consistent across all five clinical posting groups. Feedback indicated strong acceptance, with over 94% reporting the symposium as relevant and useful. SBL proved to be a highly effective educational strategy for enhancing RDU competencies in undergraduate students. Incorporating such structured and interactive methods into the curriculum may help strengthen safe and rational prescribing practices among future clinicians.