Academicianship in Pharmacy: A Qualitative Study

An academic pharmacist signifies individuals who engage in research activities within the pharmacy field at higher education institutions like universities, impart education, and contribute to the discipline through original investigations. This study aims to explore the advantages and challenges encountered by academic pharmacists, along with providing insights and recommendations for aspiring academic pharmacists. The cross-sectional study employed a qualitative approach involving face-to-face interactions through semi-structured and in-depth interviews utilizing both ‘open-ended’ and ‘semi-structured’ questions. The study population consisted of academic pharmacists working in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 10 academic pharmacists who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out through a comprehensive exploration of these interviews. As a result of conducting thematic content analysis on the interview data, a total of four principal themes have emerged: drawbacks, requisite competencies, motivating factors and suggestions. Considering the current proliferation of pharmacy faculties and student enrollments, it is advisable to encourage pharmacy students to contemplate academic pharmacy as a component of their career planning. Furthermore, providing comprehensive information about academic pathways during their undergraduate studies is recommended.