Evaluating the impact of a targeted educational workshop on antimicrobial resistance knowledge and antibiotic use among pharmacy students in Egypt

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health threat, driven partly by inappropriate antibiotic use, including over-the-counter misuse. Pharmacy students, as future medication experts, play a key role in antimicrobial stewardship, making effective education particularly important in low- and middle-income countries where regulatory enforcement may be limited. This study assessed pharmacy students’ baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotics and AMR and evaluated the immediate impact of a structured educational workshop. A prospective pre–post questionnaire-based study was conducted among pharmacy students at Cairo University during an AMR awareness campaign held during the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. Students completed a validated KAP questionnaire before and immediately after a 2-hour interactive workshop. Mean knowledge scores improved significantly from 7.75 ± 2.24 to 10.34 ± 1.47 out of 14 following the workshop ( p < 0.001) as well as the knowledge category ( p < 0.001). Awareness of AMR as a public health threat ( p = 0.019) and confidence in personal AMR knowledge ( p = 0.001) also improved. Misconceptions related to pharmacists’ authority to diagnose infections or routinely dispense antibiotics declined, although some incorrect beliefs persisted, including antibiotic use for all infections. Risky practices were common at baseline, including self-medication (77%), recommending antibiotics without prescriptions (45%), and use of a local “cold group” containing an antibiotic, corticosteroid, and antipyretic (35%). Substantial gaps exist in pharmacy students’ KAP toward antibiotic use. Short, focused educational workshops can improve AMR-related knowledge, but sustained curricular integration and stronger regulatory enforcement remain essential.