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Academia (Clinical Practice)

Careers in academic clinical practice merge teaching, patient care, and research to improve pharmacy education and health outcomes. Faculty in these roles often supervise student pharmacists in clinical settings, work with health care teams, and develop innovative practice models. These positions offer opportunities to mentor future pharmacists while making a direct impact on patient care and community health.

Meet the Pharmacist

Mrs. Catherine Avery
Chief of Clinical Pharmacist, Seattle Pharmacy Group

Mrs. Avery is a board-certified clinical pharmacist with over 28 years of experience in managing complex medication therapies. She is passionate about patient education and leveraging technology to improve health outcomes.
At Wellness Pharmacy Group, he leads a team of dedicated pharmacists committed to providing personalized care and expert advice.

Mr. John Doe, PharmaD
Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Wellness Pharmacy Group

Dr. Chen is a board-certified clinical pharmacist with over 12 years of experience in managing complex medication therapies. He is passionate about patient education and leveraging technology to improve health outcomes.
At Wellness Pharmacy Group, he leads a team of dedicated pharmacists committed to providing personalized care and expert advice.

Table of Contents

  • Background
  • Characteristics
  • Insider’s Perspective
  • Most Appealing Aspects
  • Least Appealing Aspects
  • Advice
  • Critical Factors Ratings
  • Critical Factors
  • References / Resources
  • Professional Organizations

Background

Clinical practice academicians often work with other health care professionals in a consultative capacity to select medication and develop therapeutic regimens for patients. In addition, many are involved with medication therapy management programs and services. Therefore, academicians have both a direct and an indirect impact on patient care.

The “academia” category may be loosely defined as belonging to a university faculty, usually that of a college of pharmacy. However, clinical practice pharmacists may also hold academic positions in medical, veterinary, and other health care–related educational institutions. Positions may range from serving as dean of a college of pharmacy to teaching clinical pharmacy at an off-campus site or in a classroom setting.

Duties of an academic pharmacist may include administrative activities, scientific research, teaching student pharmacists, supervising research, teaching graduate students, speaking or publishing in scientific venues, student advising, and teaching student pharmacists through experiential practice sites. Three distinct profiles are included in this series: Clinical Practice, Social and Administrative Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Each profile provides information on the similarities and differences in these three academic careers.

In the 2023–2024 academic year, there were a total of 1,623 full-time pharmacy faculty at the nation’s colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Characteristics

A total of 46 clinical practice faculty responded to the 2024–2025 APhA Career Pathways Program Survey. Of the respondents, 31.8% were clinical assistant professors, 34.0% were clinical associate professors, and 20.5% were clinical full professors. The remainder held roles in the dean’s office or were executive directors or emeritus faculty. A total of 73% received a PharmD as their entry-level degree. A majority of the faculty, 86.4%, completed a residency, and several indicated a residency and fellowship. Income data show that the average salary for a clinical faculty member is $156,666 for full-time calendar year appointments, ranging from assistant professor to department chair with an average age of 48. Seventy-six percent of the respondents indicated that they travel for work. An additional 50.0% also work nights and/or weekends.

Two main themes were listed as the most important skills for the practitioner’s current role: communication and leadership. Other areas listed included flexibility, problem solving, and time management. A practitioner from Ohio stated, “Leadership and communication skills are critical. It is also extremely important to be organized.” Another from West Virginia stressed the importance of “time management, curiosity, open-mindedness, and leadership.”

Insider’s Perspective

Top 5 – First tier

Below is a list of critical factors that clinical faculty indicated are their top five. Note that there were a total of 25 factors to select from.

  • Collaboration with health care professionals (18.2%)
  • Problem solving (17.5%)
  • Leadership and professional development (17.5%)
  • Autonomy (13.6%)
  • Repetition (10.7%)

Top 5 – Second tier

The second grouping of top critical factors listed below includes overlap from the initial top five list. Collaboration, problem solving, and autonomy are included in both tiers.

  • Collaborating with health care professionals (13.6%)
  • Autonomy (13.6%)
  • Problem solving (11.4%)
  • Community impact (11.4%)
  • Application of knowledge—clinical (10.7%)

Participants listed several issues related to the most rewarding or challenging experiences in their field. Working with student pharmacists was the most commonly cited rewarding aspect of the role, with 36.7% of respondents listing this item.

One respondent from Illinois indicated: “Rewarding: When graduates reach out or struggling students achieve academic success.” Another from Maryland added: “The most rewarding aspect of this position is when difficult content clicks for students, or when you get to see them achieve a goal they’ve been working towards.” Another faculty member from Alabama was looking broadly at the issue and provided the following rewarding aspect: “Building the next generation of pharmacists, helping them find their passions and home in pharmacy.”

The challenges identified by respondents varied, with the largest group of comments at 27.2%. One respondent from Missouri expressed the following concern: “Currently there is a low supply of candidates for pharmacy schools, which has financial implications. This is concerning for my current position but more importantly concerning for the profession.” Another from Louisiana added: “Challenging: low-performing students or those that are disengaged.” Finally, a respondent from Alabama noted that it is challenging to speak “with individuals who have been diagnosed with serious mental illness and may have a different perception of their health than I do.”

Several respondents indicated that a highlight of their career has been gaining more responsibility and moving up the academic ladder. One respondent from California highlighted “Being asked to help direct the future of policy development, education, and practice for our state.” Another respondent from Louisiana stated, “Creating/designing courses and curricula to optimize the education of future pharmacists.” Six (13.6%) respondents also stated that the highlight of their career is their current role.

Most Appealing Aspects

What aspects of the role are most appealing?

A total of 20.5% indicated that flexibility was one of the most appealing aspects. Respondents provided a long list of different aspects of their roles that are very appealing.

A respondent from Louisiana listed several items: “It's rewarding to work with students, see how much they grow over the time they are in program, and help facilitate their entrance into the career of their dreams. There is a lot of variety of tasks—teaching, administrative, research, etc. There is a lot of problem-solving. As long as I'm not in class or in an important meeting, I do have flexibility in my schedule to attend most children's activities, help aging parents, etc.”

A participant from West Virginia stated, “Every day is different. Lots of opportunities for mentoring, teaching, and leading. Immediate as well as long-term outcomes for those I impact are motivating.” Another from Florida added: “Working with multiple levels of learners and other stakeholders to help move the profession forward from multiple perspectives.”

Least Appealing Aspects

What aspects of the role are least appealing?

One theme that emerged is the stress/pressure that can be a part of the role. A total of 31.8% listed this as the least appealing aspect. Numerous other items were listed that do not provide a trend for comparison purposes.

One respondent from Louisiana stated, “It can be very challenging to work with students who have attitude problems or those who do not take their education seriously... it's a small percentage of students, but the depth of these challenges can be disheartening and frustrating.” A different faculty member from Louisiana noted the following difficulty: “Accomplishing all that is expected on a yearly basis to meet promotion and tenure requirements while trying to maintain healthy boundaries to prevent work from creeping into home life on nights and weekends.”

Lastly, a respondent from New York indicated: “I do not have a job that I can ‘turn off.’ There are always projects and things going on, so you are never truly ‘finished’ with work at any given point of time.”

Advice

What advice should student pharmacists and practitioners consider when selecting a position in Clinical Academic Practice?

Respondents have several items that they would like to provide advice on. Below is a bullet list from this group:

  • “Never give up an opportunity to learn a new skill or expand your knowledge base.”
  • “Identify your passion, pursue hard after it, and never give up but exercise self-compassion.”
  • “Explore and shadow pharmacists in these areas! I didn't know these were even options when I was a student.”
  • “There is so much to explore and so many new opportunities in the future of the profession.”
  • “Study to learn how to serve and treat patients, don't just study to pass the test.”

Critical Factors Ratings

Opportunities for Advancement
[To what degree does your work allow for advancement?]

Participants scored in the upper mid-range for this factor at 7.70. Many stated that advancement can have its pluses and minuses. The opportunity to advance can be positive or negative depending on your feelings of keeping your clinical role intact. One hundred percent of the respondents did indicate that the opportunity does exist.

One respondent from California indicated that “[t]here are reasonable opportunities for advancement. However, advancement requires you to move away from clinical practice and into an administrative role.” Another from Michigan added that “PharmD and certifications helped with clinical advancement. Fellowship was key to getting interview for academic position. Additional training, publications, and grant funding will determine promotion and academic career longevity.”

Finally, one clinician from Illinois expressed concern that advancements within the School of Pharmacy are possible only “if someone leaves their position above me. Even then many other professors are in a similar boat, and we would all be going for the same advancement position.”

7.70
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little advancement opportunities 10 = Great opportunities for advancement

Leadership Development / Professional Involvement
[To what extent does your work allow for the development of leadership skills and professional involvement in the pharmacy profession?]

Most schools encourage faculty to take on leadership roles and become involved with the profession. This underscores the reason for the 9.00 rating, which is the highest by participants for this profile.

A respondent from California indicated that “[m]ost academic positions require you to assume leadership roles, such as committee chair. In addition, schools and colleges of pharmacy are supportive of their faculty becoming actively involved in professional organizations.” Another clinician from the District of Columbia area added: “Leadership and professional development are part of the job, valued, and required.” A New York practitioner added a brief comment that “[f]unds for professional development are provided.”

9.00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little development of leadership skills and professional involvement 10 = Great opportunities for leadership development and professional involvement

Community Impact
[How much impact does your work have in terms of serving the community?]

Participants indicated that they have a high level of impact on the community, with a score of 8.52 for this factor. This is the second-highest rating for the group.

One respondent from California looked at this from a couple of different viewpoints: “Working in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), I have a direct impact on community health. Additionally, working with student organizations, I can give back to my community through outreach with them.” Another clinician from Michigan looks broadly at the impact they can have: “This is my goal. Right now, I am not sure, but my focus is to make my program of research, teaching, and clinical practice 100% based on a social accountability framework with success measured in community-based outcomes.”

Another from Ohio stated, “My involvement in community service has been significant. I spend a lot of time precepting students at community outreach events. However, this varies widely across faculty roles.”

8.52
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little impact 10 = High level of impact

Autonomy
[To what extent does your work allow for autonomy in decision making?]

Overall, the clinicians in this group rated autonomy in the high range of 8.45. The degree of autonomy may vary depending on role.

As an example, one respondent from the District of Columbia stated that they have “a lot of autonomy in regard to how you wish to teach and how you want to practice.” Another from California concurred, stating, “As a faculty member I have a great deal of autonomy in the decisions I make.”

Some respondents from Illinois felt differently, stating: “Working at a public university involves many guard rails.”

8.45
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Very little low autonomy 10 = High level of autonomy

Focus
[To what extent does your work allow you to be focused on the future versus a focus only on immediate tasks?]

The faculty rated this factor as mid-range, with a score of 6.82. There is a balance that most feel they need to maintain.

One respondent from Pennsylvania discussed the balance that they have, indicating: “I do have some time to focus on future planning and future forecasting for the shifts in pharmacy; however, the majority of my time is in immediate tasks (seeing patients, teaching students, etc.).” Another from California added: “I think it is important to have balance in this respect. Getting the immediate tasks done is important but as a an academic you also need to be preparing students for the future of practice as well.”

6.82
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Immediate tasks only 10 = Tasks focused on the future

Prestige
[To what extent does your work provide professional prestige?]

Prestige can be looked at in different ways. Many base this on a perception of their achievements or quality, which leads to prestige. The group is in the upper mid-range, with a 7.82 rating.

One respondent from South Carolina was straightforward in stating: “It is difficult for me to judge the level of prestige I have, but I feel pride in my role.” Another from Indiana added: “Part of being a faculty member is building recognition as you go through your career. There is fairly significant prestige involved from students, and it seems like generally professors are highly thought of by other pharmacists.”

7.82
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Provides low prestige 10 = Provides high prestige

Creating Value / Positive Outcomes
[To what extent does your work allow for personal fulfillment through the creation of value and positive outcomes?]

Clinical faculty create value and positive outcomes, as reflected in the high-range response of 8.52. This can be looked at from a student, patient, or management perspective. This is tied for the second-highest rating for the group.

One faculty member from Texas stated, “Both academia (for students) and ambulatory care (for patients) give me personal fulfillment through the impact we can make on both of their lives.” Another from North Carolina added: “My job is extremely fulfilling to me. I feel like I impact not only students but also patients, and I have a lot of variety in my day to day, which keeps me engaged/not bored.”

8.52
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little extent 10 = High extent

Patient Relationships
[To what degree do you have ongoing or long-term relationships with patients?]

At 6.18, scores for patient relationships were mid-range, 6.18. A respondent in ambulatory care from Ohio stated that patient relationships are “built on [a] chronic care model so many patients are managed >1 year; coworker relationships are long term by nature since the pharmacy community tends to have high levels of networking.” A critical care pharmacist from Tennessee stated that “[w]e don't have long-term patient relationships.”

6.18
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = No ongoing/ long-term relationships 10 = All are long-term relationships

Co-worker / Client Relationships
[To what degree do you have ongoing or long-term relationships with co-workers or clients?]

This group sees more opportunities for long-term relationships with coworkers and clients as compared to patients, rating this factor in the high range of 8.73.

One respondent from California stated, “For most academic pharmacists, the long-term relationships fall on the co-worker and student side of the equation.” Another from Wyoming added: “no relationships [with patients] but work with same attending and physician team.”

8.73
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = No ongoing/ long-term relationships 10 = All are long-term relationships

Writing / Conducting Research
[How often do you engage in writing and/or conducting research?]

Respondents were low mid-range at 4.45 regarding the amount of time they spend writing or conducting research. This was a little surprising as many are in positions in which they publish the work that they do.

One respondent from Missouri indicated that “[a]pproximately 20% of my time is allotted for research.” Another respondent also from Missouri stated, “Scholarship and research is a pillar of academic pharmacy; however, time to conduct such tasks is often low.”

A clinician from West Virginia stated that research is “part of my role, I have a required percentage of my appointment devoted to scholarship. I accomplish this through a variety of ways such as serving as a co-investigator with my residents or other faculty. Each year, I present posters at APhA’s annual meeting. My employer does not have a requirement for a certain number of publications each year, but I know some universities that do.”

4.45
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = None of my time 10 = All my time

Generating New Ideas
[To what degree does your work involve generating new ideas?]

Respondents scored mid-range at 6.54 regarding the use of innovative thinking.

One administrator from Alabama indicated: “Most of my work ‘creating new ideas’ involves looking for new and better ways to train students. Curriculum development and creative ways to present material.”

A clinician from Indiana stated that “[f]aculty need to have innovative thinking for new teaching methods and new practice opportunities.” Another clinician from South Carolina added: “I have had to use innovative thinking to shape the role of the pharmacist to best serve patients.”

6.54
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little innovative thinking 10 = High degree of innovative thinking

Supervision / Management
[To what extent do you spend your time organizing, managing, or supervising others and/or business operations?]

Many of the respondents indicated that they spend little time in the role of organizing or supervising others or businesses, as they rated this factor a 4.52. A few respondents indicated that work with student pharmacists and residents fits this role.

A respondent from Missouri stated, “I supervise other faculty when I serve as a course coordinator, and I supervise residents.” Another from California added: “Most clinical pharmacists don't supervise others in the traditional sense. Precepting students on clinical rotations, however, is a form of "supervising others.”

4.52
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = None of my time 10 = All my time

Patient Interaction
[How much time do you spend interacting with patients?]

Compared to the rating of patient relationships, these practitioners are mid-range at 5.08 for the interaction they have with patient.

A respondent from Missouri summed this up well when they stated, “I interact with patients both through clinical practice and teaching students at my clinical practice. I could spend more time interacting with the public if I chose as part of my service.”

One respondent from West Virginia provided a different perspective when they stated, “My position is different than most community-based faculty because I am not located in a pharmacy setting but rather work with the community through various outreach events, screenings, and health fairs.” Another from South Carolina added: “The majority of my time is spent having virtual (video or telephonic) visits with patients.”

5.08
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = None of my time 10 = All my time

Public Interaction
[How much time do you spend interacting with the public?]

Interacting with the public was rated 3.05, which is the lowest rating for the group.

One administrator from California stated, “My roles have been more administrative than direct patient care. However, because I oversaw students' participation in community outreach, I have spent a great deal of time interacting with the public.”

3.05
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = None of my time 10 = All my time

Collaboration
[How often do you work or collaborate with other health professionals or educate other professionals in your work?]

Clinical faculty indicated that they are mid-range 6.84, when looking at collaboration.

One respondent from West Virginia stated, “I frequently collaborate with other health care professionals as our health sciences center houses medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and public health. Whether it’s through committee work, various classes or research projects, or other areas, I am frequently working with others outside of pharmacy.” Another from Ohio added that they “[w]ork in [a] family medicine physician office—also [a] residency clinic with 27 medical residents.”

6.84
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = None of my time 10 = All my time

Family / Leisure Time
[How much free time do you have for leisure and family activities in your work?]

Respondents rated having family and leisure time at 5.84—a mid-range result. This was interesting, as most of the written comments suggested having sufficient time for this.

One respondent from Alabama stated, “I have a young family, and I greatly appreciate having a schedule that allows for family time. I work from home so I can get my kids to and from the bus stop during my work hours. I can choose when to take my lunch break, and I may use that time for leisure or family activities.” Another respondent from California added: “Most academic pharmacists have the ability to control their schedule. They do not clock in at 8:00 am and leave at 4:30 pm. This flexibility is a plus, but it also means that there are days when you work significantly more than 8 hours.”

One clinician from Ohio summed this up when they indicated: “In academia this time goes in spurts. There are times of the year when I have plenty of leisure time and other times of the year that it is limited, but overall, if I have something I need to do, I can often do it.”

5.64
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Little free time 10 = Plenty of time for family and leisure activities

Impact on Well-being
[To what degree do you impact the well-being of individuals?]

The respondents were in the upper mid-range, rating well-being at 7.57.

A clinician from Alabama stated that “[m]any individuals I have worked with have shared how having a pharmacist listen to them about their medication concerns has been very meaningful and improved their well-being.” Another from California looked at this differently when they indicated that “[h]elping students manage their anxiety and balance their commitments comes with the role of faculty.”

7.57
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Low degree 10 = High degree

Problem Solving
[To what degree do you solve problems with tried-and-true alternatives versus untested alternatives in your work?]

Problem solving was rated mid-range, with a score of 4.98. Both tried-and-true and untested alternatives are important to the group.

A respondent from Wyoming stated, “In many ways our department is the ‘lead dog’ of academic detailing. Often there is not a ‘tried-and-true’ alternative. That being said, most situations can be modeled after the experiences of others.” Another from Indiana added: “Part of the improvement process in clinical practice and academic involves testing new ideas.”

4.98
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Tried and true 10 = Untested alternatives

Expertise
[How general or specialized is the expertise required in your work?]

Expertise can be defined in different ways; the clinical faculty rated this mid-range at 6.57.

A respondent from Alabama stated, “Although I work with patients with serious mental illness in particular, I perform comprehensive medication reviews and talk to patients about any medications they are taking.” Another from Illinois added: “Since my practice tends to focus on diabetes management, it is more specialized than general.”

6.57
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Generalized 10 = Specialized

Repetition
[To what degree is your work composed of activities and tasks that are highly repetitive versus highly variable?]

As is the case with most roles in academia, there is a certain amount or repetition. The respondents rated this factor at 6.07, mid-range.

A clinician from South Carolina responded, “I have a few different common patient visit types that are repeated each week. The extent to how much time I spend on each visit type varies from week to week, but overall, these visit types are repetitive (answering a specific drug information question, helping a patient transfer to a new pharmacy, educating patients on a new mental health medication, performing a comprehensive medication reconciliation).” Another from North Carolina stated, “My work varies a lot on the day to day, week to week. The only repetitiveness is on an annual basis (i.e., residency orientation planning every summer, flu clinics every October, same courses the same time each year).”

6.07
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Highly repetitive 10 = Highly variable

Applying Scientific Knowledge
[How much of your time is spent applying scientific knowledge in your work?]

Respondents rated their application of scientific knowledge at a mid-range of 5.66. However, when asked about the application of clinical knowledge, the group rated that factor in the high range at 8.05.

One respondent from California indicated that “[b]oth scientific and clinical knowledge are important in the training of students. Therefore, as a faculty member, helping students see the role each plays in their care for patients is an important aspect of what we do.”

5.66
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = No application 10 = High level of application all the time

Applying Clinical Knowledge
[How much of your time is spent applying clinical knowledge in your work?]

One respondent from Missouri stated, “In the majority of my work, you have to know the scientific background to be able to apply the clinical knowledge (mechanism of action [MOA], kinetics, etc.).” Another respondent from Indiana added: “I used scientific knowledge in setting up my research and clinical knowledge both in clinical practice and in my teaching.”

8.05
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = No application 10 = High level of application all the time

Parental Leave
[To what extent does your work setting offer parental leave opportunities?]

Parental leave was rated mid-range at 6.61 for the group.

A clinician from Alabama stated, “My university is very generous with its paid parental leave and with PTO/sick time.” Another from California added: “My institution has good parental leave opportunities. In addition, the flexibility in and control over my schedule allows for those situations where a child needs to be picked up because they are sick.”

6.61
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Limited opportunities 10 = Unlimited opportunities

Compensation
[To what degree do you feel compensated for your responsibilities in your work?]

Most in the group rated compensation in the mid-range, with a 6.36.

A clinician from Alabama stated, “As a general rule, faculty do not get paid as well as other clinical pharmacists in practice. However, they are compensated well, and it is important to look at all aspects of the job. Personal fulfillment doesn't usually come from the dollars earned but rather the importance of the work done.” Another from Missouri added, “I probably could make more money outside of academia, but I feel the flexibility is worth the lower salary.”

6.36
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Not well compensated 10 = Well compensated

Benefit Package
[How comprehensive is the employee benefit package offered in your work setting?]

Faculty feel that the benefits they receive are in the upper mid-range, rating this factor at 7.09.

One faculty member from Missouri truly summarized what others were stating in the following observation “In addition to regular benefits, I can audit other university courses, and my immediate family can have reduced tuition at a number of institutions that are affiliated.”

7.09
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Not comprehensive 10 = Very Comprehensive

Advice for students

Respondents had a variety of comments regarding advice for student pharmacists on this career path, including:

  • “Be comfortable with the unknown.”
  • • “Ask your faculty (more than one) about their career path to academia. Join AACP early on—it's extremely affordable as a student and great for networking. Seek out academia rotations and volunteer or work-study positions with the offices and departments within your school.”
  • “Enjoy the ability to self-start a project with much autonomy, along with being an expert in your field.”
  • • “It is a great opportunity to provide service to the community as well as having an influence with future pharmacist-practitioners.”
  • • “Working in academia provides an avenue of a solid work/life balance, but the work/work balance of teaching and clinical care is difficult.”

In addition, respondents provided information on what they see as the future of the practice area. Their comments are below:

  • “Important as we need to continue to advocate for change.”
  • “Innovations in curricular design and delivery.”
  • “The current downturn in student enrollment will likely moderate or reverse, as pharmacist contributions to patient safety and public health are more widely recognized by policy makers.”
  • • “AI will make many things easier but will also change things and provide more challenges in how we teach, publish, and conduct research/scholarship.”
  • • “Academia will likely undergo a thorough transformation in the next 5 years to move away from traditional examinations being the routine way of assessing knowledge to instead focus on skill and ability demonstration in simulations. This will be challenging for some in academia to grasp, but less so for those involved in lab-based teaching currently.”
  • “Both drug information and public health are in times of change right now; keeping up with the needs of society and health care will be interesting to watch.”

Critical Factors

Opportunities for Advancement 7.70
Leadership Development / Professional Involvement 9.00
Community Impact 8.52
Autonomy 8.45
Focus 6.82
Prestige 7.28
Creating Value / Positive Outcomes 8.52
Patient Relationships 6.18
Co-worker / Client Relationships 8.73
Writing / Conducting Research 4.45
Generating New Ideas 6.54
Supervision / Management 4.52
Patient Interaction 5.08
Public Interaction 3.05
Collaboration 6.84
Family Time / Leisure 5.84
Impact on Well-being 7.57
Problem Solving 4.98
Expertise 6.57
Repetition 6.07
Applying Scientific Knowledge 5.66
Applying Clinical Knowledge 8.05
Parental Leave 6.61
Compensation 6.36
Benefit Package 7.09

References / Resources

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Pharmacy Faculty Demographics and Salaries. Arlington, VA: AACP. Available at: www.aacp.org/research/pharmacy-faculty-demographics-and-salaries. Accessed June 1,2025.

Schommer JC, Brown LM, Sogol EM. Work profile factors identified from the Career Pathway Evaluation Program, 2018 Pharmacist Profile Survey. Am J Pharm Educ. 2019;83(10):7480.

Professional Organizations

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)

675 North Washington Street, Suite 220, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-2600 | www.amcp.org

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)

190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3000, Chicago, Illinois 60603-3446
(312) 664-3575 | www.acpe-accredit.org

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)

1400 Crystal Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 739-2330 | www.aacp.org

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)

Avedisian Hall, 7 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI 02881
(703) 556-0650 | www.aaps.org

American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP)

8055 O Street, Suite S113, Lincoln, NE 68510
(402) 476-1677| www.aapp.org

American College of Apothecaries (ACA)

2830 Summer Oaks Drive, Bartlett, TN 38134
(901) 383-8119 | www.acainfo.org

American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)

13000 West 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66215-4530
(913) 492-3311 | www.accp.com

American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE)

11325 Random Hills Road, Suite 360A-105, Fairfax, VA 22030
2530 Professional Road, Suite 202, Richmond, VA 23235 Tel: 804-285-4431 Fax: 804-612-6555
(571) 404-0471 | www.afpenet.org

American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

2215 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037
2530 Professional Road, Suite 202, Richmond, VA 23235 Tel: 804-285-4431 Fax: 804-612-6555
(202) 628-4410 | www.pharmacist.com

American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

1240 North Pitt Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 739-1300 | www.ascp.com

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)

4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, MD 20814
(866) 279-0681 | www.ashp.org

Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS)

2215 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 946-5026 | www.bpsweb.org

Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA)

555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(877) 467-2791 | www.hoparx.org

National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA)

2530 Professional Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23235
(804) 285-4431 | www.naspa.us

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)

1600 Feehanville Drive, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
(847) 391-4406 | www.nabp.pharmacy

National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)

1776 Wilson Blvd, Suite 200, Arlington, VA, 22209
703-549-3001 | www.nacds.org

National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP)

300 New Jersey Ave, NW, #900, Washington, DC 20001
(703) 842.0122 | www.naspnet.org

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)

100 Daingerfield Road, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-8200 | www.ncpa.org

National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA)

10810 North Tatum Boulevard, Suite 102-965, Phoenix, AZ 85028
(480) 405-9291 | www.nationalpharmaceuticalassociation.org

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

670 Maine Avenue, SW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20024
(202) 835-3400 | www.phrma.org

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