title: Pharmacy students in private institutions of higher education: motivating factors when studying pharmacy and influences on university choice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors influencing the decisions of Malaysian first-year pharmacy undergraduate students in private higher education when choosing to pursue a degree in pharmacy as well as their choice of private university.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study employed a validated, self-administered questionnaire which was administered to 543 first-year pharmacy students from nine different private universities. Factor analysis was utilised to extract key factors from the responses. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight factors motivating students' decision to study pharmacy emerged from the responses, accounting for 63.8% of the variance observed. Students were primarily motivated by intrinsic interests, with work conditions and profession attributes also exerting significant influence. In terms of choice of private university, nine factors were identified, accounting for 73.8% of the variance observed. The image of the school and university were most influential factors in this context, followed by university safety, programme attributes and financial factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  First-year pharmacy students in the private higher education sector are motivated by intrinsic interest when choosing to study pharmacy over other courses, while their choice of private university is influenced primarily by the image of the school and university.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jason S E
authors.initials: JSE
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shiao Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yew Keong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: John J L
authors.initials: JJL
authors.lastname: Tiong
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010465:Perception; D000072263:Private Facilities / Q000191:economics*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000191:economics*
keywords: education; student attitudes; workforce