PEER REVIEW
The Impact of Pharmacist Involvement in Professional Associations and Career Satisfaction Katlynn Johnson, Jaycee Mandernach, Andrew Sabers, & Sarah Tappe of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy John Swegle, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
Abstract
Background: Professional association involvement can be an integral part of a pharmacist’s career. However, not all pharmacists choose to be a part of these organizations. Professional association involvement and its impact on career satisfaction was evaluated. The primary outcome assessed how the number of associations and time involved with these associations impacted pharmacist’s career satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included assessments on the impact duration of pharmacy practice and practice type (i.e. community, hospital, etc.) have on career satisfaction. Methods: A Google forms survey was sent to Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) members via email two different times. There were 22 questions on this survey assessing various questions involving demographics, workplace information, involvement in organizations, and overall satisfaction. Questions about satisfaction included a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being highly unsatisfied and 5 being highly satisfied. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data. Results: Twenty-eight pharmacists responded to the survey. Iowa pharmacists had a high level of satisfaction overall. A majority of pharmacists (89.3%) reported they were either highly satisfied or satisfied with their career. Only 3.6% reported that they were unsatisfied with their career. Satisfaction ratings remained similar across practice location (Avg. satisfaction rating; community: 3.71, ambulatory: 4.71, hospital: 4.67). Increased involvement (hours/month) showed no clear impact on satisfaction (0 hours: 4.75, 1-2 hours: 4.29, 3-4 hours: 5.0, ≥ 5 hours: 4.8). There was a trend toward increased satisfaction with
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| The Journal of the Iowa Pharmacy Association
the greater number of associations a participant was involved in (1-2 associations: 4.29, 3-4 associations: 4.55, ≥ 5 associations: 5.0). Conclusions: Pharmacists involved in more professional associations showed a trend of being more satisfied with their careers compared to pharmacists involved in fewer professional organizations.
Introduction
In 2019, USA Today’s “Best Jobs” ranked pharmacist as #55.1 In 2017, pharmacist ranked as the second most promising profession, according to LinkedIn.2 Additionally, a recent Pharmacy Times survey found that only 51% of respondents were satisfied with their job. The top three reasons for dissatisfaction were workload, management, and the work-life balance.2 The top three drivers of satisfaction being pride in what they do, compensation, and colleagues.2 One potential option to boost career satisfaction is to be involved in one of the numerous professional associations. Professional association involvement can be a rewarding part of a pharmacist’s career, however, not all pharmacists are a part of these organizations. If pharmacists that are involved in a professional association are more satisfied in their career, this could provide useful information to promote professional engagement and aid in career satisfaction. Timothy Gauthier has hypothesized some variables that limit pharmacist involvement as their career progresses. Such variables include diminishing benefit, increasing personal and family activities, and the cost to be a member in the association.4
