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Health System

Pharmacists in hospitals and health systems ensure safe and effective medication use by verifying orders, dispensing, managing inventory, and supporting clinical teams. They collaborate with physicians, nurses, and other providers to optimize therapy, educate patients and staff, and prevent medication errors. These roles offer the opportunity to make a direct impact on patient safety and care quality while working in fast-paced, team-based environments.

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 factor ratings
  • Critical factors
  • References/resources
  • Professional organizations

Background

Pharmacists who work in health system settings, be that a hospital or health care system, focus on patient safety and effective treatment, involving dispensing medications, providing patient and staff education, managing medication therapy, ensuring legal compliance, and overseeing pharmacy operations. They may also supervise and mentor pharmacy technicians.

Daily, this involves dealing with challenges like managing high prescription volumes, ensuring accurate and efficient medication dispensing, and providing quality patient consultations within limited time frames. Pharmacists also navigate insurance information issues and formulary restrictions while making informed decisions about medication selection and dosing. An additional area is collaborating to prevent medication errors and improve patient outcomes, while maintaining medication inventory and keeping updated on drug information.

Key roles and responsibilities include:

  • Collaboration
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Inventory management
  • Recordkeeping
  • Problem solving

Characteristics

A total of 76 staff pharmacists in health system practice responded to the 2024–2025 APhA Career Pathways Program Survey. Twenty percent of the respondents completed a residency, and 2.6% completed a fellowship. Fifteen percent also completed an additional degree: MS (5.26%) and two respondents received both an MBA and MPH. One respondent also listed they received a PhD.

Information provided indicated that pharmacists in this profile have an average age of 41 years old. The median salary for a health system pharmacist falls between $126,000 and $151,000 annually. The median total pay is around $144,460. Total pay can include bonuses that are dependent on the specific position and the organization.

Health system pharmacists work on average of a 40-hour week. A total of 67.1% of respondents indicated that they work nights and weekends. Eleven percent indicated that they travel for work. Dependent on the facility, some may work the typical 8-hour shift, some 10-hour shifts, and others are 7-days on then, then 7-days off.

Sixty staff pharmacists responded directly to a question about what they felt was an important skill for their role. The group provided numerous responses to the open-ended question. Three primary skills stood out the most: communication skills (11.8%), clinical knowledge/skills (9.21%), and flexibility (6.60%).

One respondent from Virginia stated, “Being able to communicate with patients and other health care providers.” Another respondent from New York added, “Strong clinical skills and a balanced, commonsense approach to providing patient care.”

A pharmacist from California indicated that they have, “Flexibility, wide array of knowledge (feel like I know a little about a LOT of things but better than knowing a LOT about only a few things).” A different respondent from California provided the following, “Communication skills, empathy, enthusiasm for health education.” One additional pharmacist from Ohio stated, “Clinical skills and the ability to interact with nursing. We handle all their issues daily.”

Insider’s perspective

Respondents listed the following critical factors as those being the most important to them. Please note that a factor can rank highly based on wanting the factor or wanting to avoid the factor. As an example, some may rank repetitive activities as a top factor as this is something that they want or look to avoid in their practice. The factors listed below are based on the number of respondents who indicated these would be the top five factors they would like to have in a role. Note that there are 25 total critical factors from which to select. Please note that a couple of the factors have similar percentages.

Top 5 – first tier

Of interest are the two areas that were rated the same across the group.

  • Collaborating with health professionals (27.6%)
  • Application of knowledge (e.g., clinical or scientific) (19.7%)
  • Leisure and family time (11.8%)
  • Compensation (13.2%)
  • Ongoing coworker/client relationships (13.2%)

In addition to the top 5 factors, the second tier of critical factors are listed below. Note that four of the factors, application of knowledge (e.g., clinical or scientific), ongoing coworker/client relationships, compensation, and leisure and family time are also listed in the top 5 first tier.

Top 5 – second tier

  • Application of knowledge (e.g., clinical or scientific) (22.4%)
  • Ongoing coworker/client relationships (13.3%)
  • Compensation (15.8%)
  • Leisure and family time (11.8%)
  • Problem solving (10.5%)

One respondent from Georgia indicated that, “Having a great team really makes the most difference with morale and mental health.” A different respondent from Georgia looked at their ongoing collaborations and added, “Always discussing orders and administration with nurses or physicians.” Another from Minnesota supported this statement by adding, “I enjoy working with other health professionals to solve drug related problems.”

Another pharmacist from Indiana stated, “I work 7 on/7 off and I love this schedule which allows me to have a life besides pharmacy but still be immersed in work during the time I work.” One respondent from California added, “Pharmacists are well compensated for their dedication to patient care and their many years of education required to be a part of this field of health care.”

There are many rewarding and challenging experiences in being a staff pharmacist in a health system setting. Sixteen percent of the respondents indicated that working with patients was a rewarding experience. Twelve percent of the respondents indicated that another rewarding aspect is being part of the overall team of pharmacists, nurses, and physicians. One challenging area was listed by 9.2% of the respondents—keeping up with new advances and interventions. Numerous other areas were highlighted by the respondents.

A respondent from New Jersey stated it is “So rewarding to see a discharge home for a long-stay neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Hoping for the best outcomes, it is rewarding when a NICU graduate returns for a visit with their family.” Another respondent from Minnesota added it is rewarding, “Feeling like an important part of the hospital team.” Supporting these statements was a respondent from Illinois who indicated, “Rewarding–mutual respect of other health care providers.”

A couple of additional rewarding and challenging statements from respondents include one from California, “Rewarding–that you have saved or improved a life. Challenging–staffing levels, sick calls affecting your day-to-day assignments.” A respondent from Wisconsin stated, “The most rewarding experiences are patient interactions through counseling on new oral chemotherapy medications. The most challenging experience is coordinating inpatient chemotherapy with the interprofessional health care team.”

A couple of additional rewarding and challenging statements from respondents include one from the North Carolina, “Most rewarding would be seeing the improvement in patient functional status. Most challenging is optimizing therapies in patients with low health literacy or limited access to care.”

Twenty-three percent indicated that work schedule is an additional factor that is important to them. In addition, the following factors were also listed as important factors to consider: pressure/stress (15.8%), self-worth/value (10.5%), and job security and geographic work location flexibility both at 6.58%.

The staff pharmacists that work in health system settings listed a variety of responses that they consider highlights of their career and where they see the future of the role. Several of the responses are listed below:

  • “Patients and families calling back personally to thank me.”
  • “Helping new pharmacists succeed and thrive.”
  • “Serving as president of the Connecticut Pharmacists Association.”
  • “Earning the mutual respect of other healthcare professionals in settings where the pharmacist historically did not challenge or otherwise interact with others.”
  • “Artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in improving efficiency in the practice of hospital pharmacy.”
  • “Increased autonomy and clinical decision making.”
  • “I see hospital staff leaning on the pharmacy even more as patients continue to have more chronic health problems.”

Most appealing aspects

What aspects of the role are most appealing?

Respondents listed several different aspects that are appealing. Helping people/patients was listed by 11.8% of the pharmacists. An additional 10.8% listed their schedule as the most appealing aspect of the role. Several other appealing aspects were included in the comments highlighted below:

One respondent from Alabama stated, “I love having direct impact on patient care.” Another from Wisconsin added, “The most appealing aspect is the schedule/work hours. I work during the day shift and only have infrequent (~every 6-8 weeks) weekend staffing responsibilities.”

A pharmacist from Massachusetts indicated that they, “Love clinical work. Love working at night and collaborating with PA's at night!” One additional respondent from Minnesota provided the following, “I enjoy working with my colleagues in the pharmacy department. We are a hardworking bunch that looks out for each other and help each other.”

Least appealing aspects

What aspects of the role are least appealing?

Respondents listed several different aspects that are least appealing. One specific area stood out as a least appealing role—repetition (9.21%). Work schedule was also listed as the least appealing aspect (in addition to being listed as one of the appealing aspects) by 7.89% of the respondents. There were also numerous other aspects listed by the respondents. Some are captured below in the comments:

One respondent from Georgia stated a least appealing aspect is the, “Repetitive nature of dispensing role and antiquated computer system.” Another from Ohio added, “Endless required and repetitive competencies.”

A respondent from Washington indicated a least appealing aspect was, “Managerial directives that come to the staff, with no input from staff.” Another staff pharmacist from New Jersey responded with one word, “Stress.”

Advice

What advice should student pharmacists and practitioners consider when selecting a position as a health system staff pharmacist?

Sixteen percent of the respondents listed the importance of learning in pharmacy school as well as continuing lifelong learning once in practice. Another 11.8% listed good communication skills as an important skill to have. Several other considerations were provided by the staff pharmacists, and a sample of the comments are listed below:

  • “Continue learning and taking-in all the knowledge that you can. Always respect other professions. Be kind to patients/coworkers/families. Do not take all the information learned in school for granted.”
  • “Remember the importance of who you are doing this work for by influencing the health and well-being of your patients.”
  • “Be open to continued learning and good communication skills.”
  • “Pursue your dreams. It may seem farfetched now, but your short- and long-term goals will come true as long as you continue to persevere.”
  • “Be careful about the practice setting you choose as it can make a big difference in your well-being. Work in a practice setting that fills you up, rather than depletes you.”
  • “Explore all your opportunities and find what practice area feels right for you. It might take a few different shifts and roles within the inpatient setting to feel comfortable. It generally takes about two years to fully learn all the tasks and skills to be successful. You will also learn something new every day.”

Critical factor ratings

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

Respondents rated the opportunities for advancement in the mid-range with a score of 5.00.

One respondent from Wisconsin indicated that, “There are a limited number of oncology pharmacist coordinator roles available in our health system. There are many opportunities to move laterally (e.g., training in a clinic, inpatient, and investigational role).” Another respondent from Georgia stated, “Only current opportunity for advancement is entering management.”

A different pharmacist from Georgia provided the following, “I will be promoted to manager soon and our director position has been open twice. They like to choose internal applicants.” A pharmacist from Minnesota added, “I work at a small hospital pharmacy, so besides becoming the director there is little opportunity for advancement.”

5.00
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?]

Respondents rated this factor in the mid-range with a of 5.51.

One staff pharmacist from Georgia indicated, “Being a pharmacist alone automatically puts one in a position of leadership. Every day I am using my leadership skills to bring our team together and I read a lot of books on leadership to grow and learn. To be a leader is to always be a student.” Another from Minnesota added, “I am encouraged to be involved in multidisciplinary workgroups/committees in my organization. My organization values pharmacy input.”

A respondent from Massachusetts had a different perspective when they stated, “The organization is currently concentrating on pharmacy residents and technicians. Leadership development and formal professional development are a low priorities for the staff pharmacists.” A different pharmacist from Massachusetts supported this view and indicated there is, “Nothing available for leadership skills, professional growth with medication information. Pharmacy is not a priority for the institution, and no one is lobbying. Pharmacy always has a lean crew, with no time to fully commit to an impactful project.”

Finally, a staff pharmacist from Illinois provided a broader approach to the statement, “most roles allow for ‘leadership’ opportunities if you do not equate leadership with advancement or titles. Leadership is much broader and includes working independently, being proactive with ideas, formulary suggestions, and inter- (as well as) intra-departmental relationships.”

5.51
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?]

Respondents rated community impact the highest factor for the group at 7.06, a mid-range rating.

One respondent from Indiana felt that they were in a group that has a high level of impact when they explained, “High impact but only to the extent the patients served must have been in the hospital. This is a trauma level one hospital, and we get traumas from all over the area and as a pediatric hospital, we have intensive care for neonates and pediatrics as specialty areas.” Another respondent from Massachusetts felt that their institution also has community impact when they stated, “We serve a vulnerable community. The hospital is needed.”

Aa staff pharmacist from California indicated, “It is hard to see the benefits in the community from my position. We always try to look out for what is best for the patient, but it is really hard to observe the direct impact.” Another respondent from Alabama supported this thought when they added, “I serve vulnerable populations, but I have limited direct patient care opportunities in my role.”

7.06
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?]

Respondents rated autonomy in the mid-range with a score of 6.26.

One pharmacist from Georgia stated, “We have a very strict formulary and many processes in place that must be followed.” Another respondent from New Jersey agreed with this thought and added, “We work within protocols and order sets already built into our electronic medical record (EMR), Epic. Going outside of that is not encouraged.”

A different respondent from Georgia had a different perspective and indicated, “My current manager allows much autonomy as long as the patient is the priority.” Another pharmacist from Virginia stated, “I currently have a great deal of flexibility in how my time is spent.”

6.26
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?]

Health system staff pharmacists lean toward immediate tasks compared to being focused on the future with a factor rating of 4.25.

One respondent from New Jersey put it simply, “It is a very busy hospital. Trying to be available for other causes is an obstacle to getting things done.” Another from Massachusetts added, “We are more reactive than proactive.”

A respondent from Georgia looked at the possibility of future focus and stated, “We may look at future changes during meetings, but on a day-to-day basis, we focus mostly on patients.” Another from New York indicated, “We are so short staffed that it is hard to look past the current moment. The future is usually not discussed because the issues of the immediate moment are much more urgent to deal with.”

4.25
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?]

Health system staff pharmacists rated prestige with a mid-range score of 5.25.

One pharmacist from New Jersey felt positive about their prestige and stated, “I feel our institution holds high prestige, my work in the institution is vital and appreciated. Feels like a high prestige position.” A different respondent from New Jersey indicated, “There’s a certain amount of mutual respect amongst other professions within the community.”

One the other side of this, a respondent from Washington provided the following, “Outside the workplace, pharmacy is well-regarded; not so much within this workplace.” Another respondent from Georgia added, “In my work environment, coworkers generally have a lot of respect for our role in the healthcare team but outside of the hospital I do not sense an element of prestige to a great degree.”

5.25
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 rated this factor with a score of 6.15, leaning toward a higher level of creating value/positive outcomes.

A health system pharmacist from California stated, “I feel personally fulfilled and value of positive outcomes when we are able to save lives. Internally, I know that I can make a difference on a daily basis.” A different pharmacist from California added, “Some interactions with MDs/psychologists are great and they're so thankful to have us watching out for them.”

Another respondent from New Jersey stated, “I wish I had more time for personal fulfillment.”

6.15
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?]

Health system staff pharmacists rated patient relationships in the low range at 2.03. This makes sense based on the role that some have is not patient facing or long-term.

One respondent from Georgia stated, “I hardly ever see a patient face-to-face.” Another from California added I work with, “Psychiatric patients, so no long-term relationships other than if they are here for a long time and remain on the same unit.”

2.03
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 rated the relationship with coworkers and clients in the mid-range at 6.08.

A respondent from Indiana stated, “I know no patients since I work in a hospital pharmacy department. However, I have a good working relationship with my coworkers and would call some of the pharmacists I work with good friends.” This was supported by another respondent from Georgia who added, “My coworkers and I will attend each other’s weddings and host baby showers for each other.”

A different pharmacist from Georgia indicated, “We have an excellent coworker environment (pharmacy staff, nurses, doctors, etc.).”

6.08
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 writing/conducting research as the lowest rated critical factor for the group with a score of 1.35.

One respondent from New Jersey stated, “I spend almost no time writing. I write a nightly summary of the daily issues for the overnight crew. It is usually brief and repetitive.” One other pharmacist from California indicated, “Unfortunately, I have not been very involved in research in my current role. I believe that it is important to write and share information, but I have yet to do much in my career.”

1.35
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 rated the generation of new ideas in the low mid-range with a rating of 4.09.

One staff pharmacist from Connecticut stated, “I constantly bombard my supervisor with ideas for motivating the staff, streamlining some of our processes or solving supply problems. I would not say I am very successful in any of these areas.” Another from Minnesota added, “Pharmacy staff is encouraged to share new ideas.”

Another respondent from California indicated that, “Technology is so old we have had to come up with creative work-a-rounds.”

4.09
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?]

Respondents rated this factor in the low mid-range with a score of 4.34.

One staff pharmacist from California indicated, “As a lead pharmacist, I am always supervising the work of technicians, student pharmacists and interns. I provide operational guidance on a daily basis. We often need to provide instructions on what to do for drug shortages.” A different pharmacist from California added, “Pharmacy technicians and daily workflow.”

One respondent from Indiana stated, “I am not a manager, and there are multiple managers in my department, so most managing is done by them. However, during the evening and night shifts, there are often staffing issues. I have to take on that responsibility to find replacement staff to cover a shift. This usually happens once or twice a week.”

4.34
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?]

Patient interaction is rated in the low range with a score of 2.69.

One respondent from Indiana provided the following, “My time is spent with nurses and doctors, none with patients directly.” Another from New Jersey added, “We do not have a practice that includes counseling patients or caregivers at this time.”

2.69
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 one of the lowest rated factors with a score of 1.74.

A respondent from New York indicated, “(Most of my) interactions are with professional staff at facilities.” Another respondent from California added, “I usually staff in the inpatient pharmacy so it's behind locked doors and away from the public view.”

1.74
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?]

Health system pharmacists indicated collaborating with other health care professions received a mid-range rating of 6.20.

One respondent from California stated, “I speak to health care providers throughout the day. Most of the time it is to talk about the formulary selections or drug dosing recommendations. Antibiotic stewardship is a common area for education.” Another respondent from New Jersey added, “At my institution, that is more the clinical pharmacist's domain. I will answer questions at the window and then defer often.”

Another respondent from Connecticut indicated, “Once in a while a nurse, physician assistant, doctor will call and ask for help with dosing or choosing a medication.”

6.20
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?]

Family and leisure time was rated with a mid-range score of 6.00.

A staff pharmacist from California indicated, “It is really hard to get time off for leisure or family activities. You miss a lot of special events because the hospital is open 24/7. I usually have to work on major holidays.” Another respondent from Virginia was concerned that the “Job is very stressful and weird hours. I wish I had more leisure time.”

A different respondent from California provided a unique perspective when they stated, “Some of us have alternate work schedules (i.e., four 10-hour shifts in a row) and a day off during the week with no nights and no weekends (on-call pharmacist).”

6.00
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?]

Health system staff pharmacists rated impact on well-being as the second highest critical factor with a score of 6.95.

One respondent from California stated, “I make an effort to try to improve the well-being of others in my department and patients which are served at my facility. I hope that I am making an impact, but I'm not really sure.” Another respondent from Virginia added, “I think I really help others feel better and make interventions that improve health.”

Another respondent from New Jersey indicated that, “I have an impact on my technician's well-being, they have influence over mine.”

6.95
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 rated problem solving as a low mid-range factor at 4.49.

One pharmacist from Virginia stated, “If the tried-and-true methods work that's great but if they do not, we try untested alternatives.” Another respondent from Virginia supported this by adding, “Most things are evidence based but some have to be creative.”

Another respondent from New Jersey was blunt in their response when they said, “Untested alternatives sound scary to me.”

4.49
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?]

Respondents were again in the low mid-range when looking at the expertise they provide with a rating of 4.65.

One respondent from California stated, “I believe the work is fairly generalized. There are a few areas like critical care that are a specialty but in general, inpatient does not require a high degree of expertise.” Another respondent from Minnesota added, “As a pharmacist in a small community hospital, you deal with a wide variety of patients and drug-related problems. I enjoy learning something new nearly every day.”

A different viewpoint was presented by a pharmacist from New Jersey who works in the NICU when they indicated, “NICU pharmacy experience is specialized.”

4.65
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?]

Respondents react differently to this factor as some like repetition and others do not. Overall, the respondents rated this factor at 4.20, which is a low mid-range response leaning to the role being more repetitive.

A respondent from New Jersey stated, “There is much comfort in repetition for me.” Another from California supported this when they added, “A LOT of the work is highly repetitive.”

A different pharmacist from California had a slightly different perspective and indicated, “Some tasks are repetitive, but every day is different because each day the patient census changes. The concepts are similar, but each patient case is unique.”

4.20
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 the application of scientific knowledge at 4.67, which is a lower mid-range rating.

One pharmacist from New Jersey stated, “Scientific knowledge, like the chemistry of parenteral nutrition admixtures is relevant. Clinical knowledge, like how studies were conducted, how a medication was given in the relevant study, which can come up every day.”

4.67
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?]

Respondents rated the application of clinical knowledge at 6.92, which is much higher than the application of scientific knowledge.

One respondent from California indicated that, “Inpatient pharmacy requires critical thinking and clinical rationalization continuously. The science that we learn is school is a foundational key to success.”

6.92
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 rated parental leave at the mid-range with a score of 5.16. One must take into consideration that not all staff pharmacists have a need to leverage the benefit.

One respondent from Virginia stated, “I got 12 weeks of unpaid leave through FMLA, but I opted to use 8 weeks of short-term-disability benefits that were allowed to be for a c-section. Through short-term disability, I received less than half of what my usual pay is for those 8 weeks.” Another pharmacist from California added, “Baby bonding is available for both parents based on CA state laws.”

Another respondent from New Mexico indicated, “FMLA available but need to have earned leave to get paid.” A pharmacist from Virginia who works at an institution with a different policy stated, “No maternity or parental leave. Only FMLA and disability.”

5.16
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?]

Respondents listed compensation as in the mid-range with a rating of 6.49.

A pharmacist from Virginia stated, “Compensation could be better given high level of expertise, but we are publicly funded.” Another respondent from California added, “Sometimes, there is no price that can match the wear and tear on the body, mind and soul. But in general, I do believe that pharmacists are well compensated.”

A different pharmacist from Virginia looked at this differently and indicated that they feel the “Compensation is fine, need more staffing.”

6.49
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?]

Respondents feel that the benefit package they receive is somewhat comprehensive with a mid-range rating of 6.56.

A respondent from California stated, “Medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage. There are also employee discounts for various companies.” Another respondent from Georgia added, “PTO, health insurance, 401k match, employee stock discount, student loan money, infertility coverage.”

A respondent from New Jersey indicated, “There are a lot of benefits, though there is a cost associated with them. There was a recent wellness program (nutrition and lifestyle goals) that was of no cost to us. It was useful and comprehensive.”

6.56
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 = Not comprehensive 10 = Very Comprehensive

Advice for students

Respondents provided advice across several areas and what the future brings. An increase in responsibilities was listed by 9.21% of the staff pharmacists. Information from several of the pharmacists is listed below:

  • “Continuing to learn, gain experience, and grow. I hope to be in an even more clinical role in the future. I’m also a preceptor, so just having students in the future.”
  • “More clinical involvement and collaboration.”
  • “Payment for clinical pharmacist services.”
  • “More responsibility.”
  • “Improved technology, increased volume, more individualized medicine choices.”
  • “I see a more active role in pharmacists meeting patients face to face.”

Critical factors

Opportunities for advancement 5.00
Leadership development/professional involvement 5.51
Community impact 7.06
Autonomy 6.26
Focus 4.25
Prestige 5.25
Creating value/positive outcomes 6.15
Patient relationships 2.03
Coworker/client relationships 6.08
Writing/conducting research 1.35
Generating new ideas 5.85
Supervision/management 4.09
Patient interaction 4.34
Public interaction 2.69
Collaboration 1.74
Family/leisure time 6.20
Impact on well-being 6.00
Problem solving 6.95
Expertise 4.49
Repetition 4.20
Applying scientific knowledge 4.67
Applying clinical knowledge 6.92
Parental leave 5.16
Compensation 6.49
Benefit package 6.56

References/resources

Schommer JC, Sogol EM, Brown LM. Work profile factors identified from the career pathway evaluation program, 2018 pharmacist profile survey. Am J Pharm. 2019;83(10):7480.

Pharmacists Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available at: www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm Accessed August 1, 2025.

Staff pharmacist demographics and statistics in the US. Zippia. Available at:www.zippia.com/staff-pharmacist-jobs/demographics/ Accessed August 1, 2025.

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

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