The integration of technology in medical education has significantly enhanced the teaching and learning experience. Visual aids, in particular, play a key role in improving the learning process. PowerPoint (PPT) has become a popular tool for the effective presentation of lecture content. However, research has shown that students’ opinions regarding its effectiveness vary widely. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of phase II MBBS students on the use of PowerPoint presentations in pharmacology lectures at our institution. An observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based online study was conducted by the Faculty of Pharmacology among phase II medical students at Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College, Pune, with a sample of 124 students. The results revealed that 71% of the students preferred PowerPoint presentations along with a whiteboard as an effective teaching method. While the students generally had a positive view towards PPTs, recognizing their utility in various aspects, 62% stated that PPTs should not replace traditional lecture classes. To increase their effectiveness, 75% of students recommended making PPTs available on the students’ portal, and 18% suggested providing more time to note down the content. PPTs were less favored when presentations were too fast-paced (60%), contained too much information or too many slides (29%), were delivered monotonously (32%), or lacked interaction (27%). Furthermore, 47% of students believed that the level of interaction during lectures is more dependent on the teacher than on the teaching tool itself. Overall, PowerPoint is considered the best teaching tool, provided that it is used effectively to ensure interactivity and appropriate pacing.
