Conventional pharmacy training is commonly based on isolated, discipline-specific courses, which may not sufficiently equip students to handle the complexities of modern healthcare practice. This research assesses the impact of an integrated educational model in pharmacy on strengthening core knowledge and applied competencies. A comprehensive, integrated course centered on respiratory disorders was designed and delivered to final-year pharmacy students at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The course applied case-based learning and combined content from multiple areas, including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmaceutics. An educational controlled trial design was used, comparing students enrolled in the integrated course (intervention group) with those following a conventional curriculum (control group).
Questionnaire findings indicated that more than 60% of participants perceived marked improvement in their ability to handle respiratory-related clinical cases. Students in the intervention group achieved significantly superior clinical decision-making performance, with a mean examination score of 31.4 versus 15.75 in the control group (p < 0.05). Qualitative feedback from students emphasized the benefits of the integrated approach and supported its wider adoption, along with the inclusion of additional topics and varied case scenarios. Pharmacy education delivered through an integrated, case-based framework substantially improves student competence and hands-on skills, thereby enhancing readiness for real-life pharmacy practice. These findings endorse the broader implementation of integrated courses in pharmacy programs to strengthen curricula and educational effectiveness. Further recommendations involve sustained integration and the extension of subject areas to further advance pharmacy education.
