Education and experience of pharmacy directors in large hospitals

The education and experience of pharmacy directors in large hospitals are described. Questionnaires were sent in September 1981 to pharmacy directors of all hospitals in the United States having at least 300 beds. The questionnaire elicited background characteristics, postgraduate degrees, and administrative experience of the pharmacy director and descriptive information about the hospital. Of the 1483 questionnaires distributed, 609 (41%) were returned. Sixty percent of the respondents had an entry-level degree as their highest degree; 26%, 6%, and 7% of the respondents had M.S., M.B.A., and postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees, respectively. M.B.A. and postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees were more common for younger respondents. Only 6% of directors with entry-level degrees and 10% with M.B.A. degrees had completed an ASHP-accredited hospital pharmacy residency compared with 53% and 46% of directors with postgraduate Pharm .D. and M.S. degrees, respectively. Of directors with M.B.A. or postgraduate Pharm .D. degrees, 73% and 77%, respectively, had less than 11 years of administrative experience; just over 50% of directors with M.S. and entry-level degrees had less than 11 years of administrative experience; just over 50% of directors with M.S. and entry-level degrees had less than 11 years of experience. The majority of directors with postgraduate degrees had been in their current position for five years or less. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relationship of these variables more fully.