The use of simulated patients (SPs) is recognized as a valuable tool for teaching and evaluating clinical and communication abilities in healthcare education. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of pharmacy students regarding the use of SPs in Qatar and identify areas that need enhancement. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was implemented among students and recent graduates from the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University (QU-CPH). Initially, a quantitative cross-sectional survey was used to gauge their views on the current application of SPs. This was followed by six focus group discussions to explore the survey results in more detail. The quantitative and qualitative findings were then combined to offer a comprehensive interpretation. Over 90% of the participants acknowledged that engaging with SPs is crucial for developing effective communication and counseling skills in professional skills courses. Additionally, 80% of respondents believed that their interactions with SPs helped them better apply the clinical skills learned in professional skills and patient assessment sessions to real-world situations. Most participants also shared positive feedback on their experiences with SPs during competency assessments. They expressed comfort in interacting with SPs of the opposite gender. Key themes that emerged from the focus groups included: differences in experiences with trained versus faculty SPs, the need for more standardization and consistency in the role of SPs, challenges around communication and language barriers, the realism of case simulations, SPs’ preparedness and competency, the psychological impact of SP interactions, and recommendations for improving the SP program. Areas requiring improvement included the need for better training and orientation for SPs, as well as more rigorous criteria for SP selection. The study revealed that students and alumni have a generally positive view of the role of SPs in the pharmacy curriculum. However, the SP program could benefit from enhancements in terms of SP training, orientation, and selection processes.
