Background: Example solutions to problem sets and exams are provided in the majority of pharmacy courses at the University of Copenhagen.

Aims: Since the impact and usage of examples solutions are unknown, we wanted to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the usage of example solutions as an educational tool¬.

Method: 164 Danish pharmacy program students answered a questionnaire and answers were analyzed using non-parametric tests.

Results: We found that example solutions encourage deep learning strategies among students. Furthermore, the study identified significant differences in the students’ self-assessment of preparation level prior to classes depending on gender. Male students feel as well prepared as female students despite spending significantly less time in preparation.

Conclusion: This study shows that example solutions are mostly used by students to follow a deep learning strategy, but that it is essential to properly introduce the students to the intended usage of the example solutions.