ASSESSING LATIN LANGUAGE COMPETENCE IN PHARMACY STUDENTS: DESIGNING VALID AND RELIABLE EVALUATION TOOLS

Abstract

The evaluation of Latin language proficiency in pharmacy education has historically been relegated to passive testing methods that prioritize memorization over clinical application. This article proposes a fundamental shift in assessment methodology, introducing the "Clinical Simulation & Linguistic Auditing" (CSLA) model. The abstract outlines the necessity of moving beyond traditional pen-and-paper examinations toward a competency-based framework that measures a student's ability to navigate the complexities of modern pharmaceutical nomenclature and global pharmacopoeias. With the rising complexity of drug formulations and the globalization of the pharmaceutical market, the precision of Latin terminology is no longer a peripheral skill but a core component of patient safety. This study evaluates current assessment gaps, identifying that high academic scores in grammar-heavy courses often do not translate to error-free performance in clinical rotations. To bridge this divide, the research presents a strategic roadmap for implementing valid and reliable evaluation tools, including error-detection simulations, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and digital terminological auditing.