Why More Pharmacists Are Exploring Nontraditional Roles
More pharmacists are moving into nontraditional roles within health care, driven by limited advancement opportunities, stagnant wages, and a growing desire for flexibility
The 2024 National Pharmacist Workforce Study shows a steady increase in pharmacists working in health care but not in traditional pharmacist roles.1 Many of these professionals no longer identify as actively practicing because they are not providing direct patient care, even though they still use their pharmacy knowledge in areas like informatics, leadership, managed care, or the pharmaceutical industry.
This trend reflects both the versatility of pharmacy training and the limitations within traditional roles. Pharmacists are highly educated in clinical care, business, and technology, allowing them to pursue a wide range of opportunities. However, traditional settings such as community and hospital pharmacy often lack clear paths for career advancement. In the study, only about 56% of pharmacists in these settings reported satisfaction with promotion opportunities.
Compensation and workplace flexibility also influence these career shifts. While nearly 70% of pharmacists expressed satisfaction with their pay, wage growth has not kept up with inflation. Additionally, many pharmacists are prioritizing well-being and seeking roles with more flexibility, such as remote work or better schedules.
As a result, more pharmacists are leveraging their expertise outside traditional roles, presenting both a challenge for staffing and an opportunity to redefine the future of the profession. Drug Topics® recently sat down with Brianne Bakken, PharmD, MHA, associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Nursing and an author on the National Pharmacist Workforce Study, to discuss the main factors driving pharmacists to leave the profession or retire earlier than expected.
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References
1. Mott DA, Bakken BK, Nadi S, et al. Final Report of The 2024 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. Pharmacy Workforce Center; Washington, DC, USA: 2024. Available online: https://www.aacp.org/article/national-pharmacist-workforce-studies
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