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Educational and personal influences and barriers to practicing rural pharmacy
Heidi R Olson1, Alice N Hemenway2, Megan R Undeberg3
1Director, Rural Pharmacy Education Program, Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois Chicago Retzky College of Pharmacy, 1601 Parkview Ave, Rockford, IL 61107.
Background:
Rural pharmacists are a critical part of the pharmacy workforce, yet qualified applicants are often difficult to recruit.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to determine the personal and educational factors associated with a pharmacist's choice to practice in a rural community in the United States.
Methods:
This study utilized an online, anonymous survey sent to pharmacists practicing in rural areas. The questions focused on personal, community, and educational influences on rural pharmacy practice. The sample was divided based on whether individuals reported they were raised rurally and characteristics were compared across subgroups.
Results:
A total of 196 completed responses were included. Participants were predominantly white (93%) and female (61%) with a mean age of 44 years. Most were originally from a rural area (73%) or had parents or siblings who currently live in a rural area (75%). Respondents who reported being raised in a rural area were more likely to attend a pharmacy school that offered a rural focus or concentration, take courses with greater than 50% rural content, or select an IPPE or APPE in a rural location.
Conclusion:
The decision to practice pharmacy in a rural location is associated with many factors including personal connections as well as training and education in rural communities. Colleges of pharmacy are encouraged to strengthen their rural educational pathways, as well as include more rural didactic and experiential opportunities to recruit and train pharmacists interested in rural pharmacy practice.
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