ABSTRACT Introduction: Self-medication is increasingly being a common practice worldwide, more so amongst the medical students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-medication among the medical students and to describe the self-reported practice and pattern of medication by undergraduate medical students at Al-Iraqia University in Baghdad city. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey. Out of 440 students enrolled, 400 (> 90%) responded. The data was collected using a self-administrated pretested questionnaire and then analyzed using SPSS version 18.0. Results: During the last one year preceding the study, 85% of respondents using self-medication mostly among single students (98.2%), aged 20+ years old (56.5%), in fourth academic level (27.1%), living with their families (73.2%) and of non-sufcient income (54.7%). The main indication for seeking self-medication includes headache as reported by 83.8%, followed by cold and cough and fever 80.3% and pain elsewhere in the body (70%). Drugs commonly used for self-medication included analgesics 89.4% and antipyretic 67.9%. The minor illness was the most common reason for self-medication (80.6%). 56.8% and 45% of respondents follow pharmacists and textbooks, respectively, as a source of information in practicing self-medication. Most of the respondents practiced self-medication for themselves (57.9%) and for both; themselves and their family members (45%). Some level of awareness was reported among non-practiced self-medication students; 60% of them were afraid of the risk of adverse reactions of drugs. Conclusion: Self-medication is broadly practiced among medical students in this college. Therefore, there is a need to improve the medical education program to raise the awareness level regarding the advantage and disadvantages of self-medication to ensure safe usage of drugs. Keywords: Practice, Prevalence, Self-medication. International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology (2019); DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.v9i3.29 How to cite this article: Khalil, N.S., Haddad, R.A., Hassan, I.T. and Tawfeeq, R.S. (2019). Prevalence, practice, and pattern of self-medication among medical students in Al-Iraqia Medical College, Baghdad, Iraq. International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology, 39 (3): 106-112. Source of support: Nil. Confict of interest: No confict of interests exists regarding such self- funded study. Prevalence, Practice, and Pattern of Self-medication among Medical Students in Al-Iraqia Medical College, Baghdad, Iraq Nawar Sahib Khalil 1 , Reem Ali Haddad 2 , Israa Talib Hassan 2 , Ruqaya Subhi Tawfeeq 1 1 Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq. 2 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, College of Medicine, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq. Received: 08th July, 19; Revised: 12th August, 19, Accepted: 08th September, 19; Available Online: 13th September, 2019 INTRODUCTION Currently, there is an increased likelihood of self-medication among medical students that could be attributed to many reasons such as those students have easy access to information from drug indices, literature, and other medical students to self ‐diagnose and self ‐medicate. 1 Self-medication can be defned as the medicines required by an individual for the settlement of a self-identifed disorder or disease or the continued usage of an already prescribed medicine for the recurrent or chronic disorder. 2 Diferent patterns of self-medication exist in di ferent populations, and these patterns are afected by factors like age, gender, medical knowledge, level of education, and income.3 There is much public and professional concern about the irrational use of drugs in both developed and developing ARTICLE TYPE countries, as the prevalence rates are high all over the world; up to 68% in European countries, 4 while much higher in the developing countries with rates going to increase to reach in our neighboring countries with a prevalence rates as high as 92% in the adolescents of Kuwait, 5 and seems to be as a common practice among the general population in Saudi Arabia. 6 The most recent study published by Iraqi researchers shows that the way the patients self-medicate evolves along with time intervals. 7 The study of self-medication practice among medical students is critical as they are with access to valuable information related to their health. Looking at this practice, among them, is also very vital as they represent the future generation of drug prescribers and health educationalists. 8 Many studies were done about self-medication practice for the general population, only a few types of research *Author for Correspondence:nawar.khalil@aliraqia.edu.iq