Elite Pharmacy Jobs

Elite Pharmacy Jobs Are The Most Commonly Selected As The Top Career Ambition Among Pharmacy Students.

Research carried out as part of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's investigation into the pharmacy workforce has shown that elite pharmacy jobs are the most commonly selected as the top career ambition among pharmacy students.

The findings appear in a new report, “Pharmacy undergraduate student career choices and expectations across a four-year degree programme”. The study, commissioned by the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust - founded and funded by the Society - and undertaken by a research team at Aston University, had the aims of contributing to the Society’s ongoing programme of study of the pharmacy workforce by establishing a baseline of careers aspirations, motivations and expectations of students across the UK.

The report reviews student entry data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service over the past four years and shows trends within the diverse population recruited into pharmacy.

The study also explores students’ motivations, influences on them, factors affecting their choice of school of pharmacy, their perceptions of career image, their future career ambitions, issues around their work-life balance and influences of the school of pharmacy.

The survey was carried out in 2005 among first-year and final-year students from 13 UK schools of pharmacy. Some of the key findings were:

• Elite pharmacy jobs were the most important influence

• Universities play a key role in influencing student decisions through open days and visits

• Work experience was the strongest positive personal influence upon students

• The option of working full time until retirement was not the accepted pattern for future work

• Between a third and a half of students were considering part-time or locum employment as their future work pattern even at first-year stage

• Only 8 per cent of first-year students and 12 per cent of final-year students saw their future as employees in community pharmacy but interest in community pharmacy ownership was strong, particularly from male and Asian students

• Community pharmacy ownership was the most commonly selected top career ambition

Keith Wilson, lead researcher of the Aston University research team, said: “The study was based upon a model of rational choice theory. Although some of the findings confirmed what was already expected or partially known, we concluded that from the students’ perspective they were making rational choices about their future career in pharmacy, which were heavily influenced by employment prospects and in turn elite pharmacy jobs.

“However, in many respects, career ambitions of students were out of line with current employment trends, notably in the decreasing opportunities for pharmacy ownership.”

Professor Wilson added: “It was notable that there was hardly any difference between the views and perceptions of first- and final-year students. On a positive note, even after four years’ study the vast majority were certain they had made the right choice.”