(232) Initial Employment Plans of PharmD Graduates From Ten Public Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy, 2018-2022

Objective : Since 2009, the Big 10 Pharmacy Assessment Collaborative has surveyed their PharmD graduates within three weeks of graduation regarding first employment plans. The current study updates data from 2013-2017, since which the nationwide demand for pharmacists has decreased, then increased again due to COVID-19.

Methods: Approved by each university’s IRB, quantitative and qualitative first-position employment data from 2018-2022 were tracked among Big 10 PharmD graduates (N=6,690). Outcomes included job/residency/fellowship placement; satisfaction with placement; salary; time spent searching; and perceived difficulty finding placement.

Results: Over the study period, 5,276 usable surveys were received (return rate 79%). Among the 2,699 respondents who reported applying for employment, 64% had received an employment offer before graduation. Annual salaries in pharmacy positions of at least 32 hours per week (excluding residencies or fellowships) trended downward from $113,754 in 2018 to $99,175 in 2021, rebounding to $114,097 in 2022. Approximately 42% of respondents reported difficulty finding a position in 2018 and 2019, dropping to 20% in 2022. Graduates spent nearly three months searching for a position. An average of 73% of respondents were satisfied with the offers they received, and 72% reported finding positions in their preferred job setting. An average of 57% applied for residencies from 2018 to 2022, nearly 10% higher than reported between 2013-2017, and 76% matched compared to 65% nationally. An additional 18% planned to pursue additional academic degrees or fellowship training, compared to 14% nationally.

Conclusions: Pharmacy remains a profession filled with opportunity, and the diversification in health care practice by pharmacists continues to accelerate. Pharmacy employment data needs to be monitored continuously to identify trends and opportunities.