Critical factors ratings
Opportunities for Advancement
[To what degree does your work allow for advancement?]
Consultant pharmacists rated this factor at a mid-range 6.77.
One respondent from Arizonia looks at the opportunities for advancement as a positive when they stated, “I work as a consultant which provides me insights into the industry and provides opportunities.” Another respondent from Colorado had a slightly different perspective, “For entrepreneurs who have the passion, the field is currently wide open for those who have completed advanced practice training.”
A pharmacist from the District of Columbia added, “Developing management and administrative skills was an integral part of my professional advancement as it prepared me to be able to successfully take on large projects and implement pharmacy programs.” A different Arizona pharmacist who is new to the consulting area stated, “My business is in the growth phase, so I still work as a staff pharmacist elsewhere until I have well-established clients and have a need for assistance. I will have opportunities in the future for employment, growth, and more, especially since my company is so new.”
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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?]
Respondents rated this critical factor as the second highest for the group at 7.97.
A consultant from Kansas stated, “My company offers direct support for advanced training/credentialing, continuing pharmacy education (CPE) support, and professional involvement within reason.” Another respondent from Ohio added, “I continue to mentor pharmacy students, coordinate a psychiatric certificate program, and consult in neuropsychiatric pharmacy.”
One respondent from Arizona looked at this from the on-the-job learning when they said, “The variety of important projects I have undertaken have provided me with the opportunity to stretch my skills and always learn new ones.” A pharmacist from New Jersey added, “Part of my professional development included serving on a state board of pharmacy. This opened the door to many valuable learning and leadership opportunities.”
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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?]
Consultant pharmacists feel that they have an upper mid-range rating at 7.71 regarding community impact. Depending on the consultant’s role, and how they define their community, they may look at the impact differently.
One respondent from Puerto Rico stated, “The greatest impact or outcomes research is to develop observational research to highlight the value proposition of prescription drugs and vaccines which in turn improves access to patients.” Another respondent from New York indicated that they, “Contribute to the care of disabled and improve quality of care in long-term care facilities.”
A consultant from Ohio had a positive impact on the community as they have, “Spoken with thousands (regarding) COVID-19 issues in the community” Another respondent from North Carolina added, “My work though a community non-profit serves the community of need.”
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0 = Little impact
10 = High level of impact
Autonomy
[To what extent does your work allow for autonomy in decision making?]
Respondents indicated that they lean toward having a higher level of autonomy with a 7.82 rating.
A pharmacist from Iowa responded to autonomy based on years of experience, “As someone (who is) a few years into my position, I get a lot of autonomy to lead projects. People with less experience have more supervision.” Another from Ohio stated, “Mostly autonomous with input from the medical directors and collaborating providers.”
A respondent from Minnesota added, “Being a self-employed consultant is fabulous. You are able to pick and choose things that matter to you.” Another from New Jersey echoed this statement as they stated, “I'm self-employed, therefore I can pick and choose the work I want to perform.”
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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?]
Overall respondents indicated that they look to issues that are more focused on the future with a rating of 7.40.
A consultant from Kansas indicated, “My particular role is 75% direct patient care and 25% administrative function. That 25% of the time is future focused to improve our services and programs, although sometimes related to keeping up with day-to-day tasks and work.” Another respondent from Colorado put this simply, “Consultants are almost always helping clients plot a better future for themselves and their patients.”
A pharmacist from Ohio took a different view when they stated, “Part of the consulting services I provide relate to environmental scans to support strategic planning.” A legal consultant from Kentucky added, “In pharmacy law, you are always looking to see what impact the current regulations have on the future of pharmacy practice.”
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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 differently as a consultant dependent on your employment situation, self-employed or by a company. Respondents rated the factor in the upper mid-range at 7.54.
One consultant from Arizona highlighted the business side of prestige when they indicated, “My business has a reputation to build and maintain. I want clients to speak highly of my services so other clients may be interested. In order to build that relationship, we must be prestigious and treat the clients with respect. We must be excellent at communicating.” Another respondent from Colorado stated, “The prestige is much higher in this role with other professionals than from my peers. Not sure why.”
A pharmacist from Arizona highlighted the prestige that they receive when they stated, “I am recognized as a leader in psychiatric pharmacy practice in Arizona and through the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP).” Another consultant from the District of Columbia indicated, “The work I do results in visibility in the pharmacy community at the local and national levels.”
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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 rated this critical factor the highest for the group at 8.66.
A respondent from Maryland was very straightforward, “I advise others on how to be a force for constructive change in the profession.” Another respondent from Minnesota stated, “The projects I undertake touch a broad community of people and the majority involve creating change whether by new market research, education, strategic planning, or advocacy.”
A consultant from Ohio indicated that, “I feel gratified that I can contribute to betterment of the organization.” A different respondent from Ohio added, “Helping colleagues, patients and consumers to achieve their goals gives great satisfaction.”
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0 = Little extent
10 = High extent
Patient relationships
[To what degree do you have ongoing or long-term relationships with patients?]
Respondents were in the low-range with a 3.53 rating for patient relationships, meaning that they do not usually have long-term relationships.
One respondent from Arizona provided some insight to patient relationships when they stated, “My business is all about maintaining an ongoing relationship with clients and patients. Once a patient signs up for a service, a pharmacist calls them initially and then monthly, more or less, depending on the patient’s need. Building the relationship is necessary to develop trust.”
Another respondent from California provided the following, “It’s hard because most are extreme geriatrics (in their 8th–10th decade of life), and my clinic is supposed to be a one touch encounter and done. However, my patients remember me, and I try to form bonds with those at work with events outside of work.”
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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 are upper mid-range with a rating of 7.75 when looking at relationships with coworkers and clients.
One consultant from Wisconsin stated, “Coworkers, for the most part, have been with the company for years; facility staff has had some turnover over the past few years.” A respondent from Arizona added, “I have many long-term relationships with psychiatric practitioners and use Facebook for keeping connected. I do not keep long-term relationships with patients.”
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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 in the low mid-range for this critical factor at 4.50, meaning that they only engage in writing/conducting research some of the time. However, most seem to be involved in writing reports of some kind.
One respondent from Texas provided a unique perceptive when they stated, “Research/projects are for my department goals not for publication outside of our organization; would love to do research with a hospice or home health organization.” Another from Washington looked at this a little differently when they indicated they are, “researching constantly. Only deliver by knowing studies, not anecdotal.”
A consultant from Arizona provided a look at conducting research from the side of patient care, “[…s]ome time. There is a huge component of direct patient care and teaching, but completing projects is important.” A different pharmacist from Arizona provided the following, “The writing done for my work is mostly patient SOAP notes to cover what was discussed, logging of time, and coding correctly. The research I conduct currently is mostly business research at this point. I love research and can see as my business expands how research may be incorporated into it. For now, it is mostly writing.”
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0 = None of my time
10 = All my time
Generating new ideas
[To what degree does your work involve generating new ideas?]
Respondents were mid-range with a rating of 6.79 for this factor.
A consultant from Florida indicated that, “Each new client requires thought process for positive experiences.” Another respondent from New Jersey added, “People are looking for solutions when they hire a consultant. Sometimes that means the generation of new ideas.”
A pharmacist from South Dakota stated, “I am often asked to generate ideas and plans for new firms coming into the market space.”
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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?]
Consultants rated the factor of supervision/management as 4.38 based on the fact that many do not directly oversee others. This can differ if you are an employed consultant for a firm or organization where you complete your work.
One respondent from Minnesota stated, “I often have to manage subcontractors as well as running the business operation.” Another respondent from Wisconsin added, “No employees to manage. Business activities take little time.”
A different consultant from New Jersey provided the following information, “Often the work I'm doing is teaching others, or providing a structure for them to organize, manage, and supervise others.” Lastly, a consultant summed up what many do see in their roles, “Different consulting clients ask for differing levels of direct involvement in operations or supervision.”
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0 = None of my time
10 = All my time
Patient interaction
[How much time do you spend interacting with patients?]
For the most part, consultant pharmacists have little direct patient interaction–although it does depend on the project. This factor was rated in the low range of 3.06.
One consultant from Ohio highlighted the change in his business over time, “I have 30-minute appointments with patients 5 days a week. When I first started my business I would speak at community events but have not recently due to time constraints.” A respondent from Kansas had a different perspective when they indicated that, “75% of my time is scheduled for one-on-one medication/disease state reviews with patients. Outside of that, I do not interact much with the public anymore.”
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0 = None of my time
10 = All my time
Public interaction
[How much time do you spend interacting with the public?]
Similar to patient interaction, most respondents indicated little interaction with the public and rated the factor at 3.97. The difference is that some projects do require interaction with other experts.
A respondent from the District of Columbia stated, “My work is more on the policy development, administration, and management side. I interact with clients when doing policy review and consult visits.” Another consultant from Ohio added, “Various task forces in academic medicine allows this to be an important component.”
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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 rated collaboration in the high mid-range at 7.38.
One consultant from Colorado indicated that they, “Work closely with providers.” Another respondent from California added, “This is most of my work, orthopedics with protocol, therapists with medication reviews, and nursing with education.”
One pharmacist from Puerto Rico stated, “I am involved in collaborative research with other health professionals and colleagues. I also lecture at the school of pharmacy on topics related to pharmacy administration, Pharmacoeconomics, and outcomes research.” Another consultant from Arizona discussed collaboration in this way, “We collaborate with health professionals to notify them of anything that requires urgent attention for a patient. We will reach out to health professionals when necessary to make adjustments in treatments or protocols.”
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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?]
Many of the respondents feel that they do have the opportunity for leisure and family time–rating the factor at 7.03.
A respondent from Colorado stated, “While a successful business faces a heavy workload, there is always the option to decline assignments or find colleagues who can accept them. Additionally, consultants often have significant flexibility in exactly when and where they work.” Another from Minnesota added, “My schedule is driven by the projects I choose to take, and sometimes great opportunities come up that are unanticipated and then it impacts my ability to take time off. That said, for the most part, I can travel and spend leisure time when I want. This is very, very flexible, which is one of the best parts of my work. I do not have to fight for time off.”
One respondent from the District of Columbia provided information that they, “Have developed a well-balanced family and leisure. My professional and family life are in harmony.”
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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?]
Respondents were in the upper mid-range with a rating of 7.51 relative to the impact of individual well-being.
A respondent from California stated, “I hope at least 50% of the time I am improving care and helping our staff with stress of med issues.” Another consultant from Colorado who is in sports medicine added, “They are often identified as ‘an athlete’ it takes time building a trusted professional relationship to have a meaningful discussion about wellness that includes deprescribing and avoiding dietary supplements.”
A pharmacist from Ohio indicated, “My goal is to educate patients on ways to improve lifestyle, minimize need for medications, and improve outcomes.” A different consultant from Ohio was very direct in their response, “Family especially.”
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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 were mid-range at 5.30, indicating a mix of both processes.
A pharmacist from Kansas stated, “As an evidence-based practitioner, I am almost always using some sort of evidence to justify solutions and ideas. However, that often requires critical thinking to appropriately apply the tried-and-true solutions to unique scenarios both in patient care and organizational projects.” Another respondent from North Carolina added, “In obtaining a basic pharmacy degree, I was taught to seek alternative solutions through good practices.”
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0 = Tried and true
10 = Untested alternatives
Expertise
[How general or specialized is the expertise required in your work?]
Respondents indicated that they lean toward specialized expertise with a rating of 7.72.
A consultant from Pennsylvania who is in home health care provided the following, “It involves all of primary care issues plus orthopedics, surgery, wound, diabetes, heart disease, so generalized only specialty part is geriatrics (average age of patient population last I checked was 86 years old for our home health department).” Another practitioner from New York who works with the intellectual and developmentally disabled (I/DD) provided the following, “The I/DD population is unique. Regulatory expertise is specialized. Education and engaging presentations take a special skill set.”
Another respondent from Texas who consults with correctional institutions added, “You have to be experienced in correctional medicine and in the practice of health care and administration to perform this role.”
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0 = Generalized
10 = Specialized
Repetition
[To what degree is your work composed of activities and tasks that are highly repetitive versus highly variable?]
Respondents are mid-range with a 5.81 rating for repetition.
A respondent from New Jersey provided the following information, “Each day brings opportunities. There are patterns to the work I perform, but the application of those principles is highly varied, based on the business or practice setting.” Another respondent from Colorado stated, “Same process; different patients.”
Another consultant from Arizonia stated, “While the work may be repetitive (calling patients, logging time, and coding) every patient is different, so the information will be different for every patient. The repetition will be noted when calling the same patients month after month.”
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0 = Highly repetitive
10 = Highly variable
Applying scientific knowledge
[How much of your time is spent applying scientific knowledge in your work?]
Respondents rated applying scientific knowledge at 6.06.
A respondent from Arizonia was clear that, “Pharmacists really need the clinical and scientific background to quickly and efficiently work.” Another from Minnesota supported this idea and stated, “I use both of these knowledge bases in each project I do.”
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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?]
Respondents rated applying clinical knowledge slightly higher than scientific knowledge with a rating of 6.75.
One respondent from Michigan stated that, “Clinical commentaries provided in one component of my job is 100% application of clinical knowledge.” Another from Kansas added, “I provide direct patient care and teach/precept learners, so basically all of my time requires using clinical expertise for patient care and often applying researched principles for precepting/teaching.”
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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 rated parental leave as mid-range at 5.19. It should be noted that many respondents indicated they do not have a need for this factor.
One consultant from Ohio stated, “Since I own my own business, my schedule is primarily my own. I could take parental leave if I were in that phase of life, but it would be unpaid.” Another respondent from the District of Columbia added, “The work hours are very flexible.”
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0 = Limited opportunities
10 = Unlimited opportunities
Compensation
[To what degree do you feel compensated for your responsibilities in your work?]
Compensation was rated as a mid-range score at 6.88. One item to consider is that everyone defines compensation differently. What one may feel is fairly compensated, another may not agree.
A consultant from Kentucky was straightforward and stated, “Could always be better.” Another respondent from Arizona added, “My private practice allows me to charge for my time and providing consultations.”
One respondent from Colorado listed their concerns, “The main challenge to consultants is to not give away too much ‘free milk’ to some clients who feel free to continue asking questions but are sometimes slow to pay.”
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0 = Not well compensated
10 = Well compensated
Benefit package
[How comprehensive is the employee benefit package offered in your work setting?]
Respondents rated this factor at the lowest end of the mid-range at 4.00. What is interesting is the number who are self-employed who are concerned about this as well.
One respondent from Colorado summed this up when they stated, “Most/many consultants are self-employed, and even if working with a consulting group, benefit packages are often limited.” Another respondent from Minnesota added, “I have my own 401K plan, HSA, find my own health care plan etc. I draw funds from my business when I want vs. paying myself a salary.”
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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.
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“Opportunities are unlimited if industry starts to realize value of efforts.”
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“Continuing innovation to address the profession's challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities.”
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“We will continue to see growth in ambulatory and community practice and expertise will be needed to guide that growth.”
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“Go for it and make it what you want.”
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“Management consulting, especially in pharmacy, has a strong future as organizations seek specific expertise and support.”
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“Pursue it and invest in the training needed to get there. Keep an open mind and focus on developing soft skills that translate to patient care and business.”
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 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