GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, LEARNING STYLES AND THE USE OF STRATEGIES OF LEARNING IN STUDENTS OF PHARMACY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONCEPCION

Several studies report gender differences in intellectual processes. The proposal of this study was to evaluate academic performance, profile of learning styles and the use of learning strategies in students of Pharmacy at the University of Concepcion. The CHAEA and VAC questionnaires and a shortened version of the ACRA questionnaire were applied to 44 students from 23 +/- 0.21 years. We also evaluated the academic performance of the students in Pharmacochemistry, Pharmaceutical Technology and Pharmacology. The results demonstrated that women have higher performance and use more cognitive strategies than men. The learning styles, active, reflexive, theorist and pragmatic, were located in the moderate preference without gender differences; but women showed a visual preference. We conclude that there are differences in academic performance, in the profile of learning styles and in the use of learning strategies in students of Pharmacy, by gender.