Pharmacy Times: Pharmacist Job Market Plunges to 10-Year Low

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steveysmith54

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Now may be a good time to think about moving to Alaska.

In the last part of 2015, the pharmacy job market took its steepest nosedive in 10 years, according to data collected by the Pharmacy Workforce Center. Notably, this drop was observed in every region of the country.

As a pharmacist, I have watched this job market trend for many years. Although the overall availability of pharmacist jobs has been trending downward for a decade, even I was shocked to see such a sharp decline.

More than half of the United States currently has a surplus of pharmacists, meaning the number of pharmacists looking for jobs outweigh the number of jobs available. This information comes from the Pharmacy Workforce Center’s January 2016 newsletter, which reflects the most recently collected data from November 2015.

Information about the pharmacy job market is submitted confidentially by employer panelists on a monthly basis and collected as part of an ongoing project. The data are then translated into a number on a scale of 0 to 5, which is known as the Aggregated Demand Index (ADI).

The ADI uses a 5-point scale to measure the availability of jobs relative to the number of applying pharmacists. A score of 5 would indicate a much larger pool of jobs than pharmacists, while a score of 1 would indicate a much larger pool of pharmacists than jobs. A score of 3 would indicate a relative balance between available jobs and available pharmacists.

For the first time ever, the overall ADI for pharmacist jobs has fallen below 3 (2.96), meaning the “average” situation is a surplus of pharmacists throughout the country.

Of course, there is going to be a margin of error, and we might see some correction when the next cycle of panelist information is reviewed. But as of now, the pharmacist job market seems to be at its lowest point in the last 10 years.

Some areas of the country are better for pharmacists than others. For example, pharmacists interested in working in Alaska can pretty much pick their job out of a hat.

The ADI in Alaska is at 4.75, which is nearly a 10-year high for the state. On the other end of the spectrum is Massachusetts, which is showing the highest surplus of pharmacists in the nation with an ADI of 1.75. New England is the worst region in the United States with an ADI of 2.13 overall.

What does all of this mean for pharmacists and pharmacy students? Allow me to offer a few insights for you to consider.

First, let’s be honest about the data and the trend. No one taking an honest look at the information can come away with a positive impression of the pharmacist job market for the future. It has been tracking downward for a decade.

Yes, this recent drop is unusually steep, but even if the data moderate over the next couple of months, it won’t change the trend. The data just don’t support an optomistic outlook.

Second, let’s be clear about the source of the problem. There are too many pharmacy schools and they aregraduating too many students. There is no mechanism for slowing down pharmacy school multiplication aside from the natural forces of supply and demand. Neither the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy nor the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy have any tool to stop the proliferation of pharmacy schools.

Third, understand that what this means for the future of pharmacy is lower wages, poorer working conditions, patient safety concerns, and fewer jobs. What we’re seeing is not unlike what other fields such as the legal profession have undergone.

I hate to write an article that carries a predominantly doom-and-gloom perspective. However, I can’t argue with the numbers and my interpretation of them is fairly conservative in my opinion.

Some may say that we’re on the verge of a whole new season of job opportunities if pharmacists become recognized as health care providers. While I applaud such efforts and greatly support them, it nevertheless remains uncertain that it will actually create new pharmacist jobs.

It would be great if pharmacy schools would come together and mutually agree to reduce their enrollment, but that’s unlikely. So, for now, pharmacists and students need to be thinking about this trend and what it will mean for their own careers and future.

http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contri.../pharmacist-job-market-plunges-to-10-year-low

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doom and gloom articles even in pharmacytimes.....
seems like every week theres a new study demonstrating why not to be a pharmacist.
 
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oh yes please let us all ignore pharmacy schools we've been accepted to and go work as a cashier at Walmart ( nothing wrong with the profession of the cashier by the way!). Min wage workers are always needed and there is no debt associated with schooling. I'd say that if someone wants to be a pharmacist it is not bad thing,and serious and dependable person who is willing to relocate will always finds a job even in a current market.
From the other hand I agree that the admission become very linient about the students they accept to the pharmacy program.This is one of the sources of surplas of the graduates. My school this year even extended admission deadline till May, which is unheard of! Something needs to be done! Peace :)
 
oh yes please let us all ignore pharmacy schools we've been accepted to and go work as a cashier at Walmart ( nothing wrong with the profession of the cashier by the way!). Min wage workers are always needed and there is no debt associated with schooling. I'd say that if someone wants to be a pharmacist it is not bad thing,and serious and dependable person who is willing to relocate will always finds a job even in a current market.
From the other hand I agree that the admission become very linient about the students they accept to the pharmacy program.This is one of the sources of surplas of the graduates. My school this year even extended admission deadline till May, which is unheard of! Something needs to be done! Peace :)

Yeah ur only two options are being a cashier at Walmart or a pharmacist. You can't possibly be anything else.

Only reason for this post is don't believe the schools and deans who sell you on shortage and emergence of new clinical jobs. This isn't true and this article describes it... Good luck
 
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oh yes please let us all ignore pharmacy schools we've been accepted to and go work as a cashier at Walmart ( nothing wrong with the profession of the cashier by the way!). Min wage workers are always needed and there is no debt associated with schooling. I'd say that if someone wants to be a pharmacist it is not bad thing,and serious and dependable person who is willing to relocate will always finds a job even in a current market.
From the other hand I agree that the admission become very linient about the students they accept to the pharmacy program.This is one of the sources of surplas of the graduates. My school this year even extended admission deadline till May, which is unheard of! Something needs to be done! Peace :)

Your silly dichotomy only serves to illustrate your ignorance


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It is not my responce that is silly, it is the person who posted original article is wrong! Why would you post smth like this in the forum, where many kids truly want to be pharmacists and are inspired by the future profession? To make yourself feeling better?? What is the reason behind all articles like above?
 
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It is not my responce that is silly, it is the person who posted original article is wrong! Why would you post smth like this in the forum, where many kids truly want to be pharmacists and are inspired by the future profession? To make yourself feeling better?? What is the reason behind all articles like above?

Because pre-pharmacy students deserve to know the truth of they are getting into, as well as alternative career paths, before they sign away $200k+ in loans and spend another 4 years in professional school. A lot of these kids are basing their dreams on inaccurate information about pharmacy, i.e. provider status, MTM, etc.
 
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It is not my responce that is silly, it is the person who posted original article is wrong! Why would you post smth like this in the forum, where many kids truly want to be pharmacists and are inspired by the future profession? To make yourself feeling better?? What is the reason behind all articles like above?

It is exactly as the above poster said. People deserve to know the truth about what they are getting themselves into, both the good and the bad, so that they can make the best informed decision for themselves.

To simply and ignorantly attempt to sweep the negatives under the rug and so strongly dismiss them without any sort of evidence highlights your immaturity and lack of responsibility. Wake up pre-pharm.
 
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People deserve the truth, it's rough out there, and the level of uncertainty my students are facing is insane. And these are top schools they attend...they will fare better than the rest of their peers nationwide.

But the other side is there will always be a need for good pharmacists, and that this is a heck of a lot of fun...but most people a) overestimate their own abilities and b) don't find the same level of satisfaction in their employment due to a variety of factors.


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It is not my responce that is silly, it is the person who posted original article is wrong! Why would you post smth like this in the forum, where many kids truly want to be pharmacists and are inspired by the future profession? To make yourself feeling better?? What is the reason behind all articles like above?

I too am entering pharmacy this year, but don't be so quick to dismiss this information. I have worked with a lot of current interns (as I'm a tech at a community pharmacy), and there are a lot that have limited knowledge of what the job is like, what the job market is like, and what the expectations of the pharmacist are. I think they still believe it's a guaranteed 100k+ job before you graduate, and come into it thinking they can hide behind the computer and count pills all day.

I don't agree with people saying a better job is to take a coding bootcamp and go into tech for a 100k salary, since that's completely false. I live in the San Francisco area and the job market is not paying figures anywhere near that. That said, if you're looking for an easy six figure salary and have no experience in the field before applying, I'd reconsider this goal
 
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It is not my responce that is silly, it is the person who posted original article is wrong! ?

I hope that you are kidding. You can't ague with hard data and say it's wrong. Also hope that you don't tell your diabetic pts that it's ok to keep eating cake and your hypertensive pts to add more salt to their diet.

As others said, don't let money hungry deans tell you there is a shortage, provider status and mtm is the future, etc. look at things for what they are.
 
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We get it. The job market is saturated. No need to spam every forum.
 
It doesn't matter what field one goes into these days. They are all crowded. The job marked is bad across the country. Do what makes you happy!
 
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It doesn't matter what field one goes into these days. They are all crowded. The job marked is bad across the country. Do what makes you happy!

Software engineering, finance, accounting, PA, etc. have more available jobs, have take home pay as good as pharmacy if not better, and do not require you to take out an additional $200k+ loans and spend an additional 4 years in school.
 
Software engineering, finance, accounting, PA, etc. have more available jobs, have take home pay as good as pharmacy if not better, and do not require you to take out an additional $200k+ loans and spend an additional 4 years in school.

I mean, not to say pharmacy or any health profession is a sure thing, but the only people I know making good money in software eng and accounting got their jobs from family hookups.

the job market is competitive, and everyone was raised believing that if they stayed in school, they'd get the bmw, the 4 bedroom mcmansion, and the vacation condo at the beach. Now we have a bunch of people with their name on a fancy sheet of paper and a stack of debt, and no job.

I guess, pick the job that your family has connections in. If your family doesn't have connections, start making best buddies with people who have parents that have connections. I dunno.
 
I mean, not to say pharmacy or any health profession is a sure thing, but the only people I know making good money in software eng and accounting got their jobs from family hookups.
I guess, pick the job that your family has connections in. If your family doesn't have connections, start making best buddies with people who have parents that have connections. I dunno.

You don't need family connections to do well in software engineering. You DO need to come from a reputable school though. Also, unlike pharmacy, an actual passion (ugh..) for programming will eventually get you somewhere. I come from a reputable computer engineering school and I know someone who got into google immediately post-grad by absolutely nailing the on campus interview:skills/programming part. He's a unique case though in which the guy is practically a genius in programming. My other friend got into Riot Games (league of legends) a couple of years after by programming apps to be used with the game on his own time and pro bono. Lastly, I know someone else, after 5 years, was promoted to middle management for a rather large banking company overseeing 20+ other engineers by kinda schmoozing up with the upper management as well as being competent at his job. They all shared these qualities of being persistent, skilled, and from a reputable school without any real connections (we were on the east coast anyway).

I don't get me wrong though. 90% of computer engineers won't ever land in positions as desirable as these. Starting out at 100k+ salary upon graduation may as well be a myth.
 
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Well, after reading all of these gloom posts about being a pharmacist, it's not the stress that worries me, as being in the military beats any other type of stress. It's simply the job outlook. Is it really that bad? I've also worked as a technician for a while and actually enjoy my job at the local Walgreens, shift flies by because of how busy we are. If people stress you out you have got to learn to deal with it, by starting as a tech in a retail pharmacy. With that being said, it makes me question, should I go into something else? I am not that far into knocking out my prerequisites for Roseman's College of Pharmacy. I just have no idea of what else to become. Any ideas would be awesome!
Thanks.
 
And people are still wondering if they can get in on this forum. It's ridiculous
 
And people are still wondering if they can get in on this forum. It's ridiculous

They'll get in easily if they're willing to sign away $200k+ in loans but won't be able to get in on a job to pay off said loans.
 
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