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Pharmacy career deciding: making choice a "good fit"
Sarah Caroline Willis1, Phillip Shann, Karen Hassell
1The Centre for Pharmacy Workforce Studies, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. sarah.willis@manchester.ac.uk
Journal of Health Organization and Management
|May 22, 2009
Summary
Pharmacy career decisions are often not planned, with students seeking a "good fit" between personal values and their vocational course. This highlights the importance of personal preferences in healthcare career choices.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy Education
- Career Development
- Higher Education
Background:
- Understanding the factors influencing career decisions among pharmacy students and graduates is crucial for effective guidance and recruitment.
- The transition from education to professional practice involves complex decision-making processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the factors influencing career deciding amongst pharmacy students and graduates in the United Kingdom.
- To gain insight into the student perspective of career decision-making in the pharmacy field.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative approach using focus groups with pharmacy students and graduates.
- Topic guides for focus groups were developed through initial group interviews.
- Transcripts were analyzed using a constructivist approach to identify key themes.
Main Results:
- Participants described seeking a "good fit" between personal attributes, experiences, social networks, and the pharmacy profession.
- Securing employment upon graduation and the vocational nature of the degree were central to career decisions.
- Career decisions were often not a result of meticulous planning.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that "good fit" is a generalizable process for matching personal experience with healthcare careers.
- Career advisors and higher education recruiters should consider personal values and preferences in student selection.
- This qualitative study offers insights into career decision-making, informing guidance and recruitment for healthcare professions.
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