Exploratory Factor Analysis of Decision-Making Domains Influencing Students’ Pursuit of the PharmD Degree at 2 Canadian Universities

OBJECTIVE: To identify and validate decision-making domains that influence pharmacy students' choice to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. METHODS: A modified questionnaire, adapted from previous research in academic decision-making, was developed and validated for pharmacy students. The instrument included 38 Likert-type items across 5 initial domains. Content and face validity were established through expert and student review. A convenience sample of 170 PharmD students and graduates from 2 Atlantic Canadian universities completed the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize item responses. Exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to identify underlying domain structures. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis supported a 6-factor model comprising institutional, family, experiential, personal, economic, and career domains. The final model retained 28 items. Cronbach's α values ranged from 0.65 to 0.83 across domains, with an overall reliability of 0.83. The model explained 57.32% of the variance in student responses. CONCLUSION: This research generated a validated and reliable questionnaire aimed at identifying decision-making domains that influence pharmacy students' academic choices. The 6-domain decision-making model offers insights into the multifaceted factors shaping student decisions and provides policy-relevant data useful in understanding student motivations and program expectations, developing targeted recruitment strategies, improving student advising, and informing program development in pharmacy education.