Professional paths chosen by past recipients of ASHP Foundation fellowships

Past recipients of ASHP Foundation fellowships were surveyed to determine their professional activities and the impact of the fellowships on their careers. Questionnaires were mailed to 92 former fellowship recipients. Questions covered the respondents' education and postgraduate training, employment, job and career satisfaction, opinions on the ASHP Research and Education Foundation Fellowships Program, publications and presentations, achievements, experience, honors, and demographics. Respondents returned 77 usable questionnaires, for an 83.7% response rate. Most respondents worked primarily in academia or teaching; one fourth primarily taught. Most of the respondents indicated a positive attitude about both their professional careers and the ASHP Foundation Fellowships Program. Respondents have published (alone or as coauthors) 477 research articles and 359 professional articles; they have given 548 podium presentations and 438 poster presentations at national or regional scientific or professional meetings. Some respondents commented that the program helped them develop needed professional skills and urged that the program be continued. Some suggested that funding be increased to two years and that scoring and selection criteria be revised. Others suggested that the stipend be increased, the results be disseminated, and certain fellowships be re-established. The former ASHP Foundation fellows surveyed have made substantive contributions to the advancement of pharmacy and pharmaceutical science. ASHP Foundation fellowships seem to have favorably affected the professional careers of these fellowship recipients.