[Professional views of pharmacy faculty graduates]

The purpose of this study was to define new professional ideals of pharmacists and to prove or refute a hypothesis stating that role model of the representatives of this profession is currently changing. In a survey a group of Pharmacy Faculty graduates were asked about the motives for the choice of their pharmacy studies, constancy of the conviction of this choice's validity, the desired place of work, expectations concerning their professional function, the opinion on the future of that profession in Poland, the attitude to pharmacists' chamber and to the phenomenon of self-therapy. The responses collected provided information on the professional views of the queried group. The author also defined the notion of professional views themselves, vocation, professional attitude and professional model. The results show that the respondents in their majority wish to become pharmacists (64%). High estimation of this profession influenced their choice of studies (71%). Only 18% felt called to do it. The queried group, as a whole, are not satisfied with their pharmacy studies, and only 38% would firmly undertake to study it again. The subjects declare to be fairly active in performing their civic duties (58% take part in elections), yet remain relatively passive within the context of their own professional government (15%). From their professional activity they expect personal satisfaction and money. Most subjects predict that adverse changes are going to take place in pharmacy (to 2005): pharmaceutical concerns will buy out pharmacies, the number of pharmaceutical wholesale stores will decrease considerably, pharmaceuticals will be delivered straight to patient's door, the system of obtaining drugs on doctor's prescription will decline. However, they doubt that the physicians are going to take over the sale of pharmaceuticals, that the number of new pharmacies is going to increase, that few will become owners of most pharmacies, and that the Polish pharmaceutical industry will collapse. Pessimistic views of the respondents outnumber the optimistic ones, however only 4% are doubtful about their own, professional success. In evaluating the phenomenon of self-therapy the respondents show judiciousness, perceiving more negative than positive aspects of it. The views of the studied group are precise and clear, while in the assessment of own professional role the pro-social attitude prevails.