University of Florida College of Pharmacy- photo credit 

Part 2

Jones (February 1, 2023) reported, “Often members of the Black community want to find healthcare providers who can be honest and straightforward. This kind of trust is significant, but it goes both ways. Patients have to be comfortable and direct with their healthcare providers so the providers can provide the best healthcare outcomes. More significant health pharmacies tend to create an atmosphere where the residents feel comfortable discussing their health.”

As discussed in the last article, ‘Considerations for Increasing the pipeline of Black Doctors of Pharmacy (PharmD) Students  (Part 1), Anderson and Associates (2008) sought to determine what influenced pharmacy students to pursue a career in pharmacy. We also found that Hickey and colleagues (2019)  stated that pre-health advisors are most often the first formal contact a student has with their intended health profession, and a well-informed advisor with a positive perception of the pharmacy vocation will impact a student’s educational perseverance in the field. However, when Anderson and colleagues analyzed survey responses from students across two distinct PharmD programs, they found that college-level advisors and instructors generally directed respondents toward the practice of medicine over other health careers. 

Pavuluri and associates (2019) “Pharmacy programs should not undertake aggressive actions to address decreasing enrollment that may lead to short-term gains but ultimately to long-term failures. Instead, schools should adopt a long-term strategic and sustainable plan that aligns with the profession’s scope and the community’s demands. The only responsible solution to enrollment decline that secures the pharmacy profession for future generations is a proactive, strategic approach that safeguards the quality of pharmacy professionals and their role in addressing the needs of patients and communities.”

Influences for pursuing a degree in pharmacy were remarkably similar across student groups. Public awareness campaigns that emphasize the profession’s benefits and programs designed to bring students into contact with the profession may be effective recruiting methods/strategies. Pruitt and associates (2023) emphasize that profession-specific advising for pre-pharmacy students offers potential tools to address challenges faced by pharmacy programs. Professional development organizations in pharmacy education should consider creating a resource portal focusing on advising practices like that devised by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Adopting high-quality advising approaches will likely positively influence professional school enrollment, general student success, and educational access for the traditionally underserved. The Narrative Matters!

References:

Anderson Jr, D. C., Sheffield, M. C., Hill, A. M., & Cobb, H. H. (2008). Influences on pharmacy students’ decision to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(2). Influences on Pharmacy Students’ Decision to Pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree – PMC (nih.gov)

Jones, L. ( February 1, 2023). Black and History: Why Black Owned Pharmacies and Wellness Centers Matter. Black and History: Why Black Owned Pharmacies and Wellness Centers Matter  – The Narrative Matters

HBCU. (2022). HBCU Schools Offering Pharmacy Doctoral Degrees.HBCU Schools Offering Pharmacy Doctoral Degrees (hbcu-colleges.com)

Hickey, E., DiPiro, J., & Romanelli, F. (2019). Prospective health professions students’ misperceptions about pharmacists. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(6).

Pavuluri, N., Aparasu, R. R., Boje, K. M., Danielson, J., El-Ibiary, S. Y., Iyer, A. K. V., … & Wargo, K. A. (2019). Consideration of aggressive and strategic approaches to address declining enrollment in US pharmacy schools. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(6), 6959. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000294592301536X

Pruitt, S., Darley, A., & Dennison, E. (2023). Increasing the PharmD Pipeline, Encouraging Student Success, and Supporting the Underserved Through Pre-Pharmacy Advising. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 87(2), ajpe8854. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002945923013797