Pharmacy student expectations for professional practice

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy education
• Pharmaceutical practice
• Higher education

Background:

• The professional employment market for pharmacists has undergone significant recent changes.
• Limited data exist on pharmacy students' perceptions of their future practice.
• Understanding student expectations is crucial for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the professional practice expectations of pharmacy students.
• To identify curriculum support within a college of pharmacy.
• To compare expectations between Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmacy students.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to 1,297 students (first to sixth year).
• Six hundred thirty responses were analyzed.
• The survey examined educational experiences, career preferences, and demographics.

Main Results:

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students felt better prepared for their careers than Bachelor of Science (BS) students (P < .03).
• PharmD students reported a more positive outlook on future career opportunities (P < .01).
• PharmD students more frequently identified Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and pharmacy benefit management companies as growing employment sources (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• The PharmD program appears to better align with evolving pharmacy practice expectations compared to the BS program.
• Pharmacy students' perceptions of future employment opportunities are influenced by their degree program.
• Curriculum adjustments may be needed to address the changing landscape of pharmacy employment.