1. Factors that determine career choice in Pharm.D. candidates: a focus group study
Megan Handley, Pharm.D.1, Kevin Boesen, Pharm.D.2
1College of Pharmacy, 2Chief Executive Officer Sinfonia Rx
IV. RESULTS
Key Findings
• There were 13 participants, 8 female (61.5%) and 5 male (38.5%). Six
(46.2%) hope to work in the retail setting after graduation, and 5
(38.5%) wish to work in an institutional setting.
• Ten participants (76.8%) agree that they would consider working for
their current employer after graduation from pharmacy school. The
majority of participants changed their mind throughout their education
in regards to their future career choice.
• Rotations, professors, employers, and family seem to be the most
common factors that helped determine career choice in participants.
• All participants agreed that clinical pharmacy and residency are
promoted career paths at University of Arizona.
• Almost all employed participants would work for their current employer
after graduation.
• Managed care and industry were two commonly mentioned career paths
that students wanted more exposure to during education.
• Most participants did not think GPA should be a factor in the hiring
process for pharmacists.
VII. DISCLOSURE
The authors of this presentation have the following to disclose concerning
possible financial or personal relationships with commercial entities that
may have a direct or indirect interest in the subject matter of this
presentation:
Megan Handley, Kevin Boesen: Nothing to disclose.
V. LIMITATIONS
• Small sample size and only two focus groups conducted limiting the power of the
study.
• Not optimal study design to draw conclusions
• Low generalizability since only University of Arizona College of Pharmacy
students were invited to participate.
• Possible bias due to the nature of primary investigator’s employer and experience
in retail.
• Focus group design may affect the opinions of participants.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
• Student experiences during pharmacy school largely seem to influence
career choice of Pharm.D. candidates. These influencing experiences
include: employment, professors’ opinions, and rotations.
• Salary greatly influences career choice, especially in the aspect of
residencies. Many students expressed that they did not complete a
residency due to the pay cut it necessitates.
• The pharmacy program at the University of Arizona strongly
emphasizes residencies and clinical pharmacist positions. This is likely
different depending on the pharmacy program.
• Further study needs to be conducted to determine which career choices
are more common at various pharmacy programs and why. Once these
information is available, students can decide which pharmacy program
caters best to their career goals.
II. PURPOSE AND SPECIFIC AIMS
• The purpose of this study was to describe through focus groups which factors
influence career practice setting in Pharm.D. candidates. In addition, the study
described factors that make a certain pharmacist employer more appealing than
others.
• The working hypothesis is that Pharm.D. candidates are more inclined to choose
careers in a clinical setting due to larger clinical responsibilities, professors opinions
and experience, and salary. It is also hypothesized that employment history, salary,
clinical responsibilities, and schedule will be factors that influence a student’s choice
of employer within the same practice setting.
I. ABSTRACT
Objective
The objective of the study is to describe which factors influence career choice in
Pharm.D. candidates, and determine what makes a potential employer attractive
to graduating students.
Methods
A descriptive focus group study was conducted to describe opinions of
Pharm.D. candidates regarding factors that determine career choice. Subjects
were recruited via email. All participants were required to have a scheduled
graduation date in 2015 or 2016. Demographic data was collected anonymously.
Focus group conversations were recorded.
Results
There were 13 participants, 8 female (61.5%) and 5 male (38.5%). Six (46.2%)
hope to work in the retail setting after graduation, and 5 (38.5%) wish to work
in an institutional setting. Four participants (30.1%) plan to complete a PGY1
residency after graduation. Ten participants (76.8%) agree that they would
consider working for their current employer after graduation from pharmacy
school. The majority of participants changed their mind throughout their
education in regards to their future career choice. Rotations, professors,
employers, and family seem to be the most common factors that helped
determine career choice in participants. All participants agreed that clinical
pharmacy and residency are promoted career paths at University of Arizona.
Conclusions
The pharmacy students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy
believe the clinical pharmacy career path is is strongly promoted during their
education over other career options. Rotations, professors, family, and
employers during pharmacy school appear to be determining factors in career
choice for Pharm.D. candidates based on the results of the focus group study.
Many students pursue a career with the same employer they had during their
education. Based on the results of this study, it is evident that experiences
during pharmacy school, including choice of pharmacy school, likely affect
career choice in Pharm.D. candidates.
III. METHODS
• Design: This study was a descriptive, qualitative, prospective focus group study of
the opinions of current Pharm.D. candidates in regards to factors that determine
career choice in future pharmacists.
• The study was approved by the University of Arizona Institutional Review Board.
• Subjects: To be eligible for this study, participants had to be a current Pharm.D.
candidate at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in at least their third
year of the Pharm.D. curriculum (2 years completed). To recruit subjects, an email
was sent to the University of Arizona Class of 2015 ad 2016 listservs informing
potential participants of the upcoming focus group study.
• There were two focus groups conducted, one with 7 participants and the other with 6
participants.
• Data was collected by first distributing the demographic data collection form at the
beginning of each focus group. Then, the focus group was conducted using the focus
group interview guide to lead the conversation. Data collection was completed via
the focus group data extraction form. The sessions were recorded upon consent of all
participants and stored at the practice site.
IV. RESULTS
Baseline Characteristics
Average age
25.1 years (SD=1.38)
Year in pharmacy school
3RD year: 5 (38.5%)
4TH year: 8 (61.5%)
Sex
8 FEMALES (61.5%)
5 MALES (38.5%)
Preferred practice setting
after graduation
Community/Retail: 6 (46.2%)
Institutional/Hospital (no residency): 1
(7.7%)
Institutional/Hospital (residency required,
clinical position): 4 (30.8%)
Other: 2 (15.4%) Ambulatory care, MTM
Employment status
Unemployed: 3 (23.1%)
Paid Intern: 10 (76.9%)
Current employer
Albertsons, Target, Walgreens (2),
Medication Management Center (2),
Banner University Medical Center, Tucson
Medical Center, University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Average time with current
employer
2.94 years (SD=0.88)
Plan to complete PGY1
residency after graduation
Strongly agree: 4 (30.8%)
Disagree strongly: 3 (23.1%)
Not applicable: 6 (46.2%)
Plan to complete PGY2
residency after graduation
Strongly agree: 3 (23.1%)
Agree: 1 (7.7%)
Disagree strongly: 2 (15.4%)
Not applicable: 7 (53.8%)
Would consider working for
current employer
Strongly agree: 5 (38.5%)
Agree: 5 (38.5%)
Not applicable: 3 (23.1%)
Changed career choice since
first year of pharmacy school
Strongly agree: 1 (7.7%)
Agree: 4 (30.8%)
Somewhat agree: 2 (15.4%)
Somewhat disagree: 1 (7.7%)
Disagree: 2 (15.4%)
Disagree strongly: 3 (23.1%)
School, professors, and
colleagues have had an effect
on preference in practice
setting
Strongly agree: 4 (30.8%)
Agree: 3 (23.1%)
Somewhat agree: 1 (7.7%)
Disagree: 3 (23.1%)
Disagree strongly: 2 (15.4%)
Interview Responses
When did you start thinking
about what type of
pharmacy career you
wanted to have? What
factors swayed your
opinion?
Salary, rotations, patient interaction,
employment during pharmacy school,
hours.
What/who helped you
determine your future
career choice?
Rotations, pharmacists, mentors,
professors, work, family
If you are currently
employed in a pharmacy,
would you consider working
for your current employer
as a pharmacist?
Most would consider working for their
current employer.
Does it affect your career
choice if a potential
employer sells tobacco
products? Why or why not?
Most participants (9) said the sale of
tobacco products would not affect
their career choice.
Do you think a certain
career path has been
endorsed more than others
during your education? If
yes, which career path?
All participants thought hospital
pharmacy and/or residency are
promoted at the University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy.
Do you think you are
adequately exposed to all
career options during your
education? Which career
path would you like more
exposure to during your
education, rotations, etc.?
Most participants think they are
adequately exposed to all career
options. Managed care and industry
were two areas multiple participants
mentioned wanting more exposure to.
Do you think residencies
are promoted during your
education? What makes
residencies appealing and
unappealing?
All participants thought residencies
were highly promoted at the
University of Arizona. The appealing
aspects mentioned included: prestige,
specializing, education, and training.
Unappealing aspects mentioned
included: pay cut and long hours.
Do you think GPA should be
a factor in the hiring
process of pharmacists?
Most participants did not think GPA
should be a factor in the hiring
process for pharmacists.