An evaluation of women pharmacists: current status and future projections as indicated by recent literature

Pharmacy, resembling all autonomous medical professions, has a history of male practitioners. With the rapid increase in numbers of women entering the field, evaluation of their status and projections as to the impact upon the profession is indicated. Females currently comprise 18% of the practitioners and approximately 1/3 of the students in pharmacy schools, figures considerably in excess of the numbers of women physicians. In that the fields are similar in many respects, the comparative status of female practitioners in both was considered. Parallel patterns of stratification and representation in decision-making areas of the professions were found to exist, with males comprising the status hierarchy. A specific area of divergence was noted in that women in medicine appear to be more "career" and service motivated, while female pharmacists appear to value the ease to which role-blending is allowed. Pharmacy can expect to be increasingly "womanized", particularly in the hospital practice setting. This situation may not result in status gains for the females in the field.