Academic pharmacy must do better to accommodate its faculty workforce

This commentary follows an insightful paper recently published on the current milieu in academic pharmacy. The paper was unique in that it reported the results of in-depth interviews of persons with previously well-established, successful careers as pharmacy faculty who left the academy for various alternative paths. The commentary reflects on that paper along with other current literatures and trends in academic pharmacy and the broader context of academia, particularly the evolving work environments for faculty. We argue that evolutions in the work of pharmacy academicians have been witness to losses in autonomy, heightened expectations for productivity, greater involvement in administrative bureaucracy, decrements in the teaching environment, and erosion in culture and collegiality vital for their success. Indeed, the results of the aforementioned and other studies present a complex picture of the current environment, yet we cannot let the complexity preclude more immediate actions to address culture, collegiality, autonomy, citizenship, and quality. We must move past lip service and take real actions to address these phenomena. Academic leadership should make examples of the actions of star, or top performing faculty, provide adequate mentorship and development for all faculty, and use clear and specific communication while avoiding general platitudes. They must encourage innovative solutions and reward those who proffer them. Faculty colleagues can take actions, themselves, to yield more collegial environments. Losing faculty talent is problematic not only for the institution, but for the entire academy, for students, the profession, the academic scientific disciplines comprising pharmacy, and for society at large.