A Season for Change and Growth

Now that the summer heat has started to yield to the crisp air of autumn and pharmacy schools have opened their doors for a new semester, pharmacy students at all levels of education are experiencing change.

For students who have entered their first year of pharmacy school, fall represents the beginning of a new and exciting journey toward becoming health care professionals; for returning students, the season provides an opportunity to expand their knowledge in different classes or settings.

Pharmacy students are not alone in facing change, as the pharmacy profession continues to evolve. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacist employment is projected to expand slowly yet steadily over the next 8 years, due in part to an increased demand for pharmacists in a variety of health care settings.¹ And with national provider status on the horizon, pharmacists are poised to play a more active and patient-centric role on the health care team. It is a dynamic time for pharmacy, and as the pharmacists of the future, today’s pharmacy students will be key to the evolution of the profession.

To help pharmacy students make the most of their education as the pharmacy landscape shifts around them, this issue of Pharmacy Careers offers practical information, such as advice on residencies and fellowships, suggestions on writing and publishing, and tips for launching a peer mentorship program. Students planning to attend this year’s American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas will also find 2 articles on how to navigate the conference and its residency showcase. Additionally, be sure to check out this issue’s 2 Industry Voice articles, in which pharmacists from Roundy’s and Albertson’s share their experiences and insights, and don’t miss the article on the successes of interprofessional education.

As you pursue your career in pharmacy, be open to changes that may help you deliver optimal care to patients, and always look for opportunities to grow as a future health care provider.

Thank you for reading!

Mike Hennessy, Sr

Chairman and CEO

Reference

• Pharmacist job outlook. Bureau of Labor Statistics website. www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm#tab-6. Accessed September 12, 2016.