JOURNAL OF ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF PHARMACY - Volume 1 No.2, April - June, 2012

Pages: 78-85
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Academic achievement of Thai pharmacy students in an Englishtaught program

Author: Motoko Kanke, Jeffrey Roy Johns, Somchai Suriyakrai, Acharawan Topark-Ngarm and Bungorn Sripanidkulchai

Category: Pharmacy

Abstract:

Learning and teaching in a second language presents a significant barrier to Thai students and challenges to teachers. This is particularly true for professional subjects in higher education with a high technical and communication content, such as the health sciences. This study reports the progression and outcome over five years of three parallel undergraduate pharmacy programs; two taught in the native Thai language, and one completely in English language. Because the three programs have equivalent setting, resources and curriculum, it is therefore interesting to compare their performance head to head, and learn lessons from the admission procedures, student achievement, and progression. The need for rigorous entrance selection criteria with faculty entrance examinations is demonstrated. Data would seem to show that English competency, although important, is not the most important criteria for academic success, but innate academic ability, intention to become a professional, and motivation are keys to a good outcome. The “value added” of learning on an English or international program is difficult to observe within the standard examination methods of the higher education system, but is clearly a benefit for the workplace.

Keywords: pharmacy education English program second-language entrance examination job placement