The Pharmacist’s Paradox: Burnout, Financial Optionality, and Career Sustainability

IF 3.1 4区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education Pub Date : 2026-12-01 Epub Date: 2026-10-09 DOI:10.1016/j.ajpe.2026.102100

Rosalyn Padiyara Vellurattil, Richard Wenzel

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Burnout, workforce dissatisfaction, and concerns regarding career sustainability continue to affect the pharmacy profession. At the same time, pharmacists’ earnings exceed those of the average US employee, creating a professional paradox in which high earning potential coexists with workforce and career sustainability challenges. Despite growing literature surrounding pharmacist well-being, limited attention has been given to how financial literacy, financial independence, and financial optionality may influence career decision-making and sustainability within pharmacy education and practice. This commentary explores how financial literacy and financial independence may contribute to financial optionality that expands career choice among pharmacists. A conceptual model is presented illustrating how professional discontent, financial awareness and behaviors, and professional agency may interact across pharmacist career trajectories to influence career optionality and evolving definitions of career sustainability. Financial literacy is proposed as a professional empowerment strategy rather than solely a personal skill set. The Academy, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, and other professional stakeholders should expand discourse and training surrounding financial literacy, financial optionality, career sustainability, and workforce well-being to better prepare future and current pharmacists for long-term professional sustainability.

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药剂师的悖论：职业倦怠、财务选择和职业可持续性。

职业倦怠、劳动力不满和对职业可持续性的担忧继续影响着药学专业。与此同时，药剂师的收入超过了美国普通员工的收入，这造成了一个职业悖论：高收入潜力与劳动力和职业可持续性挑战并存。尽管围绕药剂师福利的文献越来越多，但对财务素养、财务独立和财务可选性如何影响药学教育和实践中的职业决策和可持续性的关注有限。这篇评论探讨了财务知识和财务独立如何有助于扩大药剂师职业选择的财务可选性。提出了一个概念模型，说明职业不满、财务意识和行为以及职业代理如何在药剂师职业轨迹中相互作用，从而影响职业可选性和职业可持续性的发展定义。金融知识被认为是一种专业赋权策略，而不仅仅是一种个人技能。学院、药学教育认证委员会和其他专业利益相关者应该扩大围绕金融知识、金融可选性、职业可持续性和劳动力福利的讨论和培训，以更好地为未来和现在的药剂师的长期专业可持续性做好准备。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 医学-学科教育

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

15.20%

发文量

114

期刊介绍： The Journal accepts unsolicited manuscripts that have not been published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The Journal only considers material related to pharmaceutical education for publication. Authors must prepare manuscripts to conform to the Journal style (Author Instructions). All manuscripts are subject to peer review and approval by the editor prior to acceptance for publication. Reviewers are assigned by the editor with the advice of the editorial board as needed. Manuscripts are submitted and processed online (Submit a Manuscript) using Editorial Manager, an online manuscript tracking system that facilitates communication between the editorial office, editor, associate editors, reviewers, and authors. After a manuscript is accepted, it is scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of the Journal. All manuscripts are formatted and copyedited, and returned to the author for review and approval of the changes. Approximately 2 weeks prior to publication, the author receives an electronic proof of the article for final review and approval. Authors are not assessed page charges for publication.