Publication
Article
Pharmacy Careers
Pharmacy Students Prepare for Changing Health Care Landscape
Author(s):
Key Takeaways
- Walgreens' store closures may increase pharmacy deserts, affecting 15.8 million Americans with limited access to medication.
- Pharmacy deserts often impact communities with low education, insurance, and English literacy, necessitating top-level pharmacist practice.
It is more important than ever to have pharmacists and pharmacy professionals practicing at the top of their license to assist patients in pharmacy deserts.
With pharmacy deserts on the rise, serving these disadvantaged communities is among the biggest challenges.
Image Credit: eldarnurkovic - stock.adobe.com
In August 2024, Walgreens announced it will close up to 25% of its underperforming stores within 3 years, raising concerns about the impact of underrepresented areas as well as the creation of more pharmacy deserts, areas where patients have difficulty obtaining medication due to distance from a pharmacy.1
In a study published in JAMA Network Open, the authors said 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy and 85% receive medication through a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.2 Approximately 15.8 million Americans live in pharmacy desert communities.3 People in these locations tend to be less educated, not have health insurance, have low literacy in English, have ambulatory disabilities, and identify as a racial or ethnic minority3; thus, it is more important than ever to have pharmacists and pharmacy professionals practicing at the top of their license to assist patients in pharmacy deserts.
Pharmacy deserts are among the growing challenges today’s pharmacists face, and a dynamic education can help prepare students to serve these disadvantaged communities.
In this issue of Pharmacy Careers®, authors discuss their experiences in pharmacy school. In our cover feature, Victoria Isgett, a PharmD candidate at the Medical University of South Carolina, addresses the causes and consequences of burnout for pharmacy students and the importance of awareness among educational institutions and health care organizations of student burnout.
In a Viewpoints article, Saley Traore-Uwalaka, PharmD, BCPS, director of clinical programs at Correct Rx Pharmacy Services Inc, explains how to forge a unique, flexible path in the changing world of pharmacy. Eric E. Kennison, PharmD, MBA, a PGY-2 pharmacy resident at Intermountain Medical Center, discusses what to do when faced with roadblocks. When he failed the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination, he felt lost but persevered with help from the support system around him.
As pharmacists, adapting and continuous learning are key, not only in practice but also in school. We hope you enjoy reading these and other stories in this issue of Pharmacy Careers and gain insight into how the pharmacy industry continues to evolve and change health care and society. Thank you for reading.
REFERENCES
1. Gallagher A. Community pharmacy’s future may depend on health care services, provider status. Pharmacy Times. August 13, 2024. Accessed September 16, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/community-pharmacy-s-future-may-depend-on-health-care-services-provider-status
2. Urick BY, Adams JK, Bruce MR. State telepharmacy policies and pharmacy deserts. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(8):e2328810. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.28810
3. Wittenauer R, Shah PD, Bacci JL, Stergachis A. Locations and characteristics of pharmacy deserts in the United States: a geospatial study. Health A Sch. 2024;2(4):qxae035. doi:10.1093/haschl/qxae035
