Critical factor ratings
Opportunities for advancement
[To what degree does your work allow for advancement?]
Chain pharmacists that are in a corporate role indicated that there are opportunities to advance with a
factor rating of 6.75. The main concern is based on the size of the operation. Larger national chains
have more available positions.
One respondent from California stated, “Positions in management in the area I work in are
plentiful—nobody wants the headache.” Another from Texas added, “I advanced quickly, but the corporate
team is relatively small so there are limited opportunities now.”
A respondent from Virginia had a different perspective when they said, “Unfortunately, the organization
does not take risks and moves too slow, management tends to promote from within.”
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?]
This factor varies by company in how they provide leadership development and how much professional involvement is supported. With a rating of 7.41, respondents lean toward the idea that opportunities are available.
A respondent from Virginia stated, “My company has SO many opportunities for leadership and professional development internally and externally. Continuing education, tuition reimbursement programs, leadership classes and programs, and sponsorship of external talent development programs as well.” Another pharmacist from Texas supported this thought by adding, “Company is supportive of involvement in professional organizations.”
An additional respondent from Pennsylvania indicated that their, “Leadership role (is) involved with budgeting, strategic planning, and education around pharmacy topics.”
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 is your work in terms of serving the community?]
Community impact is rated as an 8.00, a high-range response, which is the highest rating of any factor in this profile.
One respondent from California has had a very positive experience in serving the community, saying, “Business and (my professional) background has helped getting involved at the highest levels within the community. On governing board of a hospital system, leading a school task force to increase medical residency training, leading national and state government affairs committees.” Another respondent from Virginia added, “Community impact is directly related to vision and programs to address community needs.”
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?]
At a rating of 7.52, autonomy is the second highest rated factor for this profile.
Respondents indicated that they have some autonomy within their organization. One respondent from Pennsylvania said, “We run fairly independently, but do remain financial accountable to the organization that we are a part of.” Another from California added, “Levels of hierarchy still in play in the system but can submit decisions that do move forward.”
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?]
Respondents were mid-range with a 6.31 which has a slight lean toward tasks focused on the future. One pharmacist from Maine indicated, “We are constantly preparing for the future to expand our services to those in need.” Another from Pennsylvania added, “My work is more and more becoming future focused as my role expands from a doer to a leader.” Another from California had a slightly different perspective when they added, “Most days are so busy that we don't have time to develop or even think about the future.”
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 is defined differently by each of us. With a mid-range rating of 6.08, the group indicated that they have an average amount of professional prestige.
One respondent from Georgia provided a lengthily response and stated, “Community pharmacy sometimes gets a bad reputation from pharmacy schools and other associations, but we are a key part of our profession, not only by volume but, by our impact on patient health and outcomes as well. We are impacting the growth of our profession by expanding the services we offer in our community and through direct patient care. Every day, (community) pharmacists are functioning at the top of our license in so many ways.”
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?]
Respondents were mid-range with a 6.71 rating for this factor.
A respondent from Pennsylvania stated that they “Love to see the work that the clinical pharmacy team is doing and how it is improving patients lives.” A different respondent from Pennsylvania added, “My role allows me to apply all I've learned and grow via projects and interactions with many other departments in the system.”
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?]
It is interesting that some in these corporate roles do have some relationships with patients with a 4.96 mid-range response. This seems to indicate that some of the roles are involved in piloting newer programs with patients. One respondent from Maine highlighted this, saying, “We are successful not only because we put patients first but because we put people first.” Another from Pennsylvania added, “I do not have direct patient care responsibilities any longer but oversee those that do.”
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 = No ongoing/ long-term relationships
10 = All are long-term relationships
Coworker/client relationships
[To what degree do you have ongoing or long-term relationships with Coworkers or
clients?]
Respondents indicated that they have a longer-term relationship with coworkers and clients as they rated this factor a 7.38.
A respondent from California stated that they “Are no longer involved in direct pt care, but instead through patient stories or scenarios brought up by Coworkers. Many collaborative projects with Coworkers.” A different respondent from California added, “Maintaining a positive work environment focused on our community helps develop and maintain positive relationships.”
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 rated this factor as the lowest for the profile at 2.33. Many indicated that they do not spend much of their time writing or conducting research.
The most direct comment came from a respondent in California when they stated, “(I have) No time for this.”
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 are mid-range regarding using innovative thinking with a rating of 5.42.
A respondent from Kansas stated, “Many new ideas are decided and presented through corporate level meetings.” Another from Pennsylvania added, “Routinely looking for a better way. Lean daily management is part of routine, thus always looking for opportunities to improve and find a better way.”
On the other side of this, a respondent from California indicated that, “Most days we are just trying to keep up with day-to-day tasks.”
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?]
Most respondents indicated that they have some supervision/management activities with a mid-range rating of 6.92.
One respondent from Pennsylvania stated, “I oversee five direct reports and approximately 50–75 indirect reports at any given time; managing a full calendar of meetings and project completion deadlines requires organization; role is operational leadership so always have an element included.” Another from California added that, “Having staff that are able to work independently with just having to coach or answer questions nobody else wants to answer helps to make managing a team much easier.”
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?]
Respondents rated this factor in the low mid-rage at 4.13. Some do have patient interaction based on projects that they oversee or are developing.
A respondent from California indicated that “Nearly all interactions with patients are through telephone conversations.” Another from Maine added a different perspective when they stated, “A lot of what I do is building and implementing clinical programs to serve our patient populations and empowerment of our team to provide those clinical services.”
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?]
Public interaction is slightly higher that patient interaction with a 5.21 mid-range rating.
One respondent from Kansas stated, “I enjoy being able to interact with the public.” Another from Pennsylvania added, “Occasional public interactions at health center events.”
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?]
Respondents tend to collaborate with others based on the facto rating of 6.25.
A respondent from Maine looked at this factor in a more global sense when they stated, “We can only succeed when we work together as a team for the same patient care goals.” Another from Pennsylvania added that they “Work closely with other medical leadership roles (physicians, nurses).”
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 were mid-range with a rating of 5.42 relative to having time for family/leisure activities.
A respondent from Virginia put it bluntly when they stated that it is “Critical to have balance.” Another respondent from California added, “Maintaining a positive work life balance is a priority to having a great working relationship with staff and to ensure longevity of quality personnel.”
One respondent from Pennsylvania was very direct in taking the time when they indicated that “One of the keys is work life balance and knowing that tasks will wait until the next day so that family time can be fit in. Most of the time, I feel I have committed to ensuring this balance.”
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?]
This factor has a rating of 7.29, which is mid-range. The issue here is how one defines well-being and how one can impact others well-being.
A respondent from California indicated the importance of this area as they stated, “As a manager I want to see positive impact with staff to ensure needs are being taken care of before they negatively impact the workspace.” Another from Pennsylvania added that they “Try to make sure my staff has appropriate work/life balance.”
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?]
Respondents leaned toward leveraging tried-and-true solutions when looking at problem solving as they rated this factor at 4.83.
A respondent from California looked at both sides of the factor when they indicated, “Old fashioned listening goes a long way to understanding problems and often the solution presents itself. Sometimes it is necessary to think outside the box and develop solutions that are unique to an individual or a situation to produce that positive outcome.”
Another respondent from Pennsylvania summed this up when they stated, “Much of the work that we do is new–now that pharmacists are billable providers in Pennsylvania, we are looking to expand their scope of work in the health center.”
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?]
Most respondents indicated that they are mid-range with a rating of 5.21. This indicated that some use general expertise, which others may specialize in.
A respondent from California who works at the corporate side for a home care group stated, “Home care combines traditional inpatient as well as community pharmacy. Having great communication skills is important as well as all our interactions with patients and caregivers are through telephone conversations.”
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 noted in other profiles, repetition is seen in all areas of pharmacy—it is more of how you interpret the activities themselves. Respondents were again mid-range with a 5.33 rating.
One respondent from New Jersey stated, “New tasks/priorities come up almost every week—need to be able to juggle the routine with the new.” Another from California added that the corporate goal is to “treat each patient individually and develop care plans that adapt to each situation.”
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?]
Applying scientific knowledge was the second lowest rated factor at 3.83. This makes sense if you look at the responsibilities of those who respond to this question. There were no open-ended comments provided for this factor.
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?]
The application of clinical knowledge was slightly higher than the application of scientific knowledge with a rating of 5.29.
A respondent from California stated, “Monitoring patients on a weekly basis brings out our clinical skills...we collaborate with other health care professionals to ensure positive outcomes for patients.”
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?]
Respondents varied in their response to this factor as some do not have a need for parental leave. The overall rating was at 6.21.
A respondent from California provided the corporate information and indicated that all receive, “Twelve weeks for all parents.” Another from Pennsylvania added that, “Parental leave is for birth or adoption of child.”
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?]
There were two distinct viewpoints related to compensation. Overall respondents indicated a 6.83 rating for the factor with is in the mid-range of possibilities.
A respondent from Pennsylvania who rated this factor on the upper end of the spectrum indicted, “Salary is competitive but with years of experience currently max'd as far as salary goes.” On the other side is a respondent from Virginia who stated, “Unfortunately, leadership is looking for more reduction in cost and impact is on reduction of labor or salaries.”
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?]
Each person views the benefit package differently based on their individual/family needs. As a group, respondents rated this factor at 7.00.
One respondent from Texas shared that “(Our) 401k is average, vacation and time off is inadequate.” Another from Pennsylvania provided a broader response and added, “Great employee benefits inclusive of vacation time, insurance, discounts through corporate partner for travel, ability to purchase pet insurance, life insurance, focus on well-being. This is an area that the employer I work at does a great job!”
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 = Not comprehensive
10 = Very Comprehensive
Advice for student pharmacists
Practitioners’ advice to student pharmacists varied across many areas—all which looked at ways to gain additional information in this area as well as looking forward to the future. Below is a partial list of advice.
- “Lots of expansion and new therapy options.”
- “Larger role for pharmacists in chronic disease state management.”
-
“Take advantage of IPPE and APPE experiences to explore the field of pharmacy. There are so many different opportunities!”
-
“Unlimited opportunities!”
-
“Community-based residency helped prepare me for this role.”
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, IL 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
(571) 404-0471 | www.afpenet.org
American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
2215 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037
(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