Qualifications required in advertisements for hospital pharmacy management positions

Advertisements for pharmacy management positions were analyzed to determine the extent to which advanced degrees or experience were required. Advertisements were collected from three professional journals for 1971-1981 for the following positions: director and assistant director of pharmacy services, director and assistant director of clinical services, director and assistant director of drug information, and clinical coordinator. The following information was obtained from each advertisement: position title, educational degree required or preferred, number of beds in institution, type of ownership of institution, residency required or preferred, and experience required or preferred. Of 224 advertisements analyzed, 124 were for directors of pharmacy, 59 for assistant directors of pharmacy, and 41 for clinical management positions. No degree was required or preferred in 85 of the advertisements. A degree qualification was specified for all the clinical management positions; 37 out of 41 required a Pharm.D. or advanced degree. Advertisements for directors and assistant directors requiring and advanced degree were evenly divided between Pharm.D. and M.S. degrees. Since 1979, the number of advertisements not specifying a degree appears to have decreased and the number specifying M.S. or Pharm.D. to have increased. Managerial experience was mentioned in 51 of 183 advertisements for directors and assistant directors. For clinical management positions, only 6 specified managerial experience and 22 required clinical experience. Many employers specified residencies as qualifications. Advanced degrees are increasingly in demand for management positions. Advancement opportunities in the future may not be as promising as in the past for pharmacists who hold only B.S. degrees.